Funeral Information
The Federal Trade Commission Regulations for “Funeral Industry Practices” requires us to make the following disclosures and prohibits the misrepresentation of actual fact. In order to comply with these provisions of the regulation, Folsom Funeral Service is voluntarily providing this list of requirements.
- Every family must be given, for retention, a General Price List prior to the discussion of funeral prices.
- Every family must be given or shown a Casket Price List prior to the discussion of Casket prices.
- Every family must be given or shown an Outer Burial Container Price List prior to discussing Outer Burial Container prices.
- We cannot tell you that embalming is required by law if it is not so. Permission must be sought and granted for embalming or we cannot charge for it.
- We cannot tell you that a casket [other than a cremation container as required by our local crematory] is required for direct cremation or immediate burial.
- We cannot tell you that a sealed casket is required by law when that is not so.
- We cannot tell you that the use of an outside burial container, or any other item of merchandise, is required by law when that is not so.
- We cannot tell you that embalming, or any merchandise, will delay the decomposition of the remains for a long or indefinite time. The only representations regarding merchandise we may make are those made by the manufacturer.
- We must tell you that the cost you are charged for Third Party Bills [Cash Advance Items] may vary from what we pay for those items because of volume/trade discounts or added mark-up [Massachusetts law prohibits us from charging more than our costs for these items].
We get many inquiries regarding the prepayment of funeral arrangements. These twelve disclosures explain how the accounts function.
- We deposit our preneed funds through the New England Funeral Trust in a variety of financial instruments. The depository is in the Cambridge Trust Company, Cambridge, MA.
- As of June 30th, 2004 Funeral Homes will not be allowed to charge a fee to cancel or transfer a prepaid funeral account. 100% of the money paid for these accounts must be deposited into a trust or insurance account.
- Interest earned on prepaid trust accounts must stay in the account to be used to offset inflation. In a revocable account, the withdrawal of any interest earned will constitute a cancellation of the price guarantee and subject the estate or the heirs of the account holder to charges for any shortfall in the costs incurred at the time of death.
- Folsom Funeral Service tries to make our prepaid funeral arrangements as all-inclusive as possible. However, several items are usually not included in our agreements. If you incur charges for a death occurring out of state (unless it is specifically itemized), or for a Saturday or Overtime Charge at a cemetery, or for any additions you make at the time services are provided, then you will be billed separately for those items.
- The beneficiary of the funeral trust account is responsible for the payment of any taxes imposed by State or Federal governments on any income earned by the trust account.
- Funeral Accounts may be either revocable (able to be cancelled at any time), or irrevocable (not able to be cancelled, but still may be transferred to another funeral provider). Irrevocable accounts are considered to be an exempt asset for Medicaid purposes.
- Funeral Accounts may be either guaranteed or non-guaranteed. We regret that, as of January 1st, 2010 we will be unable to guarantee our prepaid accounts. Because of the current economic climate, our trust accounts are only earning about 1/2% interest. This interest is not enough to cover the cost of inflation of funerals. Accounts funded by insurance cannot be guaranteed.
- In the event you wish to make a change in your prepaid funeral arrangement, you MUST notify us, in writing, of that change.
- In the event that there is any change at Folsom Funeral Service which would affect your agreement with us, we MUST notify you, in writing, of that change and provide you with a list of options available to you.
- You have the right to inspect the records pertaining to your prepaid funeral account during normal business hours. We request that you please call first.
- Folsom Funeral Service has no relationship beyond that of the provider of the funeral services covered by the deposited funds, with the depositories of aforesaid funds.
- State regulations require a 10 day “cooling off” period before we may deposit your funds in the account of your choosing. During this 10 day period you may receive a full refund of the entire amount paid if you decide to cancel your contract with us.