Common parts of an arrangement
- Basic arrangement services and coordination
- Transfer and care of the person who has died
- Cremation, with the crematory fee included or listed separately
- A suitable cremation container, specified in the price list
Pre-planning
and pre-paying
Put your wishes in writing while you have time to consider them. Your family can return to those choices when they need them.
Request a callback
Decide what matters to you
Planning ahead gives you time to talk with family, compare choices and record what you want. Pre-planning can begin with a conversation; it does not have to begin with a payment.
What you can discuss in advance
- Direct cremation, or a funeral with a gathering
- Words, music and personal wishes for a service
- An urn or other memorial choices
- The person to contact and where your written wishes will be kept
Planning your first arrangement? The 10% Thank you for trusting us courtesy is part of that first arrangement.
Locking today's price
A guaranteed prepayment arrangement may protect the price of the services and merchandise named in its written agreement. Writing down wishes alone does not fix a future price.
Ask which items are guaranteed, what could still cost extra, and what happens if your wishes change. Any price protection depends on the agreement offered.
For general New York information, read Before Prepaying Your Funeral from the New York State Department of Health.
Payment choices to discuss
Prepayment arrangements may use a single payment or installments. Availability, accepted payment methods and any charges depend on the provider and the written plan.
Ask where payments are held, when they are due, and how changes or cancellation would be handled. We can discuss the available options in a callback.
A conversation comes first
Use the note below to ask about pre-planning or pre-paying. Include your state and the service you are considering.
If a family introduced you, include their name for the 5% Trusted family introduction program.
Request a callbackUnderstanding direct cremation
Direct cremation is cremation without a viewing or visitation beforehand. A memorial gathering can be held afterward. A service with a viewing before cremation is a different arrangement.
The lists below describe common industry practices. Ask for the written details of our starting price.
Costs to check separately
- Extra certified copies of the death certificate
- An urn beyond any container included
- Mileage beyond the stated transfer area
- A viewing, ceremony, cemetery place or memorial gathering
General information: FTC guide to types of funerals and questions to ask about pricing.
Our two thank-you offers
The courtesy and family introduction program remain part of the conversation.
10% Thank you for trusting us
A courtesy of ten percent applies to the first arrangement only.
5% Trusted family introduction program
When a family sends another family to us, we like to give back as a thank you for the opportunity of introducing us to another family, as a trusted route through hard times. If another family introduced you, write that family name in your note.
Questions about planning ahead
How do the two thank-you offers fit planning ahead?
The 10% Thank you for trusting us courtesy applies to the first arrangement only. The 5% Trusted family introduction program recognizes a family introduction; write the other family’s name in your note. Bring both to the planning conversation so the written details are clear.
Can I record my wishes before deciding about payment?
Yes. Begin with the service you are considering and the choices you want your family to know about. Pre-planning and pre-paying are separate decisions.
Does planning ahead guarantee a price?
Writing wishes ahead does not lock a price. Ask about a written prepayment agreement and exactly which charges, if any, it guarantees.
What should I ask about the total cost?
Ask for an itemized price, any crematory fee, the transfer area, certificate costs and any urn or gathering you choose. Confirm the total before making a decision.
Request a callback
Begin with the service you are considering, or say that you are writing wishes ahead. Include a gathering if you would like one first. If another family introduced you, write their family name in your note.