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10 Questions to Ask a Funeral Home Before You Sign Anything

By Austin Worthington, Fairwell founder · Updated 2026-07-18

Print this. Or forward it to whichever relative is doing the calling.

1. "Can you email me your current General Price List?"

They must hand it to you in person and give prices by phone; email is optional but honest providers do it. If the GPL is dated more than a year ago, ask explicitly whether the printed numbers still apply.

2. "What is your basic services fee?"

The one fee you can't decline. Atlanta spread: $1,920 to $7,190. Two funeral homes can quote similar line items and differ by thousands on this fee alone.

3. "What exactly does the quoted package include — and what's excluded?"

Get the exclusions in writing. Common surprises: death certificates (~$25 each in Georgia), transfer mileage caps, after-hours fees, "alternative container" charged separately from a quoted cremation.

4. "Is your crematory on-site? If not, who performs the cremation?"

Contracted crematories are normal. But you have a right to know the chain of custody, and providers with on-site crematories (A.S. Turner, Sosebee, Davis-Struempf, Jones-Wynn, and others in the metro) will happily say so.

5. "Is embalming required for what we've chosen?"

For direct cremation or immediate burial: no, and they must not charge for it. For a public viewing: their policy may require it. Georgia law never does.

6. "What happens if I buy the casket or urn elsewhere?"

Correct answer: "We'll accept it, no handling fee." Federal law. Anything else is a violation — and a signal.

7. "What are the cash-advance items, and do you add a markup?"

Cemetery fees, flowers, obituaries, clergy honoraria. The Funeral Rule requires disclosure of markups on these pass-through charges. Ask directly.

8. "What's the total, all-in, including the cemetery?"

Funeral homes quote their side; the cemetery bills separately (plot $800–$3,995, opening/closing $500–$2,295, vault $700–$2,500 in the metro). Insist on seeing both columns before comparing providers.

9. "What's your timeline for ashes / for scheduling the service?"

Budget cremation providers may run 7–14 days. Chapels book up. If timing matters — travel, religious requirements — get it in writing.

10. "If I take this statement home tonight, will these prices hold tomorrow?"

The pressure test. Prices on a written statement don't expire overnight, and a provider who implies otherwise has told you everything.

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Or ask none of them

Fairwell asks all ten — of every relevant provider — before you ever speak to one. We hold current GPL data for 60+ Atlanta-metro funeral homes, verify quotes by phone, and negotiate partner rates below list. Free for families, and families you refer get an extra 10% off. How it works.