Which practice is considered unfair or deceptive under the FTC Funeral Rule?

• A. Charging a fee for embalming the body of a child under the age of 14 years
• B. Charging a casket handling fee for a third-party provided casket
• C. Charging a non-declinable fee for the basic services and overhead
• D. Charging a fee to a direct cremation customer for an alternative container

Answer: (B)

Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must provide clear, itemized price disclosures and may not add hidden charges for goods the consumer provides or for third-party items. Charging a casket handling fee when the casket is provided by a third party runs afoul of this requirement because it imposes an extra, nontransparent charge for a product the funeral home did not furnish. It effectively hides the real cost and makes the price appear higher or more bundled than it actually is, which is deceptive under the rule’s push for transparency and unbundling of goods and services.

Context helps: the rule is designed so consumers can compare prices for the same services and goods, including the option to supply their own casket or container. The other scenarios described—embalming a child, the basic services and overhead being a non-declinable charge, and charging for an alternative container in direct cremation with proper disclosure—do not inherently involve deceptive pricing for third-party goods and are generally permissible when properly disclosed.