Where to Get Help Making Decisions About Planning a Funeral
Last updated November 2026
Funeral homes provide important services, but they are usually for-profit businesses that make money by selling products and services. You and your family may not want, need, or be able to afford some of the things they’re promoting.
Never go to a funeral home to choose services by yourself. Alone with a funeral director, you are vulnerable to making decisions based on grief or guilt. A less-involved companion—a family member, friend, or clergy member—can assure you that sensible cost-saving decisions are okay. There are specialized organizations that can help, too.
Funeral consumer organizations, traditionally referred to as “memorial societies,” are nonprofit organizations that provide consumer education and resources regarding your rights and options for burial and cremation; some also negotiate discounted prices for their members with local funeral homes. Typically, a one-time nominal donation is required to join. Many local affiliates provide information on organ or tissue donation, and provide information on death benefits. They do not arrange for funerals, pay for funerals, or choose a specific funeral director for you.
The Funeral Consumers Alliance is the national umbrella group for affiliated funeral consumer groups in the U.S. Many local affiliates perform price surveys of area funeral homes. They also provide information on organ or tissue donation, and provide information on death benefits. They do not arrange for funerals, pay for funerals, or choose a specific funeral director for you. To locate your memorial society, visit Funerals.org.
