Walmart Introduces A Product You Can Take With You When You Die

I accepted an invitation to conduct a seminar for other lawyers about the laws that apply to death and dying. A great deal of the presentation revolves around a federal  law known as the Funeral Rule. This law was enacted in 1984 to curb deceptive practices in the funeral industry. While the number of cremations is increasing, more than half the population still opts for a traditional funeral and burial. The highest expense of a traditional funeral is the casket. The Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has several provisions regarding funeral caskets. 

A funeral home is the most convenient, and the most expensive, place to purchase a casket. Most families purchase from the funeral home because they cannot shop at a time of grief. Although funeral homes provide a valuable service, there are alternatives. If you have time to pre-plan, and have the fortitude, you may save money. 

You may purchase a casket online, and pay as little as 20% of what a casket would normally cost at a funeral home. Under the Funeral Rule, a local funeral director must accept a casket from an outside vendor, and they cannot charge a service fee. Walmart Sells caskets online, as does COSTCO. There are other online retailers that sell caskets. Most online vendors will get the casket to you within three days. There are also carpenters who hand make caskets, and of course, you can make your own. 

Two additional comments: No casket is sealed. The FTC has forced casket makers and funeral homes to cease and desist from that false advertising. Over time, the casket will deteriorate and the body will decompose. Sure, Lenin in Russia, and a few popes in Italy, are preserved in special caskets for extended viewing, but the cost of that special preservation is beyond the budget of most consumers. 

The second fallacy is that the price of the casket proves how much you loved the deceased That is false. Your acts toward the deceased while they were alive are a better measure of your love for them than the casket you purchase after they’ve passed. I generally advise clients establish a small scholarship fund with the money they save on a casket. Organizations like The Philadelphia Foundation will help you set up the fund. 

But next time someone suggests a way for you to spend money, with the adage that “you can’t take it with you” correct them. Walmart now sells merchandise that you can take with you!

Do you have a question about funerals, or the laws surrounding death or dying? If so, please feel free to ask. 

Stay well until the next post. 

Bob Gasparro

Bob Gasparro is an Elder Practitioner (accountant and attorney). He can be reached at Robert.Gasparro@lifespanlegal.com or (484) 297-2050. Comments to this post, and ideas for future posts are welcome.