What You Should Know as a Consumer...
Independent Funeral Homes vs. National Chains

In recent years, there has been a growing and alarming trend toward consolidation in the funeral home industry. Many neighborhood funeral homes, thought to be locally owned, are often owned by a national, publicly-traded corporations. This can lead to more standardized but perhaps less personal service from a business that may be more dependent upon and responsible to its investors than to the needs of families.

Unlike funeral homes and mortuaries that are part of large corporate organizations, funeral homes that are members of Selected Independent Funeral Homes are owned by people who are part of their communities.  Indeed, independent ownership is a primary criteria of membership in this organization. Most members of Selected Independent Funeral Homes are families that have been caring for friends and neighbors for generations.

If local ownership and knowledge of local traditions are important to you, you should ask who owns and operates the funeral home you are considering.