CPC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CPC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which metric best shows a preplanning file is complete? → All required documents signed, funded, and distributed
2. A CPC should document a client's cultural and religious preferences in the preneed file primarily to: → Ensure the funeral home staff can honor those preferences accurately at the time of need
3. What is an irrevocable funeral trust primarily designed to accomplish in Medicaid planning? → Set aside funds for funeral costs that are generally not counted as available resources
4. Which of the following practices would constitute an ethical violation for a CPC? → Receiving an undisclosed commission for recommending a specific insurance product
5. Why is risk management essential in project coordination? → It ensures that risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated to prevent delays
6. How does a consultant best build credibility with a skeptical client? → Be transparent, provide written details, and avoid pressure
7. Which best describes a 'referral' strategy for preplanning? → Asking satisfied families to introduce friends and relatives
8. Which of the following best describes a 'green burial'? → Burial in a biodegradable container without embalming, allowing natural decomposition
9. Which is a common reason people delay preplanning? → Discomfort discussing death and procrastination
10. Which of the following best describes a 'mausoleum'? → An above-ground building or structure designed to house the remains of the deceased
11. A client's arrangements involve a funeral home, a cemetery, and an insurance company. What is the consultant's primary coordination role? → Act as the single point of contact aligning all parties' requirements
12. A caller asks a funeral home by phone for the price of a direct cremation. What does the Funeral Rule require? → Provide accurate price information over the phone when asked
13. Which of the following memorial merchandise options allows cremated remains to be incorporated into a wearable item? → Cremation jewelry
14. A preplanning consultant begins a new client file. Which step should come first in a well-managed preplanning project? → Conduct a needs-and-wishes discovery meeting
15. What does active listening primarily involve? → Giving full attention, reflecting and paraphrasing what is heard
16. What is the significance of the 'death notification' conversation that a CPC may need to prepare a family for? → It is the emotionally difficult process of informing others that a death has occurred
17. Why is it important to understand a client’s goals and priorities? → To meet the client's vision and priorities for success
18. How does documentation play a role in compliance? → It ensures that all compliance measures are recorded for future reference
19. During the preplanning process, which step typically follows needs discovery? → Presenting options and recommendations matched to needs
20. Which scheduling approach best supports a client who is deciding slowly? → Offer a timeline with follow-up touchpoints and no pressure
21. Which of the following is an example of 'high-pressure sales tactics' that a CPC must avoid? → Suggesting the client will burden their family if they do not sign a contract today
22. A preneed marketing piece must legally include which type of disclosure in most U.S. states? → Information about consumer rights and the availability of a General Price List
23. A client asks about 'above-ground cremation niche' options. The CPC should explain that this refers to: → An individual compartment in a columbarium wall designed to hold a cremation urn
24. Which risk is most important to manage when a plan depends on a single provider? → Provider closure or ownership change
25. In the AIDA marketing model, what does the 'D' stand for, and how does it apply to preneed sales? → Desire — creating an emotional want for the peace of mind that preplanning provides
26. Which organization provides the CPC (Certified Preplanning Consultant) certification? → National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
27. What distinguishes a guaranteed preneed contract from a non-guaranteed one? → Guaranteed contracts lock in the price of the specified goods and services
28. Which of the following is a funeral provider under the Funeral Rule? → A business that sells both funeral goods and funeral services to the public
29. In preneed marketing, 'at-need conversion' refers to: → Converting a grieving at-need family into a preneed purchaser for surviving family members
30. Which of the following is considered the most effective initial approach when prospecting for preneed clients? → Referrals from satisfied preneed clients and community partners