Funeral Services Cheat Sheet 2026

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

1. Who is legally authorized to sign a death certificate in most US states? → The attending physician, medical examiner, or coroner
2. What is the purpose of a trocar during embalming? → Aspirating cavity contents and injecting cavity chemical
3. What happens to the interest earned on preneed trust funds in most states? → It stays in the trust and is applied to the final bill or returned to the family
4. A preneed funeral contract funded through a life insurance policy is best described as what type of arrangement? → Insurance-funded preneed
5. What is cavity embalming used for? → Aspirating and treating the thoracic and abdominal cavities
6. What does 'right of way' mean in a cemetery context? → Designated pathways and access lanes that must remain clear for maintenance and visitors
7. What is a 'memorial service' as distinct from a 'funeral service'? → A service held without the body present
8. What is required before a body can be legally transported across state lines? → A death certificate and transit permit
9. What is 'direct cremation'? → Cremation without embalming, viewing, or formal service
10. Which government agency is primarily responsible for oversight of preneed funeral sales at the state level? → The State Insurance Department or State Funeral Board
11. What is 'mourning' in the context of grief theory? → The outward, social expression of grief shaped by cultural norms
12. What is the primary purpose of preneed funeral planning from a consumer standpoint? → To relieve survivors of decision-making burden and lock in current prices
13. What is the correct order of the embalming process? → Arterial → Cavity → Hypodermic
14. What is 'anticipatory grief'? → Grief experienced before a death that is expected or imminent
15. A preneed contract that specifies exact goods and services to be provided, regardless of price changes at the time of death, is called a: → Guaranteed preneed contract
16. Which accounting method is most commonly used by funeral homes to track individual service profitability? → Job costing
17. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, how long must a funeral home retain price lists? → Three years
18. In most U.S. states, what percentage of preneed funds collected must be placed into a trust? → 90% to 100%
19. What is the primary role of a funeral director? → Coordinating all aspects of funeral arrangements and services for families
20. What must a funeral home disclose if embalming is NOT legally required? → That embalming is not legally required except in certain circumstances
21. What process follows primary cremation to pulverize the remaining bone fragments? → Cremulation (processing)
22. Which disinfectant is recommended for cleaning embalming room surfaces after a procedure? → Bleach solution (1:10 dilution)
23. What is 'upselling' in the context of funeral service ethics? → Pressuring families to purchase more expensive items than needed
24. What is the primary purpose of a burial permit? → To legally authorize the disposition of human remains
25. What does 'body donation' to a medical school involve from the funeral home's perspective? → The funeral home is not typically involved in body donation
26. What federal law regulates the sale of cemetery goods and services for veterans' benefits? → Title 38 of the US Code (Department of Veterans Affairs regulations)
27. What is a 'General Price List' (GPL) in a funeral home? → A required itemized list of all funeral goods and services with prices
28. What regulation governs crematory emissions in the United States? → EPA National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
29. What is a 'columbarium'? → A structure with niches for storing cremated remains
30. What is a 'double-depth' burial? → A grave with two burial spaces, one above the other