ØTO inform:  Being a consumer advocate is an important part of our 'service'. A Team Master's informs their customers, goes 110% to make sure freedom of choice is always permitted to be carried out, as the FTC rules state - by the public in arrangement of funerals!

ØA wedding, A funeral, car and /or vacation purchases are all the most expensive purchases one might make in a life time. In most all of these costly purchases - people plan for, save for and shop or budget for - most that is, perhaps except for the funeral. The public used to be afraid to speak of funerals, and be kept in the dark on this subject as well. With the knowledge seeking - `have it my way` baby boomers, this is now changing. The information is now out there, and the Federal Trade Commission promotes competition within the death care trade as well. Many of the public have not heard that they have choices - that there can be considerable savings in purchase and funeral arrangements. At our firm, A Team Master`s Casket & Vaults, we have documentation that there is an average of 64% savings on burial items for our clients, when they purchase from us. See full details of DIY funerals (complete or partial arrangements by family) in full page, links and at bottom of page as well.
Federal Trade Commission oversees the consumer's rights ØFTC Order study our firm did on funeral rule 'sweeps'. .

The public at large, has little idea how costly this purchase will become - and where to turn to for assistance. The subject of funerals has been kept ´in the dark´ for many years. This has been in part, due to the reluctance to speak of one´s own death in the last few generations - since funeral arrangements have been taken out of the home, where all of the family took part in the ´service and body´ for the burial. Also in part too though, the less educated one is on any purchase, the more control and overcharging goes on in that purchase, so perhaps many like the subject being in the dark, and strive to keep it that way on purpose. If there are funeral events that do not go right, or the owner (often funeral director) is not responsive to your needs, or what was promised, the purchaser often fails to complain. This hurts their memory, their pocketbook often, and future consumers of that firms´ services as well, heading for the same trouble that you had - that maybe could have been prevented, if reported. Plus, it hurts stats that the Federal Trade Commission keeps, on all trades. The FTC has a ´funeral rule´ they enforce due to so much abuse within the industry in the past.

The average funeral should be pre planned, not pre paid at a mortuary (as the first above link details more). The average funeral purchaser hands the control over to another, and often sorry they did that so much. The family has the control, and should use it themselves for a more personal service - making it a special event that will always be remembered. The family can do the whole funeral if they wish, in most all states. Or if you need to help arrange a funeral for a friend.

Nowadays the funeral is becoming more costly than an average purchase, as the price has skyrocketed. People are speaking of the event, the prices, and who was helpful, resources as well.

 Please pass the word on about us, they will be Thankful you did! While it might be helpful to know "The average local funeral home conducts only 50 to 75 funerals per year" the average person only purchases 2 or maybe 3 burials IN a LIFETIME, so they do not get ´good at it´. Turn to others to get help and others opinions. "The average funeral home has been in business over 59 years " so they have had plenty of time to ´get good´ at it. You should not stay in the dark about this subject.

"The average funeral with burial today, costs over $10,000" and that alone should make this purchase something you research and become knowledgeable about. Even though cremation is becoming popular, saving the burial costs of a grave plot, the opening/closing, and headstone, often times the price is still over $5,000.00 to $7,000.00 mostly because people are uniformed and it is a rushed  and often emotional purchase. Check out more than one funeral provider, as you do not need a casket (in most states) for cremation, or (in ALL states) no embalming is required for burial or cremation, or with a closed casket service if there is no viewing (and if the funeral is days away, body refrigeration is used instead). 
Sometimes morticians own cemeteries, and add rules you need to know about as well. If for instance, they require embalming to those planning a crypt - as some do. Tomb use is growing by leaps and bounds.
"While no one tracks the construction of mausoleums nationally, Tribute Cos., a Delafield, Wis., company that provides design and building services to cemeteries, says above-ground burials now account for up to 30 percent of all burial work it does, up from 5 percent to 10 percent just a year ago. The Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha, Wis., says sales of above-ground burial plots have nearly tripled over the past three years."

In most cases after a death, it is the family who must make those arrangements. They face four key sets of decisions:
1. What kind of service/ to do with the body
2. What and where services and merchandise are to be purchased.
3. What ceremony or ritual will best acknowledge the death and celebrate a life
4. How to memorialize the life

• Ø A Team Master's research on Industry Trends

• ØThere are support groups for those that mourn a death. If the death was a spouse, if you are a new widow or widower, the site at http://www.fortnet.org/WidowNet/ offers a lot of information.

• ØThere are many sites, 1 for loss of a child is - The Compassionate Friends child loss support site and others - do a search on the web and perhaps you can find a support group near you.

• ØRepeating a point to this page, a quick link to browse and to purchase caskets online on our Selections page. When savings might be as high as one thousand dollars (depending upon the choice of caskets) on a casket or more , plus another few hundred on a grave liner, it makes sense to keep our phone number and web page information, for future need. To seek out now, information from us on your desires. A Team Master`s ships all USA, to the funeral home or address of your choice, quality USA made product, at need or pre need. Permit us to assist you in your funeral arrangements, as we have over the last 6 years, help many consumers have saved TWO & THREE thousand dollars, and then some. All orders are by phone - call today.

• ØDoing a funeral yourself, with the assistance of your family or friends, is not easy by any means. This is a more than stressful time for many, they just want to grieve. For many others, the added 'work' of doing the final good-bye themselves, or ANY part of it, is a true blessing in creating an 'event' that everyone is proud of. You can pick and choose if you wish to do only part of the list of things needing done. It is like delegating things to someone else, except you are paying for their services.

• See bottom of page too.
    ØCasket detail wishes submitted here   

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Do-it-yourself Tombstones, authored by Dale Power, provides you with the tools and techniques to create long lasting, beautiful stone monuments and markers with a sandblaster. Step-by-step, with straight-forward explanations and color illustrations, Dale takes you through the process from preparing the stone and sandblasting mask, through the sandblasting process itself, and finally to finishing touches that will make your monument stand out among the rest. Please email if interested. Also looking for source for diy burial vaults, as we have inquiring people looking for do it yourself grave liners as well.

• ØWhat is embalming all about? It is important to know embalming isn't a state requirement in most instances - and only funeral homes mostly have this as a required item, if you choose an open casket viewing.

• ØEarth burial of a casket usually takes place following a funeral service in a church, funeral parlor, or home ceremony. Although, no service is required at all. Burial in a cemetery below ground, or above ground mausoleum entombment inside of a crypt instead of an earth grave are the two choices. The 'burial' consists of the body only in some areas, no casket, no embalming, no outer burial container, no monument or marker.

  Because of some of the above items being costly, some now choose cremation that would have preferred an earth burial. But that does not need to happen - one just has to know the choices, available instead and to plan ahead for which type of burial they really want. Another item to add to the list is 'opening and closing of the grave plot for the burial. Too bad the cemetery owners do not let families dig the opening, that wish to, in all states. Some still do however, so if this is something you wish, ask about the rules.

• ØDisposing (what a cruel word) of the ashes is a personal choice. Many containers of ash are buried in a cemetery or laid to rest in a mausoleum. If an earth burial, an outer burial container may be required. Please check us out at A Team Masters, we have all your needs, and at the best prices. If ashes are maintained in a residence special arrangements must be made for when the holder passes away. Often times the ashes will be scattered in a special place.
  
  In 1970, cremation was 4.58%; in 1980 it was 9.74% and in 1989 it was 16.36% of all final dispositions. Some say cremation is gaining as a choice nowadays - and account (in some states) for 21% of all funerals- up from 7% in 1975. And almost to the macabre, family members can watch as the body enters the crematorium and- this is true- even flip the switch. Some feel a need to do all they can for that final trip - and know it was all done right.

  This event is about you, what you wish to do period. If you wish an earth burial (as most do) you can pre plan for it. There are no second chances to 'change your mind' once the deed has been done. Even if you choose cremation and are thinking of spreading the ashes, just whatever your choice, please think it through. Does your family wish a place to visit your grave?
  
  Size also matters in cremation. 20% of adults are now obese as are 17% of those over age 70. The average weight of an elderly man is 185 and the woman is 165. If overly large, perhaps some special circumstances will be needed if cremation is the choice.
  

• ØAlthough it is not usually done, the bereaved can attend the cremation. Cremation is accomplished by exposing the body to intense heat in a specially designed incinerator called a crematory. The body is reduced to bone fragments which are pulverized into ashes. The cremation process takes two to three hours to complete.
  The ashes typically weigh about 5 or 6 pounds and take up a space of from 150 to 200 cubic inches. If the cremation takes place in isolation the ashes will be placed in a temporary container until a permanent one has been designated. While most state laws do not dictate a casket for cremation, most often a cremation container is required. Sometimes not, just wrapped in a sheet, or use of special type of burn-able body bag, or cardboard cremation casket.

  Afterwards, more choices, these range from expensive urns to simple cardboard boxes specifically designed to hold ashes. The ashes may Not to be shipped by mail to a final recipient not attending the cremation anymore, due to postal security issues .