Frequently Asked Questions

What are your business hours?

The PMA membership office is open Monday–Friday 9:00-3:30pm. If you call during these hours and get voicemail, leave a message and a call back number with area code. We will return your call as promptly as possible. You may also send us an email at info@peoplesmemorial.org If you wish, you may visit our office in person during business hours. Payment for membership may be made by check, Visa or MasterCard. You will receive a new member packet in the mail after your membership has been processed. This usually takes a few business days.

How does Neptune Society compare with PMA?

First, Neptune Society is a for-profit corporation, People’s Memorial Association is non-profit. Secondly, Neptune Society charges more than twice as much as PMA for similar cremation services. Thirdly, Neptune Society wants your money up front…now. PMA encourages you to keep it until time of death.

What is the difference between People's Memorial Association and People's Memorial Funeral Cooperative?

People's Memorial Association (PMA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit membership organization which was founded in 1939 to provide consumer education and advocacy. PMA also contracts with funeral homes to provide low-cost cremation and burial to its members.  People's Memorial Funeral Cooperative (PMFC) was created in June 2007 and is licensed as a funeral home.  PMFC is incorporated as a cooperative and is owned by the members of PMA.  The funeral cooperative is also contracted to provide the same types of funeral services at the same prices as the other funeral homes contracted with People's Memorial Association.

Can non-members use People's Memorial Funeral Co-op?

Non-members may use the services of the funeral cooperative, but pay higher prices.  The non-member price for cremation is $799 versus $649 for members.  Nonetheless our non-member prices are still well below those of other funeral homes in Seattle. 

What is the PMA Education Fund?

The PMA Education Fund (PMAEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was formed in 2006 to fund funeral consumer education programs.  PMAEF funded the 2007 price survey of 170 funeral homes in Washington state.  It also covers the cost of printing consumer education brochures and events, such as a workshop on home funerals.  Contributions to this fund are tax-deductible. 

What do I do with my funeral planning papers?

Make a copy for your loved ones--whomever will be making your arrangements at time of death. Have a discussion with them about your wishes.  Keep the original documents with your important papers at home--make sure your survivors know where they are located.   They will need to take these documents to the funeral home at time of death when they make your arrangements. Completing these documents and sharing them with your next-of-kin will not only give you peace of mind that your wishes will be carried out, but also greatly simplify the process for your survivors. 

Do I need to register at a funeral home?

No.  And you don't need a reservation!  At the time of death, your member benefits are good at any of our contracted funeral homes. It is not necessary to contact them ahead of time.

How will the funeral home know I am a member of PMA?

Your next–of-kin should present your PMA membership card and funeral planning paperwork when they make your final arrangements.

Who do I call at time of death?

At the time of death, the PMA contracted funeral home of your choice should be notified. The funeral home will come and pick up the body. 

How do I know which funeral home to call?

If you are unsure of our current contracted funeral homes, it is always posted on our website.  Any changes are also announced in our spring newsletter each year—you may wish to keep a copy of the most recent one with your funeral paperwork. You may also call our office for information about current PMA contracted funeral homes. After hours, this information is available on our voice messaging system.

So what paperwork should we fill out?

The most important paperwork is a legal document called a Disposition Authorization, if properly signed and witnessed, it provides legal authorization for your cremation or burial. This is particularly important if your wish is to be cremated. If this form is not completed and signed prior to death, authorization for cremation must be obtained from next-of-kin. The primary funeral planning form is called Putting My House in Order. The first section allows you to specify your wishes for your final arrangements. The second section includes important information that will be needed to complete the death certificate. In addition, PMA provides a form called the Dear Family Letter, which provides your survivors with an inventory of where your bank accounts, safe deposit box, investment accounts etc are located. Completing these forms and discussing them with your next of kin will assure that your wishes are honored.   In addition, your family will be spared a great deal of unnecessary stress. If you need new copies, you can download them from the brochures and forms page on our website.  You may also request copies by emailing us at info@peoplesmemorial.org, or calling the office.  If you request that copies be mailed to you, we ask for a donation to help offset printing and postage costs.

What are your prices now days?

All PMA contracted funeral homes charge the same prices for our six plans, ranging from $649 for simple cremation to $2,599 for a complete funeral services with metal casket.   Current prices are always posted on our website. 

Do all the funeral homes do cremation?

Yes, all contracted funeral homes offer our members the full range of plans from simple cremation to a full funeral service with viewing.

Can I send PMA a check to pay for my plan?

NO. PMA does not accept prepayment. The PMA member pricing is given to our members at contracted funeral homes at time of death. People’s Memorial Association encourages pre-planning, not pre-paying. Some funeral homes create a great deal of hype about the need to pre-pay. Unfortunately, those glowing sales pitches frequently turn sour. The issue which generates the most complaints to the Funeral Consumer’s Alliance is prepayment.

How do I pre-pay for my funeral so it’s all taken care of?

There are many incidental funeral costs that cannot be prepaid.  Many families have been told that "It's all taken care of" only to arrive at the funeral home in the midst of their grief and be told that they will need to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more!   PMA encourages you to remain in control of your money and not give it to a funeral home or insurance company. In most cases you are better off setting aside money in a funeral bank account (totten trust or pay on death account) and putting both your name and that of your next of kin on the account. They will then withdraw the funds to pay for your arrangements at time of death. The prices for cremation or burial through PMA have remained consistently low. Some funeral homes try to scare people into thinking that funeral prices are out of control—better lock in now! What they’re really trying to lock in is your future business. The only situation where it may be advisable to make prepayment arrangements with a funeral home is when someone wants burial and expects to be applying for Medicaid. The state allows Medicaid recipients to have $1,500 in a bank account for funeral arrangements. That is plenty for cremation. However, if your desire is to be buried, $1,500 will not be enough. In that case, it may be advisable to make irrevocable preneed arrangements with a funeral home. If you would like more information, the PMA Education fund has an excellent brochure entitled: Prepaying your Funeral: Benefits and Dangers. 

My relative pre-paid for her funeral, can you tell me what plan she chose and what the balance is in her account?

Our members pay a small lifetime membership fee to join People’s Memorial. Many members paid only $5 or $10. The current membership fee is $25. If members did in fact pre-pay, that was a transaction between them and the funeral home. We do not have any records of these arrangements and do not keep a record of a member’s choice of plans. When a member joins PMA, they receive planning documents to put their wishes in writing. These documents are intended to be shared with next-of-kin and are not kept on file with us. If they are mailed to PMA by mistake, we will return them to you. If you do choose to pre-pay for your funeral, we advise you to keep all documents and share them with next-of-kin so they are aware of what has been prepaid for and what additional costs may be incurred at the time of death. Your next-of-kin will also need these documents at the time of death as proof that you have indeed paid for your services. Please do not assume that the funeral home will honor these arrangements without the proper documentation. PMA member-only pricing is not extended to our members for pre-paid arrangements. People's Memorial Association encourages pre-planning, not pre-paying!

If I pre-paid with another funeral home, do I have to use them?

NO! Look over your paperwork and determine if you have your pre-paid money held in a trust or an insurance policy. You may request a refund if your money is in a trust or change the beneficiary of the insurance policy by notifying the insurance company.  Regardless, the funeral home that provides the actual funeral services is the one able to collect from any prepaid funds. 

What if my loved one was taken to the wrong funeral home by mistake, can I still have a PMA contracted funeral home handle the arrangements?

Yes. Notify contracted funeral homes you choose and have them pick up your loved one. There will be charge from the first funeral home for the transportation from place of death.   You will probably need to pay this amount before they will release the body.  These costs vary, but may be as much as $5-600. In most cases even after paying this charge, your overall cost will still be lower by using one of our contracted funeral homes.

My address or name has changed, how can I let you know?

Please call the office or send us an e-mail at info@peoplesmemorial.org with your PMA number and the changes and we will update our database.  Please include information for spouse, partner or other family members as well.  With 100,000 members in our database, we really appreciate your assistance in keeping our records up-to-date.

Why aren’t I receiving mail from People’s Memorial?

We send one newsletter each spring to each member household. If you have not been receiving it, we probably don’t have your current address. We lose contact with many of our members when they move into a retirement community or nursing home. Please help us keep our database up to date.

Can I sign up family members or friends?

Definitely. You can also give gift memberships to loved ones. If they do not want to receive mail from PMA, or you feel they will not want to discuss these end-of-life issues, you can provide us with your mailing address instead.

What is the PMAdvantage?

The PMAdvantage entitles you to special prices and benefits at our contracted funeral homes. Your family will receive no sales pressure to upgrade the services or merchandise, but may just choose one of our simple plans. We promise that PMA prices don’t include any surprises--no nonsense pricing.  Each package includes all of the items necessary for that particular type of service, including a casket or urn. Furthermore, PMA provides quality assurance by monitoring the quality of services our members receive and will work with you and the funeral home to reach an acceptable resolution if things do not go as planned. PMA wants everyone to make informed choices regarding funeral arrangements.  For this reason, we provide consumer information to members as well as the general public.  There are many myths and misconceptions regarding the funeral industry.  PMA wants you to know your rights and options as a funeral consumer.  Finally, PMA is the only non-profit voice for the funeral consumer in western and central Washington. We provide third-party advocacy for consumer-friendly funeral laws and regulations as well as ethical standards in the funeral industry.

What is the difference between a Funeral Home and a Funeral Service?

A funeral home is the traditional brick and mortar funeral establishment, with a building large enough for chapel services. These larger establishments carry higher overhead costs. A funeral service may simply have an arrangements office in an office building where you meet with the funeral director. Funeral Services are the new wave in the funeral industry. More and more families are choosing simple cremation or direct burial and don’t need a fancy building, chapel, hearse etc. A Funeral Service contracts with area churches and community centers to provide space for a viewing or chapel service. 

What is NOT included in the PMA prices?

• Sales tax.
• Certified copies of the death certificate. The funeral home will file the original death certificate and assist you with ordering copies. Instructions for ordering certified copies of death certificates ($20 each) can also be found on the King County website.
• Newspaper obituaries. The funeral home will assist you in placing the notice, but a fee is usually due to the selected newspaper.
• Transportation charges beyond 30 miles from our contracting funeral homes. Add $2.50 per mile one way when 1 staff person is required, $3.75 per mile for 2 staff people. Also add ferry fares and/or bridge tolls, if applicable.
• As of May 10th, 2006 PMA contracted funeral homes have been authorized to add a $4 fuel surcharge per case to cover increased gasoline prices. If the removal of the body takes more than 3 hours, they may add a total of $8 for fuel.
• Honorarium for clergy or musicians.
• Flowers
• Memorial cards, guest book or other merchandise.

Are PMA prices guaranteed?

The People's Memorial contract usually runs for a period of two years and prices are fixed during that time period. When the contract is renegotiated, prices may change. While it is reasonable for our contracted funeral homes to ask for modest price increases to keep up with inflation, the funeral industry, particularly the cremation market is extremely competitive. We do not expect prices to go up substantially.

Is my membership valid in other parts of the United States?

Yes, but prices and the availability of services will vary depending on where you are. A list of all local membership groups affiliated with the national Funeral Consumers Alliance is available on the FCA website.  A brochure with the same information is also available from the People's Memorial office.   Share this info with your next-of-kin. Not every affiliate secures reduced mortuary prices for their members. Some affiliates only provide consumer education and advocacy, however, they mey be able to provide you with recommendations. Many of the FCA affiliates are volunteer run and may not have regular business hours.   Also, keep the toll-free number of the Funeral Consumers Alliance (1-800-765-0107) handy in case you need assistance during your trip.

Can I transfer my membership if I move?

If you move outside of western or central Washington you can transfer your membership to another affiliate at little or no cost.  Notify us of your new address and ask for a transfer letter.

Why do you ask for my Social Security number?

For security reasons, we only keep the last 4 digits of your social security number in our database.  However, with more than 100,000 members, there are many people with the same or similar names. Also, some people change their names over their lifetime and we are not always notified. The Social Security number provides a way to ensure we update the correct records and quickly get the information you or your family need.  Also, the Social Security number allows us to remove deceased persons from our database by comparing our files to social security records. If you prefer that we not use your Social Security number as identification, that is fine.  Please supply us with your date of birth instead.  We do not share our database with any outside group, other than the contracting funeral homes which need to be able to identify whether someone is a member. Our contract limits their use of your personal information.

What is the General Price List?

The Federal Trade Commission enforces a funeral price disclosure law called The Funeral Rule. The Funeral Rule requires that every funeral home make available to the public a General Price List (GPL) with their prices for common services. They must provide this list to you if you ask for it while you are at their facility. They are not required to send it in the mail, however.  Unfortunately, these price lists can be very long and confusing, which often makes comparisons difficult. If you know the exact type of services you desire, they are required to give you a detailed price quote over the phone.  To help consumers easily compare prices, People's Memorial Association produces a price survey every two years to help the consumer compare general prices between funeral homes. Check out the 2007 survey results of 170 funeral homes in western and central Washington.