Most states have a licensing board that regulates the funeral industry. You may contact the board in your state for information or help. If you want additional information about making funeral arrangements and the options available, you may want to contact interested business, professional and consumer groups. Some of the biggest are:

AARP Fulfillment
601 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20049
1-800-424-3410
http://www.aarp.org/
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping older Americans achieve lives of independence, dignity and purpose. Its publications, Funeral Goods and Services and Pre-Paying for Your Funeral, are available free by writing to the above address. This and other funeral-related information is posted on the AARP website.

Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
4200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
www.bbb.org/library/funeral.asp
Better Business Bureaus are private, nonprofit organizations that promote ethical business standards and voluntary self-regulation of business practices. The BBB's website offers information about pre-need funeral planning.

Funeral Consumers Alliance
PO Box 10
Hinesburg, VT 05461
1-800-458-5563
http://www.funerals.org/
FCA, a nonprofit, educational organization that supports increased funeral consumer protection, is affiliated with the Funeral and Memorial Society of America (FAMSA).

Cremation Association of North America
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 321-6806
http://www.cremationassociation.org/
CANA is an association of crematories, cemeteries and funeral homes that offer cremation.

International Cemetery and Funeral Association
1895 Preston White Drive, Suite 220
Reston, VA 20191 1-800-645-7700
http://www.icfa.org/
ICFA is a nonprofit association of cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories and monument retailers that offers informal mediation of consumer complaints through its Cemetery Consumer Service Council. Its website provides information and advice under "Consumer Resources."

International Order of the Golden Rule
13523 Lakefront Drive
St. Louis, MO 63045
1-800-637-8030
http://www.ogr.org/
OGR is an international association of about 1,300 independent funeral homes.

Jewish Funeral Directors of America Seaport Landing
150 Lynnway, Suite 506
Lynn, MA 01902
(781) 477-9300
http://www.jfda.org/
JFDA is an international association of funeral homes serving the Jewish community.

National Funeral Directors Association
13625 Bishop's Drive
Brookfield, WI 53005
1-800-228-6332
www.nfda.org/resources
NFDA is the largest educational and professional association of funeral directors.

National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association
3951 Snapfinger Parkway, Suite 570
Decatur, GA 30035
1-800-434-0958
http://www.nfdma.com/
NFDMA is a national association primarily of African-American funeral providers.

National Selected Morticians
5 Revere Drive, Suite 340
Northbrook, IL 60062-8009
1-800-323-4219
http://www.nsm.org/
NSM is a national association of funeral firms that have agreed to comply with its Code of Good Funeral Practice. Consumers may request a variety of publications through NSM's affiliate, the Consumer Information Bureau, Inc.

Funeral Service Consumer Assistance Program
PO Box 486
Elm Grove, WI 53122-0486
1-800-662-7666
FSCAP is a nonprofit consumer service designed to help people understand funeral service and related topics and to help them resolve funeral service concerns. FSCAP service representatives and an intervener assist consumers in identifying needs, aon funeral related topics are available.

Funeral Service Educational Foundation
13625 Bishop's Drive
Brookfield, WI 53005
1-877-402-5900
FSEF is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to advancing professionalism in funeral service and to enhancing public knowledge and understanding through education and research.