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The New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association offers a Manager of the Day program that provides guidance on funeral service and industry-related questions and concerns.

Below are some matters that were brought to the attention of the Manager of the Day team in recent months.

Do I Need to Supply a Sign Language Interpreter Free of Charge?

A woman is coming in to make arrangements for her spouse, who died recently. She is deaf and communicates through sign language. Can I charge her for hiring an American Sign Language interpreter to assist during our meeting?

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Human Remains and Nonpayment of Bill

I recently handled the funeral arrangements for a woman who was then cremated. The cremated remains have been returned to the funeral home. The family has not yet paid their funeral bill, but the next of kin is now asking for the remains. Am I...
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Power of Attorney and Right to Control

A man with power of attorney over a friend’s affairs recently opened a Trust account for her funeral. The friend is now incapacitated and unable to appoint anyone as the funeral agent. The man’s attorney is insisting that the POA...
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When Can a Person Be Declared Dead?

We have a case where the date of death listed on the death certificate was the date the decedent was declared brain dead. The decedent’s heart stopped a week later, at which point we were able to remove the body. Is this an accurate way to...
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How Do I Handle Death Certificates for Multiple Fetal Deaths?

I’m handling a case for a family where a woman miscarried triplets at 20 weeks. Will one fetal death certificate suffice, or will I need three?

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Are Cash Rebates to the Funeral Home for Obituaries Allowable?

We just received an email from a newspaper company offering us a 5 percent rebate on any obituary we place in one of their local publications. The payment, which the company is also calling a “reward,” would be made directly to the...
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