Most people don’t think about funerals and funeral homes in Oakland, CA until its time to plan or visit one. This is understandable, but it’s not helpful when you’re suddenly facing a loss and have to plan a funeral. Use this list of 6 unknown funeral home facts to help you be better prepared.

1. You Cannot Authorize Your Own Funeral – While you can preplan and prepay for your funeral, you cannot sign the final authorization for your own burial or cremation because of the Right to Control law. This law, except in situations where a funeral agent is designated, outlines a specific family hierarchy that shows who has the right to authorize the funeral of a recently deceased person.
2. You Can Have a Funeral Wherever and Whenever – Funerals don’t have to be held in funeral homes anymore. In fact, they can take whatever shape you feel best reflect the deceased’s and your family’s wishes. From a religious mass in a church for immediate family to memorial service in a funeral home six months later for out-of-town guest, the sky is the limit as long as it falls under the law.
3. Coffins and Caskets Are Two Different Things – Coffins and caskets are different things. Coffins have six sides and are shaped like a hexagon to go along with the lines of a human body, meaning tapered at the head and foot with a wider construction at the shoulder. A casket, on the other hand, is rectangular with four sides adjoined at right angles.
4. You Can Choose a Funeral and Cremation – Funerals and cremations are not mutually exclusive. You can have a viewing with an open casket before a cremation, or can host a funeral or memorial service with the cremains or even a commemorative video anytime after the cremation. Some people have services with an urn on display rather than a casket.
5. Embalming is Optional – Embalming is not always required by law. You can choose to skip embalming or be embalmed with eco-friendly preservatives. You always have the right to choose a body disposition method that does not require embalming if you don’t want to be embalmed. However, some funeral homes may require embalming depending on public viewings of the body and similar services.
6. You Can Compare Prices – Prices actually vary from one funeral home to another, and you have the right to call and ask what prices are in order to compare. Funeral homes must provide you with a General Price List that outlines their prices when asked as per California state law. Always do your research to make sure you’re getting a good deal, and don’t be afraid to ask for a price list as per your rights.

These are only 6 out of many unknown funeral facts. Contact Deer Creek Funeral Service by visiting 20630 Redwood Rd Castro Valley, CA 94546, or calling (510) 317-7890 to learn more about funerals and Oakland, CA funeral homes.