In some areas of the U.S., a lack of regulatory enforcement in the funeral industry has led to bad practices. The industry is even worse in Russia.
In recent years, many stories about problems in the funeral industry have been in the news. There have been reports that despite legal requirements to be transparent in pricing, many funeral homes in the U.S. still make it exceedingly difficult for people to determine exactly how much they need to pay for a funeral.
Some people who think they have fully paid for a complete funeral, are later surprised to learn that something was not included in the cost and they have to pay more.
Other problems have included the improper handling of remains and giving families the wrong person's ashes.
Things could be worse, as a story about Russia's funeral industry in The Economist explains in "Russia's dysfunctional funeral business gets a makeover."
Russian government officials have looked the other way, as the funeral industry has become rampantly corrupt. To bury a family member often requires bribes, having to agree to sign false receipts and needing to pay immediately in cash.
With the country's oil industry faltering, the government needs to look to other industries for tax revenue and is beginning an effort to clean up the funeral industry.
It will take a massive effort to be effective.
The funeral industry in the U.S. does need to be cleaned up. However, remember that it could be a lot worse.
Reference: The Economist (Dec. 23, 2017) "Russia's dysfunctional funeral business gets a makeover."
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