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Funeral Director Written Examination — Information & Free Practice

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Funeral Director Written Examination

Examination outline
  • Disposition Administration (60%)
    • Disposition Authorizations (13% of examination)
    • Identify the persons with the right to control disposition by gathering information from consumers, health officials, and other parties.
    • Obtain authorization for release of human remains from the persons with the right to control disposition to assume care of decedent.
    • Obtain vital statistics information about decedent from persons with the right to control disposition to complete documents and aid in the disposition process.
    • Coordinate with health officials and third parties on behalf of consumers to facilitate the completion of documents and disposition services.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain information from consumers and health officials to aid in the disposition process.
    • Knowledge of regulations pertaining to the right to control disposition and degree of kinship.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain information from consumers to aid in determining the person with the right to control disposition.
    • Knowledge of methods to complete authorization documents on paper or electronically.
    • Knowledge of procedures for preparing and filing death certificates.
    • Knowledge of information required to complete death certificates.
    • Knowledge of required coroner approvals and authorizations for processes.
    • Knowledge of processes to obtain information, documents, signatures, and other approvals from health officials.
    • Knowledge of requirement and process to submit disposition documents to the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.
    • Disposition Documents (10% of examination)
    • Coordinate the completion of required forms with consumers to document decedent information and include in decedent file.
    • Complete documents (e.g., cremation authorization, accept/decline embalming form, pre-need disclosure) on paper or electronically to maintain records of consumer preferences and authorizations.
    • Obtain disposition permit from the registrar to perform disposition in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain required signatures from consumers to aid in the process of disposition of human remains.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain completed Authorization to Accept or Decline Embalming form from the persons with the right to control disposition of human remains.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain cremation authorization form from persons with the right to control disposition.
    • Knowledge of regulations and process of cremation.
    • Knowledge of methods to complete statement of services and merchandise by inputting the consumer's requested services and merchandise into a contract form.
    • Knowledge of methods to develop contracts for funeral goods and services.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain permits for disposition.
    • Knowledge of funeral customs that require an expedited disposition permit.
    • Disposition Planning and Compliance (37% of examination)
    • Obtain payments from consumers to cover the costs of goods and services.
    • Provide consumers with the Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases to inform consumers of their rights.
    • Discuss whether pre-need arrangements exist before drafting a contract for funeral goods and services to assist consumers with carrying out decedent's disposition wishes.
    • Provide consumers with price lists for goods and services.
    • Explain funding options for pre-need agreements.
    • Explain types of pre-need agreements.
    • Give consumers an itemized statement of goods and services, including possible additional cost estimates for goods and services.
    • Notify coroner, health officials, or public administrator of all reportable information.
    • Submit signed documents as required to maintain compliance with cemetery and funeral statutes (e.g., death certificate, embalming authorization, cremation authorization).
    • Maintain case records, registers, or files in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Maintain up-to-date documents, forms, and other records for reference in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Manage pre-need trust funds in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Knowledge of how pre-need funds are applied at need.
    • Knowledge of financial resources available for at-need funeral arrangements.
    • Knowledge of regulations pertaining to consumer cemetery and funeral public assistance funding eligibility.
    • Knowledge of funding options for goods and services.
    • Knowledge of requirement to provide consumers with the Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases.
    • Knowledge of methods to obtain pre-need arrangement information.
    • Knowledge of methods to adhere to pre-need arrangements.
    • Knowledge of revocable and irrevocable pre-need agreements.
    • Knowledge of pre-need arrangements, and the differences between guaranteed (e.g., goods and services) and non- guaranteed (e.g., cash advances) line items.
    • Knowledge of methods to disclose pre-need trust arrangements in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Knowledge of requirements to provide consumers with a General Price List.
    • Knowledge of requirements to provide consumers with a Casket Price List.
    • Knowledge of requirements to provide consumers with an Outer Burial Container price list.
    • Knowledge of legal requirements surrounding price transparency for funeral goods and services.
    • Knowledge of diseases that must be reported to health officials.
    • Knowledge of death injuries and circumstances that must be reported to the coroner.
    • Knowledge of methods to submit documentation to facilitate services and disposition.
    • Knowledge of EDRS system function and process of approval.
    • Knowledge of methods to maintain funeral and disposition documentation in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Knowledge of methods to display prices for consumers.
    • Knowledge of requirements to maintain records of price lists.
    • Knowledge of methods to manage pre-need trust funds in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Knowledge of escheat regulations for returning pre-need funds to beneficiaries or trustors if a funeral establishment closes.
  • Facility Maintenance and Decedent Care and Preparation (12%)
    • Assist in the care and process of preparing human remains for services, including dressing and casketing as needed.
    • Refrigerate human remains in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Maintain privacy and security in areas of preparation and embalming by adhering to cemetery and funeral regulations.
    • Maintain sanitary conditions of funeral establishment rooms in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Manage upkeep of equipment and storage of supplies for use during preparation in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Knowledge of requirements related to care and preparation of human remains.
    • Knowledge of exceptions to preparation room access for third-party personnel (e.g., hairdressers, maintenance workers).
    • Knowledge of legal requirements pertaining to the refrigeration of human remains.
    • Knowledge of legal requirements to maintain decedent privacy in preparation and embalming areas.
    • Knowledge of standards of cleanliness and sanitation for preparation and embalming facilities.
    • Knowledge of requirements to maintain preparation equipment and storage facilities.
  • Consumer Counseling and Disposition Coordination (28%)
    • Consumer Counseling (22% of examination)
    • Take first call to obtain information about decedent to aid in the removal process.
    • Discuss goods and services options with consumer to determine desired type of disposition.
    • Explain embalming to consumers in accordance with legal requirements.
    • Explain to consumers options and requirements for interment of human remains.
    • Explain to consumers the requirements for disinterment of human remains.
    • Explain public assistance funds available for at-need funeral arrangement purposes (e.g., FEMA, funds for veterans, indigent people, and victims of crime).
    • Coordinate funeral or memorial services and disposition with cemetery staff, consumers, and third parties.
    • Knowledge of vital information that is required to perform a removal (e.g., location, weight, communicable diseases, obstacles).
    • Knowledge of parties who must be notified of death before a funeral home takes human remains into their care (e.g., coroner, hospice).
    • Knowledge of equipment and number of personnel needed to perform removal of human remains.
    • Knowledge of regulations and process of embalming.
    • Knowledge of regulations pertaining to the sale of funeral goods and services.
    • Knowledge of regulations pertaining to using, renting, and selling caskets.
    • Knowledge of religious and cultural customs related to funeral and memorial services.
    • Knowledge of cremation regulations and process.
    • Knowledge of third-party provided services and equipment for funerals (e.g., dove release, gun salute).
    • Knowledge of types of funeral and memorial services.
    • Knowledge of funeral goods and services.
    • Knowledge of types of interments.
    • Knowledge of methods to coordinate cemetery and funeral events with services from multiple contributors and vendors.
    • Knowledge of veteran-related funeral and memorial benefits and services.
    • Knowledge of methods to discuss the process and definition of embalming with consumers.
    • Knowledge of legal requirements to disclose known document fees (e.g., death certificate fees).
    • Knowledge of information required to complete disposition permits.
    • Knowledge of legal requirements pertaining to issuance and use of permits for disinterment.
    • Knowledge of regulations regarding disinterment and removal of human remains from locations of interment.
    • Knowledge of financial resources available for services and interment.
    • Knowledge of health care systems’ functioning and processes related to the death of decedent to aid in the process of funeral arranging.
    • Disposition Coordination (6% of examination)
    • Schedule funeral services in accordance with consumer requests to meet their disposition preferences and customs.
    • Transfer human remains between locations by providing or coordinating the provision of transportation.
    • Knowledge of methods to describe disposition services to consumers.
    • Knowledge of legal requirements regarding transportation of human remains.
    • Knowledge of methods to transport human remains between locations.
    • Knowledge of legal requirements regarding forwarding and receiving human remains (e.g., transit permit, container specs, disposition permits).
    • Knowledge of standards of cleanliness and sanitation for vehicles used to transport human remains.
Examination sources

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