The Cemetery Consumer Service Council (CCSC) is a coalition created in 1979 and is funded by the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, the Cremation Association of North America, the Southern Cemetery and Funeral Association, the Interment Association of California, the Western Cemetery Alliance, and the Illinois Cemetery & Funeral Home Association.

The sole purpose of CCSC is to assist consumers, without charge, in resolving complaints or answering inquiries regarding cemetery services or policies. Participation in the complaint resolution process is voluntary for both the consumer and the cemetery.

How it works

Industry members volunteer their time and experience to serve as CCSC representatives in their respective states. Complaints are handled by the state committees, with the national CCSC office in Sterling, Virginia, being the overall coordinator of the project and the central contact point.

Complaints received by the national office are logged in and each is given a file number for tracking purposes. A copy of the complaint is then forwarded to the appropriate state representative for investigation and action. At that point, many complaints are resolved by telephone and the consumer is promptly notified of the results. It is rare for a cemetery to refuse to participate in the CCSC dispute resolution process. Where no state committee exists, CCSC works with the cemetery board or similar government agency to assist the consumer.

The Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, various state consumer protection agencies and offices of attorneys general are periodically notified of CCSC activities and are among the major sources for consumer referrals. CCSC is listed in the Consumer’s Resource Handbook, a U.S. government publication that is circulated to public libraries and consumer assistance agencies throughout the nation.

If you have a complaint or need specific information, please contact the Cemetery Manager directly. Our experience as well as that of other groups such as the Better Business Bureaus and government agencies is that problems are often settled promptly when families simply call the cemetery.

If you have any questions, call the Cemetery Consumer Service Council at 800.645.7700.

The CCSC has been in operation for over 38 years and continues to improve its effectiveness to assist consumers. An increasing number of calls originate as referrals from the Better Business Bureau and similar organizations. The CCSC also contacts members of Congress to advise them of the assistance and information that the Council can offer their constituents.

For more information or to discuss a complaint, download the complaint form here. You can mail or fax your form, and you may also email your completed form to ccsc@iccfa.com. When filling out this form, please complete every section of the form and initial and date at the bottom of this form.