Have you ever wondered what it takes to open a funeral home? Whether you have always wanted to be in the funeral business or you have decided to change career paths, opening a funeral home is just like any other business. Today, Coach West goes step-by-step to explain how to open up your own funeral home.
Plan Your Business
Any successful business needs to have a business plan. Before you start buying a hearse or acquiring caskets, you’ll want to consider a few things first. Think about the types of services your funeral business will offer. Consider your pricing and your costs. What materials are you going to need? Do you have a brand or business name in mind? How long will it take for your business to start making a profit? Do you have a location picked out? Once you have successfully laid out your business plan, then you can start taking the next steps.
Establish Your Business Legally
Once you’ve planned your business and you are satisfied that the idea will be successful, then comes the process of establishing your business legally as an LLC. Becoming an LLC prevents you from being personally liable in case your business is sued for any reason.
Acquire Licenses and Permits
Just like any business, running a funeral home requires specific permits and licenses to operate. At least one member of your staff must have a degree in mortuary science in order to operate the facility legally. The local health department and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) must also verify that the building is up to code and is safe to operate in. Other requirements can vary by state.
Set Up Business Accounts
A business can’t just operate from a personal bank account. Do your finances a favor and create a separate business account for all funeral home transactions and expenses. Filing your taxes will be much simpler with divided bank accounts.
Acquire Business Necessities
Finally, you’re going to want to acquire all the necessary equipment needed to start a funeral home. You’ll need to decide if you wish to offer cremation or burial services and if you’ll provide a selection of urns and caskets. You’ll also want to consider what kind of hearses and funeral cars you’ll be offering to transport the remains.
Start Your Funeral Home With Coach West
If you’re considering starting a funeral home, Coach West can help. Our wide selection of affordable hearses and funeral cars for sale can help you begin your business. Call us today at (310) 609-2900 so we can help get you started.
