Review Methodology

At The Valedictory, our reviews are grounded in lived experience and professional practice across funeral care. We don’t guess. We verify. Our team includes licensed funeral directors, embalmers, crematory operators, grief counselors, and cultural advisors who have served families on their hardest days. We tour facilities (when permitted), read every General Price List line-by-line, test online arrangement tools, inspect caskets and urns in-house, and assess responsiveness during real after-hours calls. We gather feedback from verified families and anonymize all personal details. Every score we publish is traceable to evidence. Every conclusion is earned.

Our Testing Philosophy

  1. Real Usage: We don’t rely on brochures or promises. We schedule consultations, review contracts and consent forms, evaluate wait times, and—when appropriate and permitted—observe facilities to confirm chain-of-custody, refrigeration standards, and care practices. We handle product samples (caskets, urns, memorial stationery) to assess build, finish, and durability, and we actually use arrangement portals and memorial tools to see how they perform under real pressure. Human care. Measured.
  2. Unbiased: We never accept payment for a positive review. Ever. If a provider offers a tour, demo, or sample product, we disclose it—and it guarantees nothing. Loaned items are returned or responsibly donated; this is noted in the review. Editorial and commercial operations are strictly separated, and affiliate partnerships do not influence scores or recommendations. If we make a mistake, we correct it promptly and transparently.
  3. Comparative: We evaluate options side-by-side within the same market and price tier: funeral homes, cremation providers, green burial services, caskets and urns, memorial platforms, and grief resources. We compare price transparency (vs. the General Price List), cultural and religious accommodations, accessibility, service timelines, sustainability options, and aftercare. Context matters. So do local norms and laws—so we account for both.

The Scoring System

We rate services and products on a 1–10 scale with weighted criteria tailored to funeral care. Clear. Consistent. Fair.

  • Care Standards & Dignity (30%): Respectful handling, trained staff, facility practices, chain-of-custody, and compliance with state regulations and the FTC Funeral Rule.
  • Transparency & Pricing (25%): Clear, itemized pricing (GPL), no pressure tactics, honest timelines, and contracts that are easy to understand before you sign.
  • Ease of Arrangement (25%): From the first call to committal: responsiveness, clear next steps, digital tools that actually help, accessibility, language support, and respectful guidance under stress.
  • Support & Aftercare (20%): Grief resources, follow-up, resolution of issues, warranty or quality guarantees for memorial products, and the human kindness that carries beyond the service.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some links on The Valedictory may be affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps fund our testing, expert consultations, and editorial work—without ever determining our verdicts. We label affiliate links, decline pay-for-play, and refuse sponsored scoring. Questions about our process or a specific review? Contact us at https://thevaledictory.com/contact-us/. We follow applicable FTC guidelines for endorsements and uphold the spirit of the Funeral Rule: informed choice, with dignity.