New Jersey Mortuary Science Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT typically considered a cash advance item?

1. Cemetery services

2. Pallbearer fees

3. Funeral home staff wages

4. Obituary notices

The correct answer is: Funeral home staff wages

In the context of funeral services and expenses, cash advance items are those costs incurred by the funeral home that are directly passed on to the consumer, usually paid to third parties. Therefore, anything considered a cash advance item is often an out-of-pocket expense that the funeral home pays on behalf of the family, like cemetery services, pallbearer fees, and obituary notices. Funeral home staff wages are not categorized as cash advance items because they represent the internal operational costs of the funeral home. These wages are part of the funeral home's overhead and are included in the overall service fee charged to families rather than being a direct pass-through expense. By understanding this distinction, it becomes clear that while cemetery services, pallbearer fees, and obituary notices are expenses that involve payments made to third-party service providers, funeral home staff wages are part of the overall costs incurred by the funeral home itself for its operations.