Special circumstances
What if they prepaid for a funeral and the funeral home is out of business?
Short answer
California requires prepaid funeral funds to be held in trust. Contact the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (part of California DCA) at 1-800-952-5210. They handle complaints and can help recover funds.
What this usually means
California requires prepaid funeral funds to be held in trust. Contact the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (part of California DCA) at 1-800-952-5210. They handle complaints and can help recover funds.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county phone numbers for coroner, vital records, and local offices.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.