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Member Benefits

Member Benefits

Member Benefits

PMA Member Benefits

People's Memorial Association has been a membership organization since its inception in 1939, connecting Washingtonian with cheaper end-of-life services through partnerships with local, independent funeral homes. There are currently over 71,000 living PMA Members  and we have served over 220,000 families since 1939.

PMA membership is a one-time fee of $99 with no annual dues. Individual members receive the following benefits:

Our typical discount at our network of partnered funeral homes is 15% off all services and merchandise purchased through these funeral homes. Exceptions to the 15% norm are: Recompose offers PMA Members a 10% discount using code PMA-10-2024, and Return Home offers PMA Members a 20% discount. 

How much money can a PMA Membership save me?

PMA prides ourselves on our consumer advocacy. Part of that advocacy work is our biennual Funeral Home Price Survey, where we collect price lists from all funeral homes in Washington state to help compare plan prices apples to apples.

Across Washington state, the average cost of a direct cremation, the simplest and cheapest service, is $1,658. A PMA Membership saves you $248 at minimum. Statewide, the average cost of a burial with a service is $5,674. A PMA Membership would save you $851 for this package.

Top Findings from 2022:

  • Direct Cremation prices vary by 770%. The average cost for Direct Cremation in the state is $1,658 and ranges from $495 to $4,315.
  • Direct Burial prices vary by 440%. The average price of Direct Burial is $3,167, with prices ranging from $1,235 to $6,690. 
  • Complete Funeral Service prices vary by 380%. A Complete Funeral Service averages $5,674, with prices ranging from $2,515 to $12,110.
  • 20% of funeral homes didn’t provide pricing information, requiring a visit to their office or didn’t respond to our emails or phone calls.

Read more Top Findings by County.

What if I move or die outside of Washington state?

People's Memorial Association is specific to the state of Washington, but there are many memorial societies around the country we are affiliated with. PMA staff will happily work with your family to connect you to a local affiliate who can help you locate local services. Most of those local organizations will honor your PMA membership, though some may charge a $15 transfer fee. Reach out to PMA or contact a local affiliate directly with any questions.  

You can look for an organization near your new home at the website of the national Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA). 

There are options to ship or transport full bodies across state lines or country-to-country, but the laws governing transportation depend state by state, and typically there are large fees associated with transporting full bodies. A more affordable option is to pay for services like cremation or aquamation locally, and then ship the cremated remains out of state. Either way, you will need to work with a local funeral home in the state where the individual passed away to arrange transportation or services. PMA is happy to help broker connections between out-of-Washington funeral homes to Washington funeral homes to the best of our ability.

What happens next after I sign up for membership?

People's Memorial Association will mail you a new member packet containing the following:

  • A PMA Member ID card, which displays your PMA Member ID (important for confirming membership with partner funeral homes) and key contact information such as PMA's office phone number and time-of-death line;
  • A Disposition Authorization and Vital Statistics form, a key document for declaring your end-of-life wishes and vital health information a doctor or funeral director will need to know to begin processing a death certificate;
  • A Designated Agent form, which allows you to nominate any individual to be your designated decision maker for all end-of-life arrangements, particularly helpful for non-typical marriage or family relationships;
  • A Ducks in a Row Checklist, for outlining other key planning documents you may wish to also prepare such as financial planning and medical advanced directives;
  • A Dear Family and Friends Letter, which helps explain PMA and the context of end-of-life planning to help ease your decision makers into this difficult time;
  • A PMA Partner Funeral Homes list, explaining which services providers PMA Members receive a discount at, their contact information, and their prices.
  • Information on Green Burial Options and other recent changes to end-of-life choices you may not have heard about; and
  • A Document Storage Service form (optional), where you can pay a one-time $25 fee to have PMA helpfully store your planning documents so funeral homes and next-of-kin can reach out to PMA for these important documents.

Your packet should arrive by post within 2 weeks (or immediately if you opt for a digital email packet).

You are a PMA Member instantly once you sign up, so even if you haven't received a packet yet you are eligible for your 15% discount on services through our contracted funeral homes immediately after sign up.

To learn more about PMA Member benefits and next steps for new members, you can watch our 2024 Welcome New PMA Member video, recorded by Executive Director Casey Husseman.

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