The Pennsylvania Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association puts out information and responses to common questions on its website — www.pccfa.com — dealing with funeral homes and end-of-life procedures.

Here are some common questions the association wants people to be aware of:

QUESTION: Must a funeral director be licensed?

ANSWER: Yes, Pennsylvania law requires every funeral establishment to have a funeral director licensed by the State Board of Funeral Directors. The license must be posted in the funeral home.

QUESTION: Why is embalming necessary?

ANSWER: Embalming is not required by law, however it may be required for viewing or transportation purposes. It also may be required for mausoleum entombment.

QUESTION: Who does the embalming?

ANSWER: Only a licensed funeral director.

QUESTION: Must traffic stop for a funeral procession?

ANSWER: Although common courtesy implies that traffic would stop, people often do not stop for funeral processions. Pennsylvania does have a statute requiring vehicles to stop for a funeral procession. However, many drivers are unaware of the law. Do not assume other vehicles will stop for the funeral procession.

QUESTION: What is a GPL?

ANSWER: A general price list of charges must be provided by the funeral director.

QUESTION: Must I buy caskets, vaults and monuments from a funeral director?

ANSWER: No, there are other vendors who supply these items as well as many funeral directors.

QUESTION: Why does every funeral home seem to be named after a person?

ANSWER: Under state law every funeral practice must be conducted under the name of an individual, and with a few exceptions, licensed in the state.

QUESTION: Can you buy funeral arrangements in advance?

ANSWER: Yes, but funeral services can only be purchased in advance from a licensed funeral director. Merchandise can be purchased from a variety of vendors.

QUESTION: If I buy a funeral plan now to be used in the future, how do I know it will be available when I die?

ANSWER: If you buy now, the merchandise items to be delivered in the future are provided for by a state law requiring the seller to deposit 70 percent of the sale amount of the item in a trust fund to be used to supply the item when the death occurs. The service items to be delivered in the future are provided for by a state law requiring the seller to deposit 100 percent of the sale amount into a trust fund or have an insurance policy to cover the items sold as such.