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Credentials that raise your value

• Embalmer license

  A separate license in many states. Holding both makes you the person a small home cannot run without.

• Crematory operator certification

  Short course and exam. More than half of families now choose cremation, so this is quickly becoming standard.

• Certified Funeral Service Practitioner

  A national continuing education credential from the professional associations. Signals you keep up.

• Grief support training

  Real training in bereavement care, not just bedside manner. Families remember who handled them well.

• Preneed sales license

  Some states license selling funerals in advance. It is a steady part of a funeral home's income.