What are “perpetual care” cemeteries?
A perpetual care cemetery is a cemetery that has an endowment trust fund. This fund provides annual income for the upkeep of the cemetery. Under Ohio law, most cemeteries are required to place 10 percent of the revenue generated by lot sales and sales of mausoleums into a trust fund. The cemetery may draw off the income and interest earned by the trust fund on an annual basis to offset cemetery maintenance and repair costs. Consumers should be aware that not all Ohio cemeteries are endowment care cemeteries. Family cemeteries, and cemeteries that are owned and operated exclusively by churches, religious societies, established fraternal organizations, or the city, state or federal government, are not required to have endowment care funds. Consumers should check with the cemetery and ask if it has an endowment care trust. Q: If I pre-purchase a grave plot in a cemetery and then no longer need it, will I get a refund? A: Ohio law does not require cemeteries to buy back from consumers grav
