Privacy Policy

Last reviewed: April 27, 2026 · Maintained by Paul Paradis, Founder & Editor (Boston, MA).

We believe people navigating loss deserve to research sensitive topics without being profiled or marketed to. FuneralCostAnalyzer is an independent, one-person educational site run by Paul Paradis in Boston, Massachusetts — not a funeral home, not a lead-generation service, and not a marketplace. This policy explains, in plain language, what information is and is not collected when you visit the site, how it is used, your rights, and how to contact us with privacy requests.

What we collect and how we use it (summary)

• What we collect from you directly: only what you type into the contact form or send to us by email (your name, email, subject, and message). We do not run accounts, logins, or newsletters.
• What is collected automatically: standard server logs (IP, user agent, timestamp) by our host, Netlify; aggregate analytics (pages, referrers, approximate location, device type) by Google Analytics 4; and — if third-party ads are shown — cookies and identifiers by Google AdSense and similar networks.
• How we use it: to respond to your message, measure site traffic in aggregate, keep the site secure and operational, and (for third-party ad networks) to serve ads consistent with Google’s published policies.
• What we do not do: no selling, renting, trading, or lead-generation sharing of reader data with funeral homes, insurers, or any third party; no retargeting we control; no profiling of individual visitors by us.
• Your rights: CCPA/CPRA (California), GDPR (EEA/UK), and COPPA-relevant protections are described in the sections below. Email privacy@funeralcostanalyzer.com to exercise any of them.

Short version

• No personal data is required to read the site. No accounts, no forced sign-ups, no newsletter.
• The AI helper does not save your chat. The contact form only collects what you type into it.
• The site uses Google Analytics (aggregate traffic measurement) and may display third-party ads through Google AdSense and similar networks. These third parties use cookies; opt-out links are provided below.
• Your information is never sold, rented, or shared with funeral homes, insurance companies, or any other third party for lead-generation or marketing purposes.

Information this site does not collect

This site was designed with privacy as a priority. Visitors are often going through one of the most difficult times of their lives, and they deserve to research sensitive topics without first-party profiling.

• No first-party personal-data collection. We do not ask for or store your name, address, phone number, or any other personally identifiable information through normal use of this site. The only time personal data is received is when you voluntarily submit it through the contact form or by emailing us.
• No first-party advertising or retargeting cookies. We do not set our own advertising cookies or build marketing profiles of you. Third-party advertising networks (disclosed below) may set their own cookies; those are governed by each network’s policies, and opt-out tools are linked below.
• No email harvesting. We do not collect email addresses through the site. There is no mailing list or newsletter sign-up.
• No user accounts. There are no accounts, logins, or registration on this site.
• No lead-generation or data sale. We do not collect reader information to match with funeral providers, insurance agents, or any other third party, and we do not sell, share, or rent reader data.

Analytics

This site uses Google Analytics (GA4) to understand aggregate traffic patterns — pages visited, referral sources, approximate location, device type, and session duration. Google Analytics sets its own cookies and may collect a pseudonymous identifier. We use this data only to improve the site; we do not attempt to identify individual visitors. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on or by using browser features that block tracking. Google's practices are governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

AI chat privacy

Our AI helper allows you to have a private conversation about funeral costs, options, and questions to ask providers. Here is how that works:

• Messages are processed by OpenAI. When you use the AI helper, your messages are sent to OpenAI's API for processing. OpenAI's privacy policy governs how they handle that data.
• We do not store your conversations. Your chat messages are not saved, logged, or recorded by us. We have no database of user conversations.
• Conversations are not saved between sessions. If you close your browser or navigate away, the conversation is gone. There is no chat history feature.
• Do not share sensitive personal information. While we do not store your messages, we recommend not sharing Social Security numbers, financial account details, or other sensitive personal information in the chat as a general precaution.

Contact correspondence

If you choose to email us (for example, to share your experience, report a concern, or suggest a correction), we will receive and retain that correspondence only as long as needed to respond to your message and improve our content. We do not share, sell, or use your email correspondence for marketing purposes. We do not add you to any mailing list.

Third-party advertising — Google AdSense and similar networks

This site may use third-party advertising networks, including Google AdSense, to display advertisements. As a reader, you should understand the following, which is the standard disclosure required by Google’s AdSense program policies:

• Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to this website or other websites on the internet.
• Google’s use of advertising cookies enables Google and its partners to serve ads to our users based on their visits to this site and/or other sites on the internet.
• Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. Alternatively, users can opt out of a third-party vendor’s use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.
• Google’s advertising requirements are summarized by Google’s Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users.
• Google’s handling of data in connection with advertising is governed by Google’s advertising and cookies policy and Google’s Privacy Policy.

Specifically, Google AdSense and other third-party ad networks may:

• Use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites on the internet
• Use the DoubleClick cookie to enable Google and its partners to serve ads based on your browsing patterns
• Collect non-personally identifiable information (such as browser type, device type, pages visited, and approximate geographic location) to deliver targeted advertising

You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of third-party vendor cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page or using the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out tool.

Advertising placements are selected by these third-party networks, not by this site’s editorial team. Ads do not constitute editorial endorsements, and we do not control which specific ads are shown to any individual visitor.

Third-party services

This site uses a small number of third-party services to function. Here is what each one does and what data they may receive:

Google Fonts

We use Google Fonts to load the Inter and Merriweather typefaces. When your browser requests these fonts, Google receives your IP address and basic browser information (user agent string). Google's use of this data is governed by their privacy policy. We chose Google Fonts for reliability and performance, but want you to know this connection exists.

Netlify hosting

This site is hosted on Netlify. Like all web hosting providers, Netlify maintains basic server logs that may include IP addresses, request timestamps, and pages visited. These logs are used for security and operational purposes. Netlify's handling of this data is governed by their privacy policy. We do not have access to individual visitor log entries.

OpenAI API

The AI helper feature sends your chat messages to OpenAI's API for processing. OpenAI may retain API inputs and outputs in accordance with their privacy policy and terms of use. We encourage you to review their policies if you have concerns about how your messages may be handled on their end.

Cookies

We do not set tracking cookies, advertising cookies, or any first-party cookies for analytics purposes. Third-party services (such as Google Fonts or Netlify) may set essential or functional cookies as part of their normal operation. These are not under our control, and we do not use them to identify or track you.

Children's privacy (COPPA)

This site is not directed at children under the age of 13, and in keeping with the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13. The content on this site is intended for adults who are making funeral and burial decisions or researching costs on behalf of their families.

If you are a parent or guardian and you believe that a child under 13 has provided personal information through this site (for example, via the contact form), please email privacy@funeralcostanalyzer.com and we will delete that information from our records. We also instruct the third-party services used on this site (Google Analytics, Google AdSense, OpenAI, Netlify) to operate in ways consistent with COPPA and their own published policies.

Your rights under the GDPR (European Economic Area visitors)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We are committed to respecting these rights. Under the GDPR, you may have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification: Request that we correct any inaccurate personal data.
• Erasure: Request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal obligations.
• Restriction: Request that we restrict the processing of your personal data under certain conditions.
• Object: Object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes.
• Data portability: Request a copy of your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format.

Because we collect minimal personal data through normal site use, most of these rights will not be applicable in practice. However, if you have submitted personal information to us through a contact form or email, you may exercise any of these rights by emailing privacy@funeralcostanalyzer.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Legal basis for processing: Where we do process personal data (e.g., contact form submissions or advertising cookies), our legal basis is either your explicit consent or our legitimate interest in operating this educational website and responding to inquiries.

Your rights under the CCPA (California residents)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) provide you with specific rights regarding your personal information. These rights include:

• Right to know: You have the right to request that we disclose what personal information we have collected about you, the sources of that information, the purposes for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
• Right to delete: You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to opt out of the sale of personal information: We do not sell personal information. However, if our use of advertising cookies is considered a "sale" under the CCPA, you may opt out by adjusting your browser cookie settings or by using the opt-out links provided in the "Third-party advertising" section above.
• Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@funeralcostanalyzer.com. We will respond to verifiable consumer requests within 45 days as required by law.

Changes to this policy

If we make changes to this privacy policy, we will update this page and revise the "Last Updated" date below. We encourage you to review this page periodically. If we ever introduce analytics, advertising, or any form of data collection, we will clearly disclose it here before doing so.

Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this privacy policy, want to exercise a data-rights request, or want to report a privacy issue, please email:

privacy@funeralcostanalyzer.com

Mailing address for verified legal requests is available on request — email first so your request can be routed appropriately. The site is operated from Boston, Massachusetts, United States.