Milwaukee County Cracks Down on Funeral Home Debt

Committee advances plan to collect over $1.3 million owed to medical examiner's office

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Milwaukee County leaders are moving forward with a plan to collect unpaid fees owed to the medical examiner's office by funeral homes. A county committee advanced legislation allowing the county attorney to pursue collections from 18 funeral homes that currently have outstanding balances of $25,000 or more, with four Milwaukee funeral homes owing a combined $1.3 million.

Why it matters

The outstanding balances owed to the medical examiner's office by funeral homes have continued to grow, raising concerns about where those fees collected from grieving families are ending up. The new collections plan aims to recoup funds owed to the county and ensure funeral homes are properly passing along required fees.

The details

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office began requiring funeral homes with outstanding balances of $25,000 or more to pay fees up front for services like death certificates and cremation permits. Officials say it is not uncommon for funeral homes to carry large balances, and some are already on payment plans or pay quarterly. However, records show four Milwaukee funeral homes currently owe a combined $1.3 million, including one with a balance over $512,000.

  • On March 10, 2026, a Milwaukee County committee advanced the legislation allowing collections.
  • Earlier in 2026, the medical examiner's office began requiring upfront payments from funeral homes with $25,000+ balances.

The players

Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office

The county agency responsible for overseeing death investigations and collecting fees from funeral homes for services.

Milwaukee County Supervisor Sky Capriolo

A county supervisor who questioned where unpaid fees collected from families by funeral homes were going.

William Davidson

The deputy corporation counsel who stated the county's hope to avoid litigation in collecting the unpaid fees.

Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner who acknowledged delays in families receiving assistance for fees, but said the funeral homes have not been paying the county for a long time.

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What they’re saying

“What is the overall number we're waiting on?”

— Sky Capriolo, Milwaukee County Supervisor (fox6now.com)

“We do list 18 funeral homes that have a balance, currently, of $25,000 or more.”

— Timothy Schabo, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner operations manager (fox6now.com)

“Our hope is that, certainly, we'll be able to avoid any litigation.”

— William Davidson, Deputy corporation counsel (fox6now.com)

“If a family is paying a funeral home for services, and someone at the funeral home is not paying the county, where is that money going? We don't know?”

— Sky Capriolo, Milwaukee County Supervisor (fox6now.com)

“I understand there is some delay for some families receiving assistance from this program. However, the funeral homes that we are talking about haven't been paying us for a long period of time.”

— Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner (fox6now.com)

What’s next

The legislation now heads to the full Milwaukee County Board for consideration.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for greater oversight and accountability around funeral home fees, to ensure families are not being overcharged or having their payments mishandled. The county's collections plan aims to recoup significant outstanding debts and prevent further erosion of trust in the funeral industry.