Forty Million bucks is nowhere near a dime. So where is the line that makes it a crime?
This is a question that needs to be addressed. Most people are not warned that they should not do preneed if they want a low funeral cost and do a lower cost funeral.What amount makes it a crime? 10 cents, $10, $20,000, $40,000,000 If someone trusts some one else and they mismanage the money is it a crime? Probably not. In some cases yes. In the IFDA Preneed Trust Scandal, we do not know yet!

We do know that the State of Illinois Comptroller took away the Illinois Funeral Directors Associations License away so they no longer are the managers of the fund. Whether the State of Illinois calls it a crime or requires a correction to be seen.They have not given us enough information yet.Yes they have not given the families, the associations members or the public the full story. It could be said don’t due the preneed crime if you can’t do the the time.

Prosecutors and police often are hesitant to take action because of layer upon layer of Insurance Law. This is why Funeral Director Associations and Funeral Corporations have highly paid lawyers to defend them.This is exactly why at the AARP website they tell you not to do preneed. Most people are not warned that they should not do preneed if they want a low funeral cost and do a lower cost funeral.

It is most interesting that the IFDA has not made a statement yea or nay whether criminal activity is involved.

Recently in Nebraska, There was an instance where the State Department of Insurance did not call it a crime. If you like you can go here and read about it:

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/02/17/news/local/doc47b78600b36ac575821489.txt#blogcomments

I addressed these issues in the book.

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R. Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak

Your Funeral Guy, Author, Funeral Director Illinios and Virginia.

AkA R Brian Burkhardt