Your Funeral Guy:Roland Burris- IFDA-Funeral Industry Connection

Your Funeral Guy

Breaking News: January 5th 2008-Connection Between Roland Burris and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association was revealed at the end of 2008. This is big news for the Funeral Industry.It took some time for Your Funeral Guy to verify this. The affect on the public’s funeral expenses is not known at this time.

Members of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association were notified about the IFDA Preneed Trust $40 million  debacle in February 2008. Burris was lobbyist for the  IFDA during the height of the IFDA Mismanagement Debacle. Roland Burris registered as a lobbyist on Jan. 16th 2008.

Snippet#1:”Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested this month by federal authorities who said he attempted to profit from his power to fill the Senate seat. The Illinois Legislature is considering impeaching Blagojevich”

After this Governor Rod Blagojevich nominated Roland Burris for Barach Obama’s Senate seat. This was a bold political move. Roland Burris is lobbying hard to be Senator from the State of Illinos.

More From USA Today:

Blagojevich defies critics, names Burris to fill Senate seat

Senate aims to block Blagojevich’s move

The USA Today article firmly states the Illinos Funeral Director  Association connection.

Snippet#2: “Burris registered as a lobbyist Jan. 16 and his clients include cable provider Comcast and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association”

Funeral Professionals are well aware of the IFDA preneed trust probems.

Your Funeral Guy,Kates-Boylston Publications, another Funeral Director Author, a Preneed lawyer have all written and/or done a blog about the IFDA Preneed Trust management debacle.

Snippet #3: State Rep. Jil Tracy, a Republican on the impeachment committee, says she doesn’t know much about Burris but his career and connections with Blagojevich will be “looked at very critically.”

State Rep Jill Tracy and the impeachment commitee need to look at the Illinois Funeral Directors Association not the Hot Rod connection.

Any informed Funeral Director in the State of Illinois could speak to IFDA problems and mismanagement corruption that Burris and the State of Illinos Comptroller know about.

The USA today article is inappropiatly named “Burris Has Been Free of Controversy”

Your Funeral Guy, author, funeral director, State of Illinois.

More Information.

Illinois Funeral Directors Association/ Barack Obama/ IFDA Preneed Trust

Your Funeral Guy: Wall Street Journal says its in left field-Green Burial/Funeral

Breaking News-Jan 2nd- The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) implies that   Green Burial Folks  are a bunch of left wing, crazies. Lower cost funeral options were not explored. Green Burials are coming to from the the UK just like cremation did in the 1970′s. Traditional funeral industry folks like this one.

The title of the article is:

“Green Revolution Hits Dead End In Georgia Cemetery Proposal

Ms. Collins Thought Natural Burials Were a Killer Idea; Locals Saw Grave Threat”

The article refers to a cult leader who supports the green funeral movement. This in itself is extreme. Referring to Ms Collins somewhat eccentric behaviors implies that all green burial/funeral advocates are that way.

Many green cemeteries are located away from metropolitan areas and towns. This goes a long way to putting an end to water table concerns. There are also leak proof inserts and shrouds available. The Macon- Bibb county  residents objected to leakage into the water table.

What is worse? Embalming fluid in the water table or simple decay? Like it or not Embalmed Bodies eventually decay and yes the embalming fluid (carcinogen) gets into the water table as well.

Some blog reactions on the right saying Amen to this story calling the woman who is the focus of the story moonbat.

Green burial advocates are on the left coast and the right coast. lefties and righties.

Change is always resisted especially by the funeral industry but it always comes.

Blog Your Funeral Guy, Author,

Your Funeral Guy: 2008- Part 2-Funeral Industry Funeral cost

The second half of the 2008 brought the funeral industry/funeral cost and the United States of America closer to the lower cost funeral. The main factors were the Wall Street Crash, the credit crunch, and rising unemployment.

July  2008: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

On July 3rd 2008, Newsweek did an article creating a funeral cost stir. The picture of the biodegradable casket gives you a look at future funeral cost. Joshua Slocum of the Funeral Consumers Alliance also did a great Job handling comments after the article appeared. Slocum is a true Funeral Futurist. The article is Called “A Serious Undertaking.” and is about future funeral cost. This article pointed to a coming funeral Industry/Expenses Storm.

Breaking News-July 15th 2008 SCI Service Corporation  International  the corporate funeral giant tried to buy the little giant Stewart Enterprises. The number of funeral homes points to the big giant little giant scenario. Stewart Enterprises rejected the offer.

August: 2008: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

Breaking News August 11, 2008 NPS, National Prearranged Services receiver filed an application to approve a plan of liquidation with the Texas courts. The court received documents that it would no longer be able to pay claims on NPS contracts due to the lack of cash assets. Unless and until the court approves the liquidation plan, there will not be any cash available to pay claims. The estimated claims -300 to 500 million dollars.

September  2008: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

Breaking News-Sept 12th -2008  Michigan, Thomas Lynch, the funeral director author, funeral poet and the main person in the PBS Special  “Undertaking” sued Lisa Carlson, another author and the  current executive director of the Funeral Ethics Organization as well as the The Funeral Consumers Alliance. The lawsuit was for 75 Thousand dollars. (corrected Jan 5th)( i read through this defamation lawsuit but only had access for a short time). In this defamation suit It  appears that he felt he had to take his defense of the traditional Funeral to court. Lynch  a figure in the funeral industry, is fading into the past as folks embrace lower cost funeral options.

October:  2008: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

Breaking News Oct 9, 2008  It was reported that the big giant SCI pulled their offer to buy the Little Giant Stewart enterprises for $11.00 USD per share.

November  2008: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1.Merrill Lynch became the trustee of the IFDA Preneed Trust on November 3rd, 2008. The IFDA declared its  Preneed Trust trust difficulties over.

December 2008:Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1.People around the USA cut their funeral expenses with the deepening  recession.   There are 100′s of reports in local and national newspapers of folks asking for a lower funeral expenses. From the bloggers -the Huffington Post did a post on this.

2. Merrill Lynch the  new Trustee of the IFDA  Preneed trust is officially purchased by the  Bank of America which received a 25 Billion dollar bailout from the US Treasury. Some say Merrill Lynch and the IFDA Preneed Trust would have gone under if the Treasury and Bank of America did not intervene.

3.Stewart Enterprises 2nd largest funeral corporation in the USA) shows no profits in 2008.

4.Breaking News Dec 29th 2008 - Stewart Enterprises (2nd largest funeral corporation in the USA) receives a cease and desist order from the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission for lying about preneed.Why is preneed such a problem?

The most significant events in the latter part of 2008 were the Newsweek story and the public asking for lower cost funerals. If You think I missed something please let me know.

Blog By Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Industry,Funeral Cost Review of the First Six Months 2008

Here is a summary of 2008 for the first six months in the funeral industry. It is a long post so the year was split up into 2 blog posts. If I missed something important on the Funeral industry and funeral cost be sure to let me know.

January 2oo8: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1. AARP  puts the article R.I.P. Off in their January/February 2008 magazine.  This stirs up a funeral industry and funeral cost hornets nest.

2. Connecting Directors a Funeral Industry website  starts growing.

3.Fox News revealed information recently about the death of Princess Diana. Now it may be that the royals did not care.” On The Record” gave out previous unknown information about the “funeral” that never ends. The Doctor in France who was involved with the death of the princess admitted he embalmed her without permission.

February 2oo8: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1. Paul Dixon Resigns as the Executive Director of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association.  The IFDA Preneed Trust Debacle is about to break open.

2.The IFDA, Illinois Funeral Directors Association, sent out a Press kit to the Membership on how to deal with the 40 Million Trust Deficit in “The IFDA Preneed Trust.” In the letter it is stated:
“The Comptroller of the State of Illinois removed the License of the IFDA as the Trustee”.

March  2oo8: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1.The Illinois Funeral Director’s Association (IFDA) admitted to a $40,000,000 Deficit.  It happened with their management of the IFDA Preneed  Trust. Simply put they mishandled $40,000,000 of the folks funds. If you did business with the IFDA you should evaluate your funeral cost situation!

2. The United States Congress did NOT authorize National Funeral Director’s Day.
National Funeral Directors Day did pass the US Senate Unanimously. National Funeral Directors Day was held up in Committee in the United States House of Representatives.
This attempt at funeral law is an example of failed funeral cost raising! It was stalled in committee past National Funeral Directors and Mortician Day Date of March 11th.

3. The National Funeral Directors Association admitted that Preneed Funerals needs to be fixed. Even the Funeral Directors say if you prepay a preplanned funeral, there is a good chance you may get ripped off! Prepaying a funeral with a funeral trust does not lower your family’s funeral cost.

4. The National Funeral Directors Association admitted that the AARP article contained the truth! “R.I.P. OFF.” This appeared in “AARP The Magazine” January/February 2008
Issue. The article was a telling status of prepaid funerals in America!

5. The “Funeral Rule” was upheld by the FTC on March 10th. This the Key to your Lower Cost Funeral. It is the key to getting the funeral you desire. If you come to the place where you understand the funeral rule you have the tools to negotiate a lower cost funeral.

April:  2oo8: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1.According to my sources National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day passed the United States Congress on April 29th. You may as well refer to this as National Funeral cost day The House of representatives approved it by voice vote.

2.Several States are investigating NPS. (National Prearranged Services) Not much has been revealed yet. This is totally amazing.

May:  2oo8: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost.

1. The Funeral  Cost  Funeral Book – Rest in Peace Insiders Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral was published on May 1st 2008

2.The inventor of the Pringles Can/ Urn died on May 4 in College Hill, Ohio at the age of 89. The Pringle can was developed in the 1970’s about the time cremation was on it’s way to the USA. Yes he was cremated and buried in a Pringles Can.

3. It was reported-  If you die in the future you may find yourself dissolved in acid.This is not just a futuristic possibility but it reminds me of Hitler anyway. Mortuaries and states are considering this option.This according to Fox News after you die you could be dissolved in acid and go right down the drain.

June  2008: Funeral Industry and Funeral Cost

1Tributes.com is launched. Obituaries online at a Giant of a website. Funeral Cost dollars are now being shifted to the Wall Street Journal via the internet. Now trying to get your funeral cost dollar is the WSJ and the founder of Monster.com {Jeff Taylor started Monster.com and 1Eons.com }

2. Breaking News -Seattle (June 16, 2008) — TheFuneralSite.com announced today the launch of the Seattle Funeral Guide, the first-ever local consumer online guide for funeral cost planning. While several companies produce local wedding-planning guides, no one has created a local funeral-planning guide aimed at consumers. “We want to help people plan funerals at home, on their computers”, Anna Copley, cofounder of TheFuneralSite.com, said this.

3.Yes- the History Channel ran a show called Modern Marvels: Corpse Tech. It showed some of the details you need to ask for in  low funeral cost. -special on the the History Channel- (aired June 20th 2008). It is now being Re-aired with the Modern Marvels series.

Now If  you think I missed something please leave a comment.

Clearly the most significant event of 2008 for the funeral industry and funeral Cost happened on March 10th 2008. The Federal Trade Commission stopped having hearings on the Funeral Rule. No questions now the law is no longer being debated by the enforcing agency. This is good for the Lower Cost Funeral, and the public.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Your Funeral Guy: Five More Tips-Your Lower Cost Funeral

Your Funeral Guy urges you to go out under the average cost of a funeral. There are actually thousands of way to lower funeral cost. Here are Five More Lower Cost Funeral Tips. 1.government benefits 2. air fare 3.web casts 4.fund raising 5) Digital options. Please plan a lower cost funeral, and spend all your money before you die. If you do not  want to spend the money give it to the living.

1 Save on your family funerals. check to see if your loved ones qualified for free funeral items from the government. Military veterans are eligible for free grave spaces and headstones. Be sure to check with the nearest national cemetery.You can search online for information about military benefits and national  cemeteries. Public aid is available for folks short on funds and on this program.  Most Counties have funeral aid  available  for people short of funds Most time you must  chase this one down

2.Air Fare discounts have been around for a long time. Bereavement fares are available A sales seat however often costs less. so ask about options. Airlines that offer bereavement fares will allow you to apply for a refund as within 90 days after completion of all flights. Verification required.

3. Pay no Air Fare Instead, View  your loved ones funeral by web cast. As as people grow used to living more and more of their daily life online, funeral directors  latest Internet tools to work.Funeral Directors who are web intelligent can do this. Of course there must be a  funeral home website for this to work

4. Fund raising for a funeral. This is often done by churches, community groups, employers and employee groups.Friends of a Indiana  woman who died in a carbon monoxide accident in Chile planned  a fund raising concert to help pay for her funeral.

5.Digital options have been embraced by  forward thinking funeral homes with online features.Online obituaries, memorials, funeral planning are  happening as we speak. Online funerals are happening via web cast.

These tips will help take you to a lower cost, funeral lower your expenses and bring you in under the average cost of a funeral.

Blog by your funeral guy, author