IFDA brings in NY Times to defend Museum and the Alleged Ponzi Trust.

So who is telling the Truth? The New York Times or the State Journal Register?

The (IFDA) Illinois Funeral Directors Association) recently brought in one of the largest media players to defend it’s Museum of Funeral Customs and the IFDA Preneed Trust, The New York Times.

There seems to be some contradictions and confusion in the press on this one. It does appear that Duane Marsh, director of the IFDA may have lied or told a Roland Burris half truth to the New York Times.

First in the New York Times March 9th 2009,

“The association of funeral directors has had other problems, too. A trust it once managed — focused on “pre-need” funeral planning — declined sharply in value, prompting a handful of civil lawsuits alleging financial mismanagement. Although the museum used no money from the trust, Mr. Marsh said, the association’s budget took a hit.

But from a Newspaper Article in the State Journal Register, Springfield Illinois, dated February 27th 2009.

“According to an IFDA-commissioned audit, the foundation that ran the museum received at least $250,000 annually in 2006 and 2007 from the association, which got more than $2 million each of those years from management fees generated by the trust fund.”

Maybe Duane Marsh was splitting hairs when he said the museum received no IFDA Trust funds. The foundation that ran the museum got the funds according to the audit. Sounds like a Senator Roland Burris half truth lie to me.

Sure wish the spin would stop and some one will print the truth.

The New York Times is known for not printing the Truth upon occasion. The State Journal Register in Springfield, IL is known for printing the truth.

Funeral Industry| Funeral Cost Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

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News-Bizarre Twist on Funeral Cost-Dead Body Subpoena-yourfuneralguy

Chrysler Corporation gets a Court Order for a deceased person's body- burial stopped

News 3/09/09- In a bizarre twist on Funeral Cost Chrysler has subpoenaed  a dead body.  This has added Emotional and Financial funeral cost  as the body was snatched after a funeral and right before burial.  The family is fighting the court order. The trial was set to begin on March 9th 2009. The person involved has not had a burial.

In an article at The Truth about Cars:

“The trial was set to begin March 9. Unexpectedly, St. John died on February 28. Though he had undergone a painful biopsy to provide a lung tissue sample while still living, Chrysler insisted on taking the body from its burial site before it could be laid to rest.”

This approach seems to be distasteful and disrespectful. It surely shows a lack of respect for the dead. It appears that the law has no respect for persons living or dead.

From michiganmessenger.com

“Chrysler had asked the court for permission to obtain tissue samples, but the court order was not issued until the day of the funeral. The process server waited until after the funeral but before interment to serve the order, offending the grieving family who claim they caught completely unaware of Chrysler’s request.”

It was a good thing that the process server showed discretion and respect.

What can be learned from this? DEATH and the LAW are no respecter of persons.

Maybe it would have been best if the automakers did not get a bailout and had their own funeral.

Funeral Industry|funeral cost blog by Your Funeral Guy.

IFDA Lost $59 Million|Opposes Regulation Seeks Medicaid help-Your Funeral Guy.

IFDA misappropriated 59 million then came up on the wrong side of funeral legislation in Illinois istockphoto picture of IL Statehouse

The Illinois Funeral Directors Association is at it again. They misused 59 Million of their Trust Fund in an alleged ponzi scheme. Now they are opposing preneed reform and seeking medicaid aide for member funeral homes . This is beyond arrogance. Why do they not just take out a 59 Million dollar Loan and give the money back to the IFDA Preneed Trust?

State Representative Dan Brady of Bloomington , IL has proposed legislation in Springfield, IL that will regulate the preneed trust sellers in the State of Illinois. The Illinois Funeral Directors Association is not supporting the legislation. One would think that they would want to make things right. I would suggest that they give their non guaranteed funds back to the citizens who have lost monies in the non guaranteed policies.

To add insult to injury the IFDA is  supporting legislation which would give more medicaid aide to funeral homes their members. That legislation in Springfield, Il is sponsored by Bob Rita of Blue Island.

Quoting Rep Dan. Brady in  a March 7th post in the Chicago Tribune.

Brady said, “To ask for more money when the IFDA has other problems is not the message to send right now. “

It is very unsettling that the new executive director of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association is making false statements to the press . His name is Duane Marsh. In a State-Journal Register|Galesburg.com  Article he said:

‘IFDA supports Rita’s bill. Marsh says the issue is a “humanitarian thing,” but funeral home directors will still help the indigent.

“Funeral home directors are going to continue to provide the service no matter what, ” Marsh said.’

First of all as many an indigent person and funeral director know that all funeral homes do not help the indigent.

To say that directors are going to provide the service no matter what is garbage. It may be fraud.

How can Duane Marsh make this statement? He is a former funeral director from Michigan and has been in the State of Illinois for only two months and several days. I call upon Mr. Marsh to retract his statement made to the oldest newspaper in Illinois.

Funeral Industry| Funeral Cost blog by your funeral guy.

Any time  a Funeral Trust Fund is misapplied Funeral directors have to cover costs and consumer costs are raised.

Sources:

Galesburg.com Article posted March 5th

Chicago-Tribune Article posted March 7th

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President Obama the Dead Need a Bailout too.-yourfuneralguy.

President Obama the Dead need a bailout because of too much Debt.

One of the unknown secrets in the funeral industry is that the Dead need a funeral cost bailout. So President Obama instead of bailing out mortgages please consider bailing out the dead after their funeral. This is not political satire. It is the honest to God Truth. Many a dead person has left their family with extreme financial death: a large amount of debt.

I have had some personal experience with this. When I almost died in 2007 i wrote the book Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral

One of the big fears at the time was that I would leave my family with too much debt.  So I wrote the work at a supersonic speed. The threat of death gave me an almost divine laser focus. The book helps folks but is not a big money maker. It has not helped in the elimination of my debt.

I bring this up because tough economic times have  given rise to a a funeral industry spin off the “DEATH DEBT COLLECTOR” it is something to keep in mind when planning for a funeral or when someone dies. Death debt collection  is big business now.

These folks really exist and they are devilish folks. This according to a  New York Times article:

“Collecting from the dead, however, is expanding. Improved database technology is making it easier to discover when estates are opened in the country’s 3,000 probate courts, giving collectors an opportunity to file timely claims. But if there is no formal estate and thus nothing to file against, the human touch comes into play.”

Funeral Industry| Funeral Cost Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Mmmm…I wonder if these new funeral industry guys will collect from the IFDA?

Revealed Important Questions for Chicago Tribune & IFDA-Your Funeral Guy

What do you expect from a newspaper with the name Chicago in it?

There are many questions that have been asked of me since the Article on Sunday regarding the Illinois Funeral Directors Association in  the Chicago Tribune. Any time funeral cost money is misused  in a trust funeral cost is raised. The big question is: When funeral directors in Illinois run out of money to cover their losses with the IFDA who will cover the funeral  bill of the folks involved? The answer is we do not know.

Here is some of the questions I have been asked?

1. Why was  Senator Roland Burris not mentioned in the Chicago Tribune Article?

Answer: I do not know. It certainly raises some suspicions as to who else may be involved. Senator Roland Burris is a significant player in this Scandal.

2. Why did the Tribune not name the names of specific IFDA officials involved?

Answer: I do not know. Several of the folks involved are well  recognized funeral providers in Chicago and the suburbs.

3. Why did the Tribune not name the names of Board Members involved?

Answer: I do not know but other  Newspapers in the State have revealed some of the  Board players involved.

4. Why did the Tribune mention Preneed as a viable option in another article in the same  March 1st edition that they reported a 50 million+ USD IFDA  Preneed  Trust Scandal?

Answer: There is no Excuse for that.

5. Why did not the Tribune not mention the size of the IFDA Board members and committe members that

What do you expect from a trade organization with the name Illinois in it?

make up the IFDA. (Hint- the number here is Quite small)

Answer: A small elite group of people ripped off other funeral directors and the citizens of the State of  Illinois. My true answer to this is unspeakable.

There are many more questions. Enough for now.

But the General Answers are:

What do you expect from a Newspaper with the name Chicago in it?

What do you expect from a  trade organization with the name Illinois in front of it?

Funeral Cost|Funeral Industry Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

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Source: The research and experience of Your Funeral Guy.

Your Funeral Guy: Medicaid, Preneed, Funeral Cost

Medicaid in most states encourages the purchase of prepaid funerals or preneed. In the last year we have  had tw0 major funeral cost scandals that involve prepaying and preneed. The Illinois Funeral Directors Association IFDA Preneed Trust Scandal and the National Prearranged Services Scandal or NPS Scandal.

These are reasons enough not to prepay a funeral or  purchase a preneed policy. It does appear that medicaid in most states allows and encourages the purchase of a prepaid funeral. This is not a good idea because these funds are suspect because of Scandal.

Recently I received an e- mail from someone I am helping with lower cost funerals:

“Department of Human Services in the State of Illinois has a form “about pre-paid burial funds and which items are non-exempt and which are exempt.  Medicaid encourages individuals to set a pre-paid funeral trust.  On the bottom of this form is states that funeral homes are entitled to 5% of the principal and 5% of the annual interest.  This was substantiated by our funeral home.  The funeral homes get a kick-back for setting up these trust funds.  The contract of course needs to be irrevocable and if anyone tries to dissolve the funeral home is entitled to 25%.  I believe that some funeral homes are truly on the take and now the more honest ones are caught up in this dirt.’

In the United States then medicaid has at least a loose affilation with the sale of preneed insurance funeral policies. This does affect your Funeral Cost. If this affects you be sure to ask your state about the situation.

Funeral Cost/Funeral Industry Blog by Your Funeral Guy.
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