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:Funeral Expenses and Preneed are not a good mix

This is from a US NEWS and World Report article on funeral costs.

“It sounds great in theory: Preplan and prepay your funeral expenses so your children and heirs won’t have to make expensive and difficult decisions while grieving. About 23 percent of people over age 50 have prepaid at least a portion of funeral or burial expenses for themselves or someone else, according to a 2007 AARP survey. But not all pre-paid funeral contracts deliver on their promises as funeral homes go out of business, change hands, or raid the money consumers thought was safely invested in trust funds.”

IF YOU MUST DO Preneed follow the prepay tips from the Article here.

Comparison shop.

Follow the money.

Ask about refunds and cancellations.

Read the fine print.

Consider saving on your own

See the full article here:

http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/retirement/2008/02/15/should-you-prepay-your-own-funeral-expenses.html

With the Illinois Funeral Directors Association and the 40 million dollar mismanagement there is  as strong indications that preneed is not good for the consumer. FYI-The Ifda still sells these policies.

The NPS Scandal of 500 million disappearing from funeral trust has hurt funeral directors that pick up the tab. The best way to lower  funeral costs is to to plan your funeral in advance an pay for it at the time of need. That is a sure way to negotiate lower funeral costs.

Here are four simple funeral cost tips.

1.Go in to the funeral home with planned negotiations to lower costs of a funeral.

2.Get products from alternate sources.(internet)

3.Avoid Funeral Homes Scams and preneed scams.

4. Be sure to read your funeral contract carefully at need or preneed.

One of the old time funeral directors tricks is to distract the folks when it comes time to read the contract. Do not let the bad guys do this to you.

(Your) Funeral Guy

Be sure to let me know how you saved on your funeral costs and funeral expenses.

More on lower cost funeral expenses can be found below.

More funeral information can be found here:

http://www.lower cost funeral/rbrianblog

Your Funeral Guy: Newsweek article creates Funeral, Cost, FCA controversy.

On July 3rd 2008, Newsweek did an article creating a funeral, funeral cost and FCA- Funeral Consumer Alliance 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.”

Quoting from the Newsweek Article:

“the annual conference of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, a watchdog group for the death-care industry that advocates simple, personalized and environmentally sound alternatives to the typical American burial.”

Joshua Slocum is exactly correct when the article quotes him:

“I want people to be shocked,” Slocum says, “that in some states, the body belongs to the mortuary by state law. And once a funeral director has got a body in the door, it’s over.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/144482

As stated in the Book Rest in Peace Insiders Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral Once the Funeral Director puts your loved one on the mortuary cot, The funeral cost clock starts running.

Two books can help here with the average cost of a funeral.

Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial by Mark Harris

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

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

Be sure to let me know how you achieved low funeral cost.

Your Funeral Guy: A Good Look at A Funeral Cost Book.

I have to admit that google is giving a good look at the Funeral Cost book “Rest in Peace Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral.” Now truly “Rest in Peace” is a zingwacker idea for a book. Here you can click on Rest in Peace in Google Books.

Recently someone reviewed this book at amazon and called it a New “ The American Way of Death ” This is a high compliment. The American Way of Death was a book by Jessica Mitford that changed th Funeral Industry as well as funeral cost forever. It is referred to by Funeral Directors and scholars alike. The later edition is “The American Way of Death Revisted.” Rest in Peace is a simple course in Funeral planning 101 and reducing funeral costs.

You can check out the Amazon review on funeral cost here:

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author also gave thumbs up to this book. This book is published by Morgan James Publishing.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

The “Google Books Search” give a look inside the book.

http://books.google.com/books?q=r+brian+burkhardt&btnG=Search+Books

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Cost too High in the USA!(last 2 weeks)

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Cost too High in the USA!(last 2 weeks). Funerals always cost too much in any situation because a person is involved. But the death of these folks is too much funeral cost to the  world. May they all rest in peace. All three.

First there was the Tim Russert  Wake and Memorial Service:
The funeral cost to the nation was too great.
Maria Shriver read the poem….The Little Ship in Washington DC. Bruce Springsteen was front and center.
It would be wrong not to repeat it. It is one of the best funeral poems ever written.

The Wife of the Actor and  California governor “Arnold” gave a great funeral poem.

“The Little Ship”

I stood watching as the little ship sailed out to sea. The setting sun tinted his white sails with a golden light, and as he disappeared from sight a voice at my side whispered, “He is gone”.

“But the sea was a narrow one. On the farther shore a little band of friends had gathered to watch and wait in happy expectation. Suddenly they caught sight of the tiny sail and, at the very moment when my companion had whispered, “He is gone” a glad shout went up in joyous welcome, “Here he comes!”

A Good post on this is here:
http://www.tellinitlikeitis.net/2008/06/maria-shriver-poem-at-tim-russerts-funeral-service.html

Then there was the  funeral song “over the rainbow”. People walked out of his memorial service to this Rainbow. Was this a blessing from the man upstairs(apologies to atheists if this does not make you a believer nothing will)

If you do not cry during this Video! You are not human. Barack Obama and John McCain sat together at this event. If you ever click on a Your Funeral Guy, funeral cost link click on this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBddo1RGiJU

Then there was the Tasha Tudor death: The great literary illustrator original  green lady died.
Kids will miss her. Even guys read “The Secret Garden.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/22/AR2008062202026.html”

As if this was not enough we also lost to funeral cost, George Carlin the modern Free Speech almost pornographic comedian. The famous 7 words guy.

Even Jerry Seinfeld is coming back to honor him.

In the 2 weeks Funeral Cost has been too high in the USA!
May all Rest in Peace.
Now there is more funeral story and history in Rest in Peace.

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

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Directors Raise Funeral Cost-The apprentice

The Funeral Cost of a Funeral Director is about 20 to 26 USD a hour in 2008. It is a large factor in the average cost of a funeral.

The funeral home owner cost is much more. If you use the traditional funeral home engage the funeral owner’s (or manager )services—- you certainly are paying for the service. Here are two of the Tricks funeral home owners employ is to raise funeral cost.

1. use apprentices to lower their cost

demand a licensed person!

2. limit the time that funeral directors spend with you without lowering your cost.

take as much time as you need!

A simple tip to lower funeral cost is to ask for a green funeral, green burial and information on the average cost of a funeral. Remember it is best to be your own funeral advocate.

More information on what is involved with a funeral and Average Funeral Cost here in two books.

Two books have contributed to the Funeral cost reduction situation.

Mark Harris’s “Grave Matters”:

Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial by Mark Harris

And “Rest in Peace” by R. Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak.

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

Both these books creatively examine the issues around green funerals and burials and funeral costs.

More information on this can be found at the Funeral Consumer Alliance, Green Burial Council and the AARP

in this article:

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/consumersmarts/archives/141653.asp

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Your Funeral Guy: Call Funeral Directors to honesty on Funeral Cost

Your Funeral Guy: Call Funeral Directors to honesty on Funeral Cost

Recently I thanked a Funeral Director on another blog for his honesty on Funeral Cost.

Here is what I said it is worth repeating here:

“Thank you for your honesty.

we share a trust level well short of that of mechanics, stockbrokers, real estate and insurance agents. This information should be a wake up call.

Only a few in our profession are this honest and candid. On another blog on this site I have mentioned & commented on some scandals. They are the result of the sins of more than a few. Let it be known that inspite of some blogs and comments that are tough, I have withheld information from the media on these events. Instead I have called on Leaders in the Funeral Industry to be honest. You sir are a part of the city set on the hill.

Your ethics are appreciated. I love helping families and for that reason I wrote a new book called Rest in Peace. In this work I declare that there are honest ethical funeral directors like yourself who are willing to embrace the changes that are to come!”

It is my hope that the ILLINOIS FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION (IFDA )will embrace ethics and honesty.

Right now I just find myself too busy helping folks lower the cost of their funerals…to keep up with this.

The IFDA knows the changes that are coming.

To the IFDA I Wish you the best.

There will be blogs here from time to time as things become public on the IFDA Funeral cost issue and the “IFDA Preneed Trust.”

The IFDA has had it’s wake up call.

Earlier this year it came out that the IFDA- had mis managed 40 Million Dollars of the folks “IFDA Preneed Trust” money in Illinois.

Beware of organizations like the IFDA in keeping Funeral Directors Honest and keeping your lower cost funeral Specific State Senator Randall Hulfgren refused to take action on this along with hultgrenfh. Hultgren Funeral Home is not the only culprit. Trimble Funeral Homes www.trimblefuneralhomes.com had family on the IFDA committees and has refused comment on the IFDA Preneed Trust situation inspite of positve press from…Quad-City Dispatch

More information on keeping funeral directors honest can be found here including average funeral cost:

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book. This book is published by Morgan James Publishing.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

Your Funeral Guy:Green Burial, Green Funeral –Lower Funeral Cost

Your Funeral Guy:Green Burial, Green Funeral does not always mean Lower Funeral Cost. Seattle, Maine, North Carolina, San Francisco all have places that are starting to become in this new trend.It has been happening in England. Just like any funeral you get what you pay for and you should pay less funeral cost and still get great service.

Two books have contributed to the Green Burial Situation.

Mark Harris’s “Grave Matters”:

Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial by Mark Harris

And “Rest in Peace” by R. Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak.

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

Both these books creatively examine the issues around green funerals and burials.

More information on this can be found at the Funeral Consumer Alliance, Green Burial Council and the AARP

in this article:

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/consumersmarts/archives/141653.asp

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Your Funeral Guy: Low Funeral Cost Cemetery Video and TV

Here is You tube video that shows why low funeral cost cemeteries are needed. The low cost funeral cemetery is a green cemetery. Update Nov 18, 2008 This link has been taken down by you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GGvaHFbJZY

try this link instead for a view of a low cost cemetery.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=92649&videoChannel=74

CSI, Donation to Science, Organ Donor, Green Funeral, Cremation, but not Funeral Cost–TV. Modern Marvels:Corpse Tech.
This was a very informative television program. From the decomposing of bodies, to the traditional funeral business. There was even a look inside cremation ovens.

The cemetery of the future was addressed. The focus was on the San Francisco Area. The Green Cemetery and the green funeral.
Funeral Cost that can be saved in cremation and green was not addressed,
The good news is that the series Modern Marvels: Corpse Tech continues to shown on the History channel.

The shows how the dead help the living.
Organ donation, tissue donation and research.
The newest and best cremation machines were featured.
Good Stuff.

The statistics given in the show were not entirely accurate coming from 2006.
Cremation rates are up. Funeral Cost is down.

More info with average Funeral Cost Information can be found here.

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois

Getty Images RF

Your Funeral Guy: History Channel Special to run Cremation-Funeral Cost Special.-June 20th 2008

Do you want funeral cost lowered? Low cost cremation anyone? Green cremation anyone? Yes- the History Channel is to run a Funeral Cost Cremation -”Special on the TV show Modern Marvels on the History Channel- (June 20th 2008) If you miss it this it will be most likely re-aired.

It will also include information on medical organ donation.

Credit goes to The Funeral Insider Guys on this one:

“History Channel To Explore Death in Modern Marvels: Corpse Tech

“The History Channel will explore cremation, the role of the medical examiner, organ and tissue donation and more during a show to air at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 20th in MODERN MARVELS: CORPSE TECH.The show’s theme will be “Adventures of the Body After Life.”

In a news release, Facultatieve Technologies announced that a portion of the show would feature its cremation equipment.

Check your local listings to make sure you don’t miss the program.”

Here is a link to this quote:

http://www.katesboylston.com/fsx_jun13/fsxjun13b.html:

Here is a quote from the a company  featured in this special.

These below average  funeral cost options are addressed in

June 20th, 8.00 pm: Facultatieve Technologies on the History Channel
In America, the popular Modern Marvels programme is broadcast daily by the ‘History Channel’. Each programme deals with unusual stories behind a broad range of subjects; from simple tools and technical discoveries to human miracles. On 20 June 2008 (8.00 pm), it will dedicate an entire programme to cremation and its origins, with Facultatieve Technologies being invited as the expert opinion. This is to be expected, as Facultatieve Technologies leads the pack in the field of designing, constructing and maintaining cremation ovens, both in the US and across the globe. This international organisation has been active in the branch since 1908, endowing with it a vast repository of in-house experience and expertise. The programme meets the staff, and visits the main site with all its facilities. It will cover the history of cremation, but will chiefly focus on its future, discussing, for instance, the environmentally-friendly units made by Facultatieve Technologies in Medina. Would you like to know more, or watch previous Modern Marvels programmes? Then click here Here is the link:

http://www.facultatieve-technologies.com/webgen.aspx?p=992&o=7260

Your Funeral Guy gives credit where Credit is due.

More information can be found here:

Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral by R Brian Burkhardt and Matt Bacak. #1 International Best Selling Author Jason Oman also gave thumbs up to this book.

Your Funeral Guy, R Brian Burkhardt, Funeral Director, Author, Blogger, State of Illinois