Often It’s Best To Opt for below Average Funeral Cost-YourFuneralGuy

Many Times it is best to sign a contract for a low cost funeral rather than resent the high funeral costs later.

Many times it is best to come in under the average cost of a funeral. Grief Counselors and Social Workers often find that people resent the high funeral costs after the event.  The thought process goes something like this:

(Just let me sign this contract, with these prices I haven’t discussed much with anyone,and get it over with.Maybe it’ll come out of the insurance or the estate—-I can’t deal with this too. If this is what it costs,I loved____.)From-REST IN PEACE INSIDERS TIPS TO THE LOW COST LESS STRESS FUNERAL-copyrighted material from your funeral guy.

As you can see this kind of thinking can make you feel victimized later.

From Social Worker Nancy Adler- Jones

“Common themes in my practice are the high cost of funerals and the victimization people feel when arranging for burial/funeral services. Click here to read a Newsweek article that sheds light on the topic.”

A good funeral director will be sensitive to what you can pay and want to pay in funeral cost. He or she will make sure you do not resent what you paid for the funeral, now or weeks later. Be sure to come in under the average funeral cost of $8,500 per year.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Costs  blog by Your Funeral Guy

NFDA Executive in On IFDA Ponzi Scheme-Your Funeral Guy.

{Pic Getty Images}NFDA Executive Randall L. Earl is in on the IFDA Ponzi Scheme.

The NFDA Executive  Secretary Randall L Earl appears to be  in on the Alleged IFDA Ponzi Scheme. This does not bode well for the National Funeral Directors Association.

The Illinois Funeral Directors loss of 59 Million dollars in a Preneed Trust now brings us to an executive at the NFDA. Randall L Earl. He is named in the six funeral director lawsuit against th IFDA, “Calvert et al” (Calvert Metzler Funeral Home) and the two women Class Action Compaint

He is also named in the IFDA’s Insurance Conpany’s Lawsuit against the IFDA.

According to the National Funeral Directors Association website at www.nfda.org, Randall L. Earl has significant current positions with the IFDA.

• “Board Chairman, Museum of Funeral Customs-Board Chairman, Funeral Service Credit Union”

Their have been articles with financial integrity questions on the Museum of Funeral Customs which is now closed. Articles on the Museum of Funeral Customs which Earl directs have been featured at the New York Times,  the Springfield Il, State Journal Register  and United Press International.

It is clear that the Museum of Funeral Customs received $250,000 dollars in 2006 and 2007 from 2 million in management fees that were  transferred out of the IFDA Preneed  Trust. An Article in Springfield, IL State Journal Register went into detail on the Ponzi dealings with the Museum of Funeral Customs.

The integrity of the IFDA has been destroyed. THE INTEGRITY OF THE NFDA, NATIONAL FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION NEEDS TO BE QUESTIONED NOW  AS WELL.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Cost Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Randall L Earl  is mentioned here because he is a public figure as Secretary of the NFDA, Director of the Museum of Funeral Customs and an Ex President of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association.

Men at Dollar sign grave licensed at getty images.

Who Will Notify Working Stiffs of Lost Preneed$$?|Your Funeral Guy.

People are hurt when they do not get what they paid for in the death of a loved one.

When writing about Funeral $$ it becomes easy to forget that there are faces behind those funeral dollars. The bigger the numbers the more people are involved. So how will the folks be notified of losses in the funds they prepaid for funerals?

People are  terribly hurt at the time of death when they discover the prepaid  funds are not there.

“There must be an effort to notify individuals of their investment’s status and exactly what will happen when funeral bills arrive.“-the State Journal Register newspaper.

“A question was asked on a blog.“John Duggan has a point, and that’s what concerns regulators in Illinois, Missouri and Texas. Who will be blamed when the consumer does not get the benefit of their preneed contract?”

The Illinois Funeral Directors Association and the Comptroller in that State say that the Funeral Home must cover the losses. But what happens to those non guaranteed policies where the folks lost money?

Many Times  folks  in Illinois were told not to worry about the non guaranteed policies because the IFDA was paying a good interest on their policy. Well misappropriation and abuse  sent that out the window. Who will notify these folks of their losses?As reported here, in the State Journal Register and the Chicago Tribune Lynda Canger of Lake Zurich did not get notified.

Who will notify folks of their preneed losses before the time of death?

Funeral Industry Funeral Costs Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy: Corpse Left in Hearse 2 months dead 2 years!

As mentioned before it is important to sign your Funeral (Cost) Contract. A funeral is both an emotional contract and a financial or funeral (Cost) contract. BE Sure To Sign and Understand YOUR CONTRACT! This is both for your financial and emotional protection..

According to the Associated Press and KansasCity.com some folks did not do this and there was shocking results. A cremation did not happen. Instead:

“Funeral Director Allegedly leaves Corpse in Hearse” for over 2 months,person dead 2 years!

“A funeral director faces a felony charge after police found a woman’s decomposing body in the back of a hearse. Police said the 76-year-old funeral home owner was charged Tuesday with abusing a corpse. Police said the woman died of natural causes in November 2007 at the age of 52. Relatives said they wanted her remains cremated.”

The family was negligent in that they never signed the cremation papers or paid the funeral home.

You can find out more information on your funeral cost contract either preneed or at need here.

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

Funeral Cost/Funeral industry Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Source: kansascity.com

funeral cost
rest in peace insiders tips to the low cost less stress funeral

Your Funeral Guy: Exposing the Funeral Cost Scam-by World Famous Author

In March  a Creative work exposing the Funeral Industry and your funeral cost will be published by a world famous author. The story is a creative mystery and it addresses problems in the funeral industry.

‘The Undertakers Tale” will Rock the Funeral Industry with humor and creativity and expose charlatan behaviors. I have not read the story but because of the author’s world wide status it will be good. This author is very creative so I do not believe that the current Illinois Funeral Directors Association (IFDA)Scandal-Alleged Ponzi  scheme or the National Prearranged Services (NPS) scandal  will be addressed. There are rumors of another  eastern exposure of these recent events.

The best selling author has a large number books published and was at one time the most popular author in the United States of America. I am the author of a book on the funeral industry and will never be as  famous as the “Undertaker Tale” guy. Neither will anyone else alive today.

You see the famous author is Mark Twain.

Funeral Cost/Funeral Industry Blog- Your Funeral Guy.-R.Brian Burkhardt
funeral cost

Information on the upcoming story is here.

Below the Average Cost of a Funeral:Free Cremation-Your Funeral Guy

If you want to come in under the average cost of a funeral,you can do a free cremation. This generally is done through an anatomical gift organization  or medical school.

Be aware that in most of these situations there is no timely return of the cremated remains of your loved one. If the return of the remains does not bother you please call your local medical school  or anatomical gift organization.

Remember however please do a memorial service at a local church, community center or VFW hall. This way you will be sure to come in under the average cost of a funeral.

Blog by your funeral guy.

Source: The funeral experience of your funeral guy.
funeral cost

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 Unconventional ways to lower funeral cost.

In this blog I have mentioned many ways to lower funeral cost. Here are some not so common ways: 1 Sell your Burial Plot and pursue cremation 2. Go to your county for assistance. 3. Join a consumer alliance  4. Prevent theft of personal property. 5.Do a Home Funeral with the help of the of a Funeral Director who specializes in home funerals.

1 Sell your Burial Plot and pursue cremation. With the economic downturn some folks are taking to selling their burial plots and turning  to cremation.  For some this works. This can be especially useful if you have burial plots you plan not to use.

2. Go to your county for assistance. Many counties provide funeral and burial assistance. Some counties are not so upfront about this. Yes you may have to persistently ask questions. Others are quite forthright.

3. Join a consumer alliance - Join a chapter of the Funeral Consumers Alliance. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) offers excellent funeral cost savings information. Most importantly, less expensive does not mean less honor, less loved, or less service to your loved one. Check out FCA  info it helps.

4. Prevent theft of personal property. This happens more often than you might be aware. A current example is here. This is addressed in Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral. Be sure to keep track of your loved ones personal effects, rings. watches, cash, credit cards.

5.Do a Home Funeral with the help of the of a Funeral Director who specializes in home funerals.Some traditional funeral directors oppose home funerals. They say that most families do not have the strength to do this themselves.  If you have a director who has experience in the home funeral it can be accomplished without much difficulty.

These are Five off main street steps to lower funeral costs and funeral expenses. These will help you come in under the average cost of a  traditional funeral which is a $8,000.00 USD in 2008.

Your Funeral Guy.

Your Funeral Guy:#3 of Five Things to Know When Shopping For a Funeral

The Funeral Rule is a Congressional Law that protects your rights as funeral customer and helps you lower funeral cost. Many People are forced into lower cost funeral planning when someone suddenly dies. We must understand- that no one likes to think about death and many folks do not want  plan for it.  Even one hour of planning can save you thousands on a Funeral if the time is spent wisely.

The Funeral Rule, gives you the right  to choose only those goods and services you want or need and to pay only for those you select. This applies to making  arrangements when a death occurs It also is true if you choose to make arrangements and pay in advance (not recommended). Be sure to make your arrangements in advance but do not pay for them.

It is also very important under the funeral rule that you be shown a casket and vault price list.  By looking at these lists beforehand you can lower the cost of a traditional funeral and and the lower cost funeral option can be yours.

Many times funeral home owners do not show you all their caskets in the casket display or the casket room. Be sure to see the list. Some of the lower price caskets can be stored in the backroom or the basement.

Essentially the funeral rule gives you the right to compare prices among funeral homes, and makes it possible for for your lower cost funeral. This is done through the General Price list or the GPL. We will address that later.

Under this law,

The funeral rule states that you have the right to refuse embalming (in most jurisdictions)and the funeral director must state it in writing.

This is very important because it opens up the door to low cost funeral options of direct burial and cremation.

Here is my summary of Embalming and the funeral rule.

The main point about embalming is that it is a funeral cost you are not required to pay for. Again,  this is outlined in the funeral rule ( Congressional Law ) designed to protect your Funeral Rights

Many funeral directors require embalming if you are planning a viewing or visitation. Embalming generally is not necessary or legally required if the deceased body is buried or cremated shortly after death. Eliminating this  embalming service can save you many hundreds of of dollars. Under the Funeral Rule, a funeral director:

may not provide embalming services without permission; this sometimes happens.

may not falsely state that embalming is required by law; you should be informed of this by your funeral director.

must disclose in writing that embalming is not required by law, except in certain special cases;

may NOT charge a fee for unauthorized embalming unless embalming is required by law;

must disclose in writing that you have the right to choose another disposition, such as direct cremation or immediate burial, that does not require embalming if you do not want this service;

must in writing disclose that some funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing, may make embalming a practical and a safety necessity and, if so, a required purchase. Your Family can have a private viewing even without embalming.

This come from the experience of your funeral guy.

So whenever you go into a funeral to price shop or set up your funeral

“Make em follow the Rule” the funeral rule, it is the law in the USA.

Sadly some funeral home owners and funeral industry professionals do not follow the rule, the law.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy, Funeral Director, Author, State of Illinois

You  may find it best to check out the funeral rule.

Check out the facts for consumers.

Note you can effectively deal with lowering your Funeral costs and expenses. Take a few hours and deal with it.

Read the funeral book: Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral

Your Funeral Guy:#2 of Five Things to Know When Shopping For a Funeral

Before you shop for your low cost funeral hang on to your wallet by reading this.

Don't Let Your Funeral Cost into the Grave

There are 2 contracts at every Funeral, the emotional contract and the financial contract. Recently this was addressed in an article titled:

“Don’t throw money down the grave”

Make sure your family mourns you, not the cost of your funeral

This was in the  National Post of Canada. Your Funeral Guy was quoted from an interview.

In any other transaction this large, most people would try bargaining on the price. But when it comes to burying a friend or relative, no one wants to seem cheap. “That kind of thinking, however noble it might seem, is a mistake“, says R. Brian Burkhardt, author of  Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral.

“Quite frankly, the money should go for the living,” says Mr. Burkhardt. “Why should you put $15,000 in the ground for a funeral when the money can go to your grandkid’s education or to a relative?”

People shouldn’t be shy about opting for a low-cost funeral, especially in this economy, adds Mr. Burkhardt.

“If you take away all the emotion from the situation, it is a contract negotiation. Funeral directors will negotiate with you for a lower cost,” Mr. Burkhardt says.

For example, he says, you can opt not to have the body embalmed. “That is the best way to lower funeral costs,” he says. “It can save you at least $600 or $700.”

The emotional contract consists of trusting your emotions to the funeral director. Actually when hiring a funeral home– you trust you and your families emotions to all the staff at the funeral home.

The emotional contract  is just as important as the financial one you sign. It is very important that you consider your expectations with both these contracts before shopping fora funeral. As much as possible it is best to keep the emotional and financial expectations (contracts) separate.

In this post we have covered #2 of  5 things You need to know before shopping for a funeral. 1). The basics of the funeral process.2) The two contracts at every funeral. 3). The basics of the funeral rule. 4). The No Decline Basic Services Fee. 5. How to Read a General Price List (GPL)  Today we coverred#2.

This is a wise saying, make sure your family mourns you not the cost of your funeral.

Your Funeral Guy, Blogger, State of Illinois