Average cost of A Funeral-$7,622 per Year-NFDA|by yourfuneralguy

Average cost of the funeral is $7,622.00-National Funeral Directors Association

The National Funeral Directors Association has declared the Average Cost Of a Funeral to be $7,622.00 per year. The previous figure listed for average  funeral cost at the NFDA website was $7,323.00 per year. This figure does not include cemetery costs but does include a casket and a vault. Most Industry experts put the average cost of a funeral in the United States at $10,000 in 2009.

Snippet from the  Daily Journal .com in Kankakee,Illinois.

“According to the Wisconsin-based National Funeral Directors Association, our nation’s sluggish economy is taking a toll on the funeral industry.

The group reports that the average cost for adult funerals in Illinois that include a casket and vault is $7,622. Yet, some families are spending less than that by choosing cheaper caskets and urns, reducing services and events — for instance, shorter visitation hours, or foregoing a graveside service — and purchasing fewer flower memorials.”

The average cost of a funeral has been trending downward. Cremation has been on the rise. Still the National Funeral Directors Association Lists a  higher average for funeral expenses.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Funeral Home Bankrupcy is Here |Illinois Threatened-yourfuneralguy

Will Funeral Homes turn to Bankruptcy?

Funeral Home Bankruptcy is here with the Economic Downturn. Funeral home bankruptcy is being reported in the press. According to one Press Report Funeral Home owners in Illinois are fearing this due to the Illinois Funeral Directors Association(IFDA Preneed Trust) Ponzi Scheme /Scandal.

Now Funeral Homes in Fear of Bankrupcy can be a help to the funeral consumer. Funeral homes in this economy are much like, thr car dealerships, newspapers, insurance companies, the banks and the wall street folks who are seeking a bailout.

They want to do  business with you so should  be able to negotiate a lower cost funeral with excellent merchandise and services. One should be able to negotiate below the average cost of a funeral.

Generally, Funeral Home Bankruptcy or closures are kept quiet. When Scandal is the cause of funeral home closure, the scandal  is not reported but not the bankruptcy. Many times a Funeral home that goes out of business is picked up by a competitor so no actual bankruptcy is reported in reference to the funeral home.

Recent reports of Funeral Home bankruptcy are below.

WEST VIRGINIA,”Preston County-Based Funeral Home Chain Files for Bankruptcy”at wboy.com

GEORGIA-”Dent’s Funeral Home Owner Speaks Out-It was another day at a bankruptcy hearing for the owner of Dent’s Funeral Home“-wjbf.com

In Illinois, a recent article reported fear of bankruptcy was  reported in reference to the Illinois  Funeral Directors Association Scandal. Quote on the

“The dispute has led to lawsuits and fears of bankruptcy from funeral directors.“-Springfield, Il State Journal Register, Springfield, Illinois.

Funeral Industry|funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Now A Funeral Cost Last Stand-Your Funeral Guy.

In an effort to come in under the average cost of a funeral an Illinois Resident has taken her stand on  preneed for her family. She has recovered funeral cost money $1000.00 USD of the principal that was paid in 2003.

This lady successfully stood up to an Illinois Funeral Directors Association Funeral Home.  Not only did she negotiate with the Funeral Home(advocated here), she negotiated with the Comptroller of the State of Illinois, and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association-IFDA. You can view the full article here: Pre-need Funeral Investor Demands Repayment of Principal

This is a helpful example of how you can come in under the average cost of a funeral and negotiate your funeral cost.

The scenario is also instructive on why one should not prepay or purchase a preneed contract.

This is outlined in the funeral cost book.

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

Blog by Your Funeral Guy
rest in peace insiders tips to the low cost less stress funeral
preneed

Your Funeral Guy: Funeral Films Coming Soon.

There are several Funeral Films coming to a theater near you. These are comedies. Comedy about Funerals can get you to think and plan your lower cost funeral.

I have already mentioned the Chris Rock co-written American remake of the British 2007 Film Death at a Funeral.

Variety reports on the American version.

Now Bill Murray, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek are getting into the funeral  act in a film called “Get Low” The Film recounts a story from 1938 where a guy staged his own Funeral.

Murray and Lucas Black play Funeral Home co-owners. Duvall plays the Guy who staged the Funeral.

Generally speaking staging a funeral is a luxury scenario available to the rich about learning how it feels to be at your own funeral.

MTV reported on this one.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Your Funeral Guy: Funeral Industry/Preneed Begs To Be Regulated.

The funeral and preneed industry is begging to be regulated. They are realing from the NPS Preneed Trust Scandal (national prearranged services) and the IFDA Preneed Trust Scandal Illinois Funeral Directors Association  from Last Year.

The problem is you cannot squeeze the toothpaste back in the tube. I believe the reputation of the funeral industry is now beyond recovery unless there is the bold move of making money on a lot of low cost funerals is made. Many funeral homes will have to adapt this strategy just to survive.

An interesting article was recently posted on this in Missouri the home of the National Prearranged Services disaster entitled:

Pre-need funeral legislation requires providers “be of good moral character”

Problem is you cannot legislate good moral character. when the reputation is gone the reputation is gone.

Here is a quote from the article:

“I don’t know of any other profession … (that) has come to the legislature to say, ‘Please regulate our industry more, please audit us more, please investigate us more because we want to make sure the public is confident in our industry and in our profession and in the whole pre-need process,’” said Donald Otto, executive director of the Missouri Funeral Directors Association.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Rember to find the IFDA and NPS  info at

http://www.lowercostfuneral/rbrianblog

Author

Your Funeral Guy: Funeral Cost for Profit and Not For Profit.

This may come as a surprise to you and your funeral cost. It is Not for profit Funeral Homes. I first ran into this as I was interviewing for my first job as a Funeral Director. The first not for profit funeral home I ran into was Valley Funeral Home in Appleton, Wisc.

This is from their website:

“This means that the profits that the funeral home makes are returned to the families we serve for that year in the form of stocks and dividends. (80% stock, 20% dividends.) Getting established this way was a challenge.”

Very interesting, returning cost to the client! You.

Another approach on the not for profit funeral home can happen because of dual funeral home registration. Some jewish funerals will be done this way where the cost savings goes immediately to the consumer. Quoting from the DailyRecord.com news article.

“The extra money goes back to the Jewish community, which is where it should be going,” Apter said. “We have no shareholders to answer to, no huge board of directors, just myself and Mark and our staff. If you look at the economic climate today … I saw this time after time — a family walks in, they’re handed a statement, and the cost is very high.”

Indeed different funeral guys operating out of the same facility may make it possible for the consumer to have lower funeral expenses. Kudos to these two funeral guys!

Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Be sure to let me know how you lowered the cost of a funeral.

Your Funeral Guy: New High for Average Cost of a Funeral

Is there going to be a new golden age for those who charge funeral cost? Some funeral industry folks think so. I disagree. More and more folks in today’s economy are choosing the lower cost funeral.

Some say it will be due to a steep rise in the death rate. I have been hearing that since I went to mortuary school in 2001. It has not happened. Mistakenly, I thought it might happen fast…and  I would make great money as a Funeral Director.

Here is a quote on this:

“Though dipping slightly over the last several years, and expected to be stagnant for several more, the death rate of about 8.1 per 1,000 people is expected to inch significantly upward sometime in the next decade and eventually go as high as 10.9.

The exact dates are tough to pinpoint because of the size of the generation and medical advances”-the Deuce

Experts have been predicting the death rate will sky rocket since the early 1990’s. It has not happened.

And then there is a more scarier statistic- some are saying that the average cost of a funeral including burial is $12-15,000 USD.

“Though it may vary slightly from one state to the next, the average cost of a funeral in the United States ranges from $12-15,000. This is heavily dependent upon the type of funeral a family chooses. At present, there are pre-paid insurance plans available for “End of Life” expenses.” -Chad Willey

In my estimation people are now choosing lower cost funeral options. If this trend continues the average cost of a funeral will be reduced.

I therefore stand on my estimate of average traditional  funeral cost to be $8,5000 USD in 2009. (This does not include burial expenses) Be advised that there are many folks out there now saying things about funeral cost that may not be true. always check your information. Your funeral guy checks funeral industry reports and with folks around the country before making statements.

A Reminder: Preplan your funeral but do not make it prepaid!

Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy: Overall Average Cost of a Funeral.

Overall the Average Cost of a traditional  funeral in the United States is $10,000 USD. This according to research on the industry other than the National Funeral Directors Association or NFDA for short.

The NFDA lists the average cost of a traditional funeral to be in 2006 to be $7,323.00 USD to start. This includes a vault.

It appears that  the NFDA gets their statistics from their members. The organization collects this information usually by survey. This is maybe why their figures are  behind several years.

This year in 2009  I have declared the Average Cost of a Funeral to be $8,500 USD. This is due to the rise in cremations and low cost funeral options because of the economic downturn in 2008.

People are wising up and negotiating the lower cost funeral.

Please do not do a funeral  for more than $8,500.00 USD.You should be able to negotiate a high end exquisite funeral for that price.

Save money for the living, lower the cost of a funeral.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Source:NFDA’s figures for 2006 here

Comment on NFDA surveys from NFDA press releases.

Your Funeral Guy: Sad for Funeral Cost/Industry.

The Blagojevich, Burris, IFDA  triangle presents a sad situation for funeral cost and the funeral industry  This whole scenario brings grief  to the funeral industry and your funeral cost. The Governor Blagojevich situation is appalling.

The fact that Roland Burris and the  IFDA  were  in-bed-ed together is disgusting. The 600 establishments  filling a lawsuit against the Illinois Funeral Directors Association is a consequence of it all. The loss in the IFDA Preneed Trust Fund hurts the funeral industry, funeral directors and the public.

This situation overall is bringing a sad bad day to everyone. Funeral Directors are passionate about what they do most often which is their best for their families.

As in any industry when large sums of money are involved, people fail. This is the case with the IFDA, Illinois Funeral Directors Association. Some media are right now trying to present this information so it does not hurt the profession or the funeral industry.

When high profile politicians are involved this becomes increasingly difficult. . When honest professionals are quickly informed they can deal with this sort of thing. They can speak helpfully, with kindness to their customers.

The bottom line is that in most situations you have to sit down with a funeral director and negotiate your funeral cost. It is best to be civil, kind, and firm when you do this.  It is the only way to accomplish a lower cost funeral. All funeral directors are not thieves.

The reality is that the profession is labor intensive. A good portion of funeral directors are overworked and not funeral home owners or executives. When Scandals are reported you the consumer need to be continually reminded of this. I am neither an executive or owner but just another working stiff.

R.Brian Burkhardt.

Blog byYour Funeral Guy, Funeral Director, State of Illinos

“Rest in Peace” author

Your Funeral Guy: Blago, Burris, IFDA-Mismanagement/Corruption

State of Illinios Governor Rod Blagojeich may get Roland Burris into the the United States Senate but it appears that Burris has already had a severe effect on your funeral cost, Essentially the Illinois Funeral Directors Association has stayed clear of corruption charges. Instead it is now being called a 59 Million Dollar Management Debacle.

59 million dollars for a 49,000+ membership is a hec of a lot of money. Here is how it works. Folks in the State of Illinos bought preneed trust pollicies for their funeral. Funeral Directors get  commissions off every policy. According to information sent to me a good number of funeral homes have IFDA Preneed Trust Policies worth $500,000 USD, a million and up to $2,000,000 USD+. Funeral home owners now have greatly reduced commissions.

Six hundred Funeral home establishments have filed lawsuits against the IFDA on the Management of the Preneed Trust. it appears they want to recover losses.

Generally what happens is when funeral directors have their commissions stopped or lowered they become increasingly upset. They raise your funeral cost, by trying to transfer their losses to any working stiff. You the consumer has your funeral cost raised.

Burris comes in to playbecause he was a lobbyist for the Illinois Funeral  Directors Association the long time manager of the IFDA Preneed Trust.

In fact the only one on earth, who could get the current Comptroller of the State of Illinois to say in 2008 “we are  are taking away your License to manage  the IFDA Preneed trust ” -”because we should not have given you the license in the first place” is Roland Burris.

Why? Because Burris was the one to give  the IFDA  their license in the first place. He was Comptoller of the State of Illinois from 1979 to 1991.

The bottom line for you the consumer is not to do Preneed. Preplan but do not prepay. Do a lower cost funeral.

Burris Should not take Barack Obama’s Senate seat. He needs to  declare how much he was paid by the Illinois Funeral Directors Association to lobby away 59 million mismanagement/corruption. He should reveal his connection to the funeral industry.

Please do not do preneed. Do a lower cost funeral instead.

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

Where does Blago come in all this? Your guess is as good as mine

Sources for this post-E-mails from the IFDA and Ashes to Ashes Blog

This news report as well:  USA Today article.