Cremation Costs can vary by Thousands of Dollars-Your Funeral Guy

Cremation costs can vary by thousands of dollars. This is is an important factor when considering funeral costs and cremations costs. We have addressed this subject in several places before,-it is important to address this subject again.

You can view a video on this with more info here.

As with funeral cost, and cremation cost- it is very important to shop around.

The remains were brought to the cremation center at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City. Dickson was quoted a price of $2,425 for what is called a “direct cremation.”

“I just told ’em I wanted the bare basic just the ashes in a box no services no nothing,” he says.

At the time he thought it seemed like a lot of money for what he was getting. “I thought of it, but I thought what am I going to do, they’ve got the body here.”

Dickson paid the bill. But a few weeks later, an acquaintance of his wife said he had paid for a cremation around the same time and it only cost $600.

Dickson hit the phone and called about five different crematories in the valley — he received quotes of $400 to $2,400 for the same service.

But according to Arizona law, the Sunland Memorial Park did nothing wrong.

“We cannot control the prices. In other words this is free enterprise. A business is able to charge whatever they may want,” says Rudy Thomas, executive director of the Arizona Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers.

Thomas has heard the complaints before, but the FTC dictates that funeral homes nationwide don’t limit pricing. A consumer must physically be given a guide to funeral information if they are inquiring about services.

via www.myfoxphoenix.com

It is important to note that Sunland Memorial Park is a corporate facility specifically a Service Corporation International facility( NYSE: SCI)

Although this event is not a Service Corporation International Scandal, it does show the high pricing that can occur at an SCI Facility. This is something that the Funeral Consumer must be continually be made aware of.

Many times it is best inorder to save on Funeral Cost To Avoid a Corporate Funeral Home.

Funeral Industry| Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

It is important to remember that the FTC does not regulate Funeral or Cremation Cost.

Related articles

• Many ways to save on Funeral with cremation-YourFuneralGuy (yourfuneralguy.wordpress.com)

Recession and Funeral Cost gains Media attention|Your Funeral Guy

Image via Wikipedia

Recession and Funeral Cost are gaining attention -the attention of the Media. Today there was an interesting article in the Huffington Post On this subject.

Snippet:

In the past few recessionary years, most of us have gotten used to closely watching our expenses for everything from child rearing to college to retirement funding. Another important area where comparison shopping makes sense is funerals. Yes, funerals.

While it may not make for typical water cooler chatter, dying in America is expensive and the costs are often borne by grieving family members who are in no mood to haggle. Just as life insurance is meant to benefit family members of the deceased, planning funeral arrangements in advance can save survivors time and a significant amount of money.

via www.huffingtonpost.com

There have been other important articles on this subject in the New York Times and MSN  Money Central.

The Basic ways to save money on a Funeral are:

1. Shop around(Comparison Shopping)

2. Purchase your Casket on the Internet.

3. Choose cremation.

Funeral Industry| Funeral News Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

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• Money tip: Cremation less traditional, but less expensive than burial (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

CDTV Episode7:ConnectingDirectors.com getting into Your Funeral Wallet|YourFuneralGuy.

Significant Admissions  were made at ConnectingDirectors.com In CDTV Episode 7-

In this interview the webmaster with Connecting Directors.com admits he is not a funeral guy but a tech guy. The website  claims to be an expert site for  funeral directiors but the webmaster behind the curtain is a  Techie not a funeral director.

ConnectingDirectors.com

Perhaps that is why copying  and pasting the information and articles from others on the web  is how articles are presented.

In episode 7 the webmaster interviews  a VP From  Tributes.com about technology obituaries, memorials etc on the internet.

Tributes.com is one of the more expensive sites for memorials and obituaries on the internet. Lower Cost options are not mentioned and certainly not the free alternatives.. It is all part of an assault on the funeral consumer to find news things to charge you for at the funeral. Embracing the high end funeral options will not bring you in under the average cost of a funeral and take money out of your funeral wallet.

WARNING: THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY IS CHANGING, IN ECONOMIC TROUBLE  AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS NEED TO FIND NEW WAYS TO CHARGE YOU TO SURVIVE.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog By Your Funeral Guy

The National Funeral Directors Associatiion Plans to raise Consumers Cremation Costs-YourFuneralGuy

One way Funeral Directors add to the cost of a Funeral|Cremation is get you to buy a Cremation Casket

The National Funeral Directors Association is planning to raise Your Cremation Cost.(NFDA) This is a tactic Funeral Homes often use when it comes to a cremation. In fact I am aware of Funeral Directors who claim they can raise the cost of a cremation above a the fact of a traditional funeral The NFDA(National Funeral Directors Association) has become quite blatant about this lately.

Snippet  from a special NFDA-webpage.

Whether your cremation rate is 6% or 60%, increase your profit margins from 0% to 100%!

Capitalize on cremation before, during and after the first call. This 3-day, core-business conference will teach you:

* How to abolish the word “direct” from consumers’ cremation vocabulary.
* How your perception in the community determines whether you or your competition receives the first call.
* How to be both creative and create value in subtle ways during the service to boost your bottom line.
* How an aftercare program can have a BIG return with very little expense.
* And MUCH more, including cremation litigation, how to dominate your market and social networking.-

Cremations cost the crematory about $200 USD. Logically it is not unreasonable to pay $495-$695 for a cremation through a Funeral Home. The information here shows why you need to take some one when with sharp negotiating skills when you go to a Funeral Home to negotiate a Funeral Arrangement/Contract.

Funeral Industry|Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Now of course connectingdirectors.com and CANA, Cremation Association of North America had to get into the act-Click Here to read about that!

Hillenbrand CEO(HI) Said Stage For Companies 09 Revenue Decline-YourFuneralGuy

The recession made 2009 the year of the Lower cost Funeral and Lower Cost Casket

The CEO of Batesville Casket Company parent Hillenbrand Inc(HI) set  the stage for funeral revenue decline at Batesville. IN a comment made on an Investor call Kenneth Camp stated.

It is not our intention to be the lowest-price provider out there. Funeral directors make more money selling caskets than they do buying them.
And when we have caskets that families can select from and see high value in, they’re better off financially.”

via cincinnati.bizjournals.com

In 2009 Families were not better off financially with higher price caskets.

As it turns out 2009 was the year of the Lower Cost Funeral and the LOW COST CASKET.

Report after report in 2009 showed cremation was on the rise. Newspapers carried stories about how people generally were purchasing lower cost funeral options.

The leading Casket company was significant Funeral News in 2009.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

2009 Summary-Folks want lower costs Funerals-yourfuneralguy

There is no doubt about it. Because of the recession people have opted for lower cost funeral options. The revenue numbers for the year are down for the the major funeral corporations SCI (Service Corporation International) STEI (Stewart Enterprises) and HI(Batesville Casket  AKA) Hillenbrand, inc.)

Cremations are on the rise across the land. People are not  just shopping around for a funeral, they are opting for lower costs.

“When you can’t afford the cost of living, you certainly can’t afford the cost of dying,” says Joshua Slocum, director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, a nonprofit funeral industry watchdog organization. “We’re hearing from funeral directors and consumers that the economy is affecting choices. People are planning ahead. They’re reconsidering long-held traditions for simpler, more personalized funerals.”

“The economy is directing people to look for less expensive alternatives for everything, including funerals,” says Luke DiMaria, owner of Abby Funeral & Cremation Service Inc. in Rocky Hill, Conn. “It’s one of the reasons cremations have become much more popular.”

via www.heraldnet.com

Funeral industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

America’s spending on Funerals cut- YourFuneralGuy

Americans are spending less on funerals

The results of a National Funeral Directors Association(NFDA) survey indicate that the folks are spending less on funerals. Cremation is growing at a rapid rate and costs much less than a traditional funeral. There is less money spent on flowers visitations, and expensive caskets. Spending on funerals in America has been cut.

The head of Batesville Casket Co. recently stated that this is the first time that a recession has effected the coffin makers business.  The major funeral corporations numbers are way down.

From the BBC news.com
Americans have cut their spending on funerals considerably compared to last year, according to a survey by the National Funeral Directors Association.
The majority of undertakers surveyed said that increasing numbers of people were choosing a cheaper coffin or were opting for a cremation instead of a traditional burial…..

“For many families, it’s becoming difficult to pay for funeral services. Many people are cutting back because of the economic crisis,” said association spokesman James Olson.

Folks are making more of an effort to come in under the average cost of a funeral. most industry experts agree that the average cost of a funeral is about $10.000.00. Folks just cannot afford that amount.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Your Funeral Guy: NFDA to Defend Funeral Cost/ Industry/Preneed.

Breaking News January 29th 2009-This is an historic move on funeral cost, the funeral Industry and Preneed. (prepaid funerals) The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) announced plans to reach the masses in the defense of their industry.

This was done in  reaction to two disastrous Scandals in 2008 -National Prearranged Services(NPS) and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association IFDA Preneed Trust Mismanagement Debacle. The NFDA will spent thousands of dollars to reach millions on a major television advertising blitz.

This will do nothing but raise the average cost of a funeral in the United States. I have estimated the average   funeral  cost to be $8,500.00 USD plus.

In times of deep economic trouble with folks demanding lower cost funerals. this is clearly an attempt to drum up business for an industry clearly in trouble with massive overhead.

The full press release can be viewed at Nfda.org

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: 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