Chris Raymond Has left the NFDA|YourFuneralGuy

Chris Raymond has left the National Funeral Directors Association and has become the Managing Editor of Astronomy Magazine. For many years Chris was the voice of objectivity, sanity and reason at the National Funeral Directors Association. As Editor of the  The Director Raymond insisted on honest dialog and debate at the NFDA . He confronted issues with fairness and honesty.

In his years at the magazine he wisely integrated the needs of the Funeral Consumer into “ the Director“. There is no indication  at this time that the current NFDA leadership has  any kind of consumer fairness in their minds. This one goes into the big loss Column for the Funeral Industry and the Funeral Consumer

“A big day at Astronomy magazine – Chris Raymond starts today as the magazine’s new managing editor. Many exciting things to come.”-twitter

Funeral Industry| Funeral News| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral guy

Funeral Preneed is Dead Even in the Richest Towns-YourFuneralGuy.

A Preneed Funeral Arrangement is a contract, it is not wise to participate

Funeral preneed is dead and in need of a burial. This is true even in the richest cities and towns. The main reason is that no honest funeral director will say that you can lock in today’s prices 1, 2, or 10 years from now. In the Uncertain economy the pitch given for 30 years in the funeral industry has become a lie.  If a funeral director or preneed specialist(counselor) tells you that prices are “locked in” get up and leave.

Even In the posh suburbs of Chicago Preneed sales are scant.

From  Naperville the plush Chicago Suburb.

“Stephanie Jones-Kastelic, co-owner of Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home, said the number of prepay{PRE NEED} packages purchased is going down.

In previous years, financially well-off couples in their 70s and 80s would come to the funeral home to pre-purchase funeral packages so their children or family would not have to cover the costs. This year, Jones-Kastelic said, she sees very few of those couples, and most of her pre-pay customers are seniors about to go on Medicare who want to spend their own money on the expense, which Medicare does not cover.”-THE NAPERVILLE SUN

The Funeral Preneed Scandals have been massive in the last several years:Illinois Funeral Directors Association  (IFDA up to 100 Million), National Prearranged Services(NPS over 1 Billion), Wade Funeral Home, Burr Oak Cemetery-many more.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Source: THE NAPERVILLE SUN and the Funeral Experience of Your Funeral Guy.

Colorado:Funeral Directors Now need License-yourfuneralguy

Colorado Funeral Directors will soon need a license but Home funerals can still be done by citizens.

Colorado is a state where you can be the funeral director. The average person there can conduct a funeral, if you follow the rules. Starting July 1st, 2009 Funeral Directors will have to follow the rules as well.  All Funeral Directors will have to have a state license.

Snippet from examiner.com

“No, you don’t need to use a funeral home or purchase a casket there, said Steffani Blackstock, executive director of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association and administrator for the Colorado Funeral Service Board.”

If families are up to it, and some have been, they can perform the functions of a funeral director, including notifying the coroner, filing the death certificate and handling arrangements for the service.“-Director of Colorado Funeral Directors Association.

As  all states laws require, standards of  funeral service must be followed.

You can get assistance with the standards and laws at the Colorado Funeral Directors Association’s web site.

Colorado has been the only state not to  require licenses in the funeral  industry for over 20 years A  law passed by the  Colarado Legislature  to take effect July 1 after being signed by the governor brings licensing to the State of Colorado.

Families still  are not  required  by law  to use funeral homes. Home Funerals are  still welcomed.

HOME FUNERALS CAN SAVE YOU SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Here is the Colorado Source.

Other information from the funeral experience of Your Funeral Guy.

As of July 1st you will have  to have a funeral license in Colarado to be a funeral director. Folks are not required to be a funeral director and can do a home funeral. You have to however follow the rules mentioned at the Colorado’s Funeral  Directors association’s web site.

Home Funeral Picture from flickr under the Creative Commons License from  Undertaken With Love’s photostream

Your Funeral Guy:Roland Burris- IFDA-Funeral Industry Connection

Your Funeral Guy

Breaking News: January 5th 2008-Connection Between Roland Burris and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association was revealed at the end of 2008. This is big news for the Funeral Industry.It took some time for Your Funeral Guy to verify this. The affect on the public’s funeral expenses is not known at this time.

Members of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association were notified about the IFDA Preneed Trust $40 million  debacle in February 2008. Burris was lobbyist for the  IFDA during the height of the IFDA Mismanagement Debacle. Roland Burris registered as a lobbyist on Jan. 16th 2008.

Snippet#1:”Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested this month by federal authorities who said he attempted to profit from his power to fill the Senate seat. The Illinois Legislature is considering impeaching Blagojevich”

After this Governor Rod Blagojevich nominated Roland Burris for Barach Obama’s Senate seat. This was a bold political move. Roland Burris is lobbying hard to be Senator from the State of Illinos.

More From USA Today:

Blagojevich defies critics, names Burris to fill Senate seat

Senate aims to block Blagojevich’s move

The USA Today article firmly states the Illinos Funeral Director  Association connection.

Snippet#2: “Burris registered as a lobbyist Jan. 16 and his clients include cable provider Comcast and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association”

Funeral Professionals are well aware of the IFDA preneed trust probems.

Your Funeral Guy,Kates-Boylston Publications, another Funeral Director Author, a Preneed lawyer have all written and/or done a blog about the IFDA Preneed Trust management debacle.

Snippet #3: State Rep. Jil Tracy, a Republican on the impeachment committee, says she doesn’t know much about Burris but his career and connections with Blagojevich will be “looked at very critically.”

State Rep Jill Tracy and the impeachment commitee need to look at the Illinois Funeral Directors Association not the Hot Rod connection.

Any informed Funeral Director in the State of Illinois could speak to IFDA problems and mismanagement corruption that Burris and the State of Illinos Comptroller know about.

The USA today article is inappropiatly named “Burris Has Been Free of Controversy”

Your Funeral Guy, author, funeral director, State of Illinois.

More Information.

Illinois Funeral Directors Association/ Barack Obama/ IFDA Preneed Trust

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: As Low Funeral Cost approaches Funeral Songs Change

As Low Funeral Cost approaches Funeral Songs Change. Yes as music Christian and otherwise drift away from the traditional. Funeral Cost and Hymns are also Changing. Boom Boxes often replace organists and soloists fora sure fire way to lower funeral cost as well as the average cost of a funeral.

ADELAIDE, Australia – Hymns are being replaced at funerals in one Australian city by popular soft and hard rock classics like Led Zeppelin‘s “Stairway to Heaven” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” a cemetery manager said in Australia.

Some of the less traditional choices are mentioned here:

Among other less Traditional choices in Australia were “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” by the Monty Python comedy team, “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.” The full article can be viewed here:

Yahoo News.

It is a very precious thing to hear groups of folks sing Louis Armstrong’s “It is a Wonderful World” or Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” as a funeral song. Tim Russert’s service did feature “over the rainbow.”

If you go to a Funeral you will still probably hear “Amazing Grace”

Good General information can be found on funerals and Funeral Cost are here in two books.

Two books can help here

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 lowered the cost of your funerals.

Your Funeral Guy: Save on Funeral Cost- Refuse Embalming

It always amazes me when people say they did not know they have the right to refuse embalming and save on funeral cost. Under a body of Congressional law called the funeral rule…You can refuse embalming and choose other options. This is back to the funeral cost basic of refusing embalming and harmful chemicals on the environment. After refusing embalming you can

1. Have a closed casket.

2. Choose cremation.

3 Have a home funeral where the deceased is packed in ice.

4. Have a memorial service at an alternate location such as a church.

The Peoples Memorial Association from the State of Washington has some good advice on all of this. Here is the link to helpful information.

http://www.peoples-memorial.org/planning_tips.cfm

More helpful funeral 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. This book is published by Morgan James Publishing.

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

Be sure to let me know how you lowered the cost of your funerals.

Your Funeral Guy:Funeral Cost (Cash)- Flashy Websites and Facilities

This a tale of two funeral homes and their funeral cost. Funeral Cost Cash is eaten up by flashy Websites and facilities.Yes Funeral cost cash is often taken over by marketing websites and fancy corporate like funeral facilities. Worse yet corporate funeral homes are often disguised as Family Funeral Homes. The major corporations SCI and others do this. It is essential to know who you are dealing with in keeping down funeral cost.

A model funeral home: Barton Family Funeral Service states its philosophy well in keeping down Funeral Cost.

“Barton Family Funeral Service is founded on the belief that there is a better way to deal with death than the expensive offerings of the corporate funeral industry. We urge a return to traditional values, beliefs, and cultural practices that are often compromised when traditional funerals cost too much. The growing trend toward personalized last rites is really just a return to the ways our ancestors faced the reality of death.”

http://bartonfuneral.com/

By contrast this Funeral Home promotes it’s fancy facility and hides it’s prices behind a flash opener of it’s upscale facility.

http://www.calvertmemorial.com/

This flash is designed to take your funeral cost cash. Worse yet from our family to yours is actually quite a chain of funeral homes with expensive costs.

Not to mention it is an IFDA Preneed Trust Funeral Home and NPS (national prearranged services) funeral home. Two Preneed Scandals that have rocked Illinois and the USA! Beware national prearranged services and the Illinois Funeral Directors Association

Flash always takes your funeral cost cash!

More information on lowering the average funeral cost 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. 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: More Dignity and Low Funeral Cost-Pine or Cardboard

A cardboard casket can save on Funeral Cost. There actually can be more dignity and low funeral cost with a simple pine box or a pressed cardboard casket. This low cost funeral option is available today just as it was 1971 for a Supreme Court Justice who insisted on LOWER Funeral Cost.

“A funeral service was held for my father at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Over 1,000 people attended, including the President of the United States…..In making the funeral arrangements, we had only three directives from my father: 1) simple, 2) cheap, 3) no open casket.”—Credit to the Funeral Consumers Alliance for a great article!

http://www.funerals.org/frequently-asked-questions/funeral-arrangements/28-arrangements/51-qsimple-and-cheapq-my-father-said

In {Canada} British Columbia —a Victoria funeral parlor is presenting lower funeral cost by selling cardboard caskets covered in wood veneer. They are made from cardboard, that is recycled and pressed to provide strength. The caskets come in imitations of pine, oak and other fine wood.

Cardboard caskets require less time and fuel in the cremation process, which reduces emissions. and put out less chemicals. Many are choosing cremation as an alternative to burial.

The caskets cost less than their real wood counterparts and it is expected the price will be reduced as sales increase. Your Funeral Guy has sold cardboard caskets.

Cremation however may not be green.
Cremations are coming under a lot of scrutiny due to harm to the environment. Cremation fires are not the best thing for the upper atmosphere.
Cremation comes with ashes and an urn.
Cremated remains need to placed, buried or scattered.
Biodegradable caskets are used in a green funeral without a vault and leave no embalming chemicals in the ground.

The best reason for biodegradable cardboard caskets is lower cost and a healthier environment.

What do you think?

Would you go down for the last time in a cardboard casket?

Lower cost funerals provide for a better future.and more money for the living.

More information 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: Zingwacker idea a Funeral Cost Book!

Rest in Peace released May1st: The best lower cost funeral info.

Rest in Peace Insider’s tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral is a great guide on Funeral Cost. Rest in Peace was released May 1st 2008, This work contains the best lower cost funeral information out there. Here is what one Funeral Director said after the book release:

After reading “Rest in Peace” Claire and I found this to be very informative and truly would be a very important help to those who are facing making Funeral Arrangements. Many good ideas were presented We think that the AARP would be very interested in reading this book. Our best to you in trying to educate the public on Funeral Arrangements.–Ed Cronic Funeral Director.

You can Now Purchase “Rest in Peace” at major online outlets and order it at your local bookstore.

A book on lowering your funeral cost is a zingwacker idea for a book. It will be a great help to Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa.

Search Inside this work 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.

This work has great funeral tips and can save you thousands on Funeral Costs! A true money saver.