I came across an interesting article the other day that reminded me of the unease that I always had in selecting our funeral home’s preneed insurance partner. My unease had nothing to do with how we sold preneed and our expected acceptance of it at the time of death. My unease came…
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to this recent article from the Ocean City (MD) Today-Dispatch, the Worcester County Attorney has now filed a petition for judicial…
Acquisitions are big in Death Care. . . .and we are being told that with so many retiring funeral home owners. . . about to become bigger. If that is the case, we will have many people in our profession starting to ask the question, “How much is my funeral home worth”? I’ve…
Last week I wrote an article on how a changing consumer thought process, including the growth of Direct Cremation with No Services (DCNS), is affecting the business dynamics of traditional funeral homes. If you are one of the funeral homes being affected it is probably not a big consolation to you, but in…
It’s been over 20 years since the advent of Health Savings Accounts were swept into law during the George W. Bush administration. And, a bill (HR 2436) which moves them into the Death Care realm, which still sits in committee, was introduced into the U.S. Congress in 2025. That bill, introduced by Oklahoma Representative…
BUSINESS
Acquisitions: The price that is paid is all about “The Present Value of Future Cash-Flow”
Acquisitions are big in Death Care. . . .and we are being told that with so many retiring funeral home owners. . . about to become bigger. If that is the case, we will…
Changing consumer behavior is affecting more than funeral homes
Last week I wrote an article on how a changing consumer thought process, including the growth of Direct Cremation with No Services (DCNS), is affecting the business dynamics of traditional funeral homes. If…
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) seem to becoming more popular for a variety of reasons
It’s been over 20 years since the advent of Health Savings Accounts were swept into law during the George W. Bush administration. And, a bill (HR 2436) which moves them into the Death Care…
FINANCE
Acquisitions: The price that is paid is all about “The Present Value of Future Cash-Flow”
Acquisitions are big in Death Care. . . .and we are being told that with so many retiring funeral home owners. . . about to become bigger. If that is the case, we will…
Propel Funeral Partners FY 2026 Annual Report: Pretty much “Statis Quo”
Propel Funeral Partners, the largest public Death Care company and 2nd largest Death Care company in Australia and New Zealand, presented their Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Report at the end of August. The report…
Funeral home purchased, hit by derecho, planning open house
According to this article from the Lansing (Illinois) Journal the Schroeder-Lauer Funeral Home of Lansing was purchased by Allen Memorial Partners LLC of Utah with the sale closing in June of this past…
REGULATIONS
Preneed: Your funeral home’s reputation may be tied to your preneed provider
I came across an interesting article the other day that reminded me of the unease that I always had in selecting our funeral home’s preneed insurance partner. My unease had nothing to do…
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
Health Savings Accounts (HSA) seem to becoming more popular for a variety of reasons
It’s been over 20 years since the advent of Health Savings Accounts were swept into law during the George W. Bush administration. And, a bill (HR 2436) which moves them into the Death Care…
CEMETERY
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
Recollections of 9/11. . . 25 years later
So today, September 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks on America. For those of us who are baby boomers, that day is seared in our memory as are…
Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock visit cemetery movie screening
It’s interesting to me that when I look at the financial results of the public companies in Death Care and also try to understand the continual business potential of Death Care, I seem to…
CREMATION
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
The devastating effects of Direct Cremation on traditional funeral homes
My career in the Death Care business spans from 1980 when I attained my funeral director’s license until today where I keep my eye on what is happening in the business so that I…
Recollections of 9/11. . . 25 years later
So today, September 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks on America. For those of us who are baby boomers, that day is seared in our memory as are…
PRENEED
Preneed: Your funeral home’s reputation may be tied to your preneed provider
I came across an interesting article the other day that reminded me of the unease that I always had in selecting our funeral home’s preneed insurance partner. My unease had nothing to do…
The shifting preneed trend and the need to make preneed a priority
I recently read a blog post on the Funeral Directors Life (FDL) blog written by Todd Carlson, Executive Vice-President and Chief Sales officer at Funeral Directors Life. The article was titled “Three preneed trends…
Death Literacy: “Concerns over the rapid rise of Direct Cremations”
“Death Literacy” is something you may be hearing more about in the days to come. This article from SABR-A Care Collective mentions that “Raising death literacy aims to equip people with the skills not…
PRODUCTS
Will the dispersion of Natural Organic Reduction soil be an issue?
Back in August the Worcester (Maryland) County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) approved Natural Organic Reduction (NOR) firm Earth Burial’s request to spread NOR soil on a 14-acre property in the county. According to…
“Drowning in information, starved for knowledge”
Back in 1982 when John Naisbitt’s bestselling book, Megatrends, was flying off the shelves (it was before Amazon so it wasn’t being ordered by mail) the book commented that Americans were “drowning in information…
Endswell expanding into another community and location
Endswell, the 2022 Death Care start-up that brands itself as “A modern funeral home, is expanding their services to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. And, it won’t be your mom and dad’s funeral home. According…
