Bill introduced to raise Social Security Death Benefit

By Funeral Director Daily October 7, 2024

      It’s been almost 100 years since Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Bill into law in 1935.  And, contrary to what most people believe, there was a “Lump Sum Death Benefit” (LSDB)  applied to that bill that took effect at that time.  However, the original LSDB was discontinued in 1939 at…

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Illinois funeral home owner says selling to friends “. . makes it easier to walk away from this business I’ve known all my life”

By Funeral Director Daily October 4, 2024

    We learned of an interesting sale/acquisition story that happened recently in Illinois.  This article from the Mendota Reporter will tell you of the sale of the Merritt Funeral Home to the Unger-Horner Funeral Home.   It’s interesting to note, according to the article, that the Merritt Funeral Home has been in the Merritt…

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The Federal Funds interest rate came down, what does that mean for you?

By Funeral Director Daily October 3, 2024

    If you ask my opinion, American borrowers have been somewhat spoiled by the low interest rates that we had had for almost the last ten years.  This article will tell you that from 2015 until into 2022 we never had Prime lending rates higher than 5.5% — and most of the that time…

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Going into business on your own

By Funeral Director Daily October 2, 2024

    I believe that America is still that land of opportunity.  It’s a place where people can not only dream of starting their own business and create upward mobility for their family and themselves through ingenuity and hard work, but is a place where that dream can become reality.   As a matter of…

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The Funeral “Experience”: Creating Value or Angst

By Funeral Director Daily October 1, 2024

      I’ve know for some time that we are living in an “Experience” economy.  Yes, even while we need to spend a larger portion of our dollars on necessities because of the inflation of the past years. . . . .the “Experience” economy has continued to thrive.   Whether it is going to…

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BUSINESS

Bill introduced to raise Social Security Death Benefit

By Funeral Director Daily | October 7, 2024

      It’s been almost 100 years since Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Bill into law in 1935.  And, contrary to what most people believe, there was a “Lump Sum Death Benefit”…

Illinois funeral home owner says selling to friends “. . makes it easier to walk away from this business I’ve known all my life”

By Funeral Director Daily | October 4, 2024

    We learned of an interesting sale/acquisition story that happened recently in Illinois.  This article from the Mendota Reporter will tell you of the sale of the Merritt Funeral Home to the Unger-Horner Funeral…

The Federal Funds interest rate came down, what does that mean for you?

By Funeral Director Daily | October 3, 2024

    If you ask my opinion, American borrowers have been somewhat spoiled by the low interest rates that we had had for almost the last ten years.  This article will tell you that from…

FINANCE

Illinois funeral home owner says selling to friends “. . makes it easier to walk away from this business I’ve known all my life”

By Funeral Director Daily | October 4, 2024

    We learned of an interesting sale/acquisition story that happened recently in Illinois.  This article from the Mendota Reporter will tell you of the sale of the Merritt Funeral Home to the Unger-Horner Funeral…

SCI adds San Antonio funeral home locations

By Funeral Director Daily | September 30, 2024

    Last week we noticed in this short announcement from Market Screener that Houston-based Service Corporation International (SCI) had acquired the Porter Loring Mortuaries based in San Antonio, Texas.  It appears that the Porter…

Prelude receives an investment from Cortado Ventures

By Funeral Director Daily | September 27, 2024

  The last time we mentioned the upstart preneed company Prelude in Funeral Director Daily was this article back in March 2024 when we first heard of them.  We mentioned that we didn’t know much…

REGULATIONS

Bill introduced to raise Social Security Death Benefit

By Funeral Director Daily | October 7, 2024

      It’s been almost 100 years since Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Bill into law in 1935.  And, contrary to what most people believe, there was a “Lump Sum Death Benefit”…

The Crematory Dilemma: Continued consumer choice vs. the NIMBY attitude

By Funeral Director Daily | September 25, 2024

    For over a year and a half Funeral Director Daily has followed the application process of the Evans Funeral Chapel in trying to locate and build a new crematory in the White Marsh…

NFDA joins others in quest to delay implementation of Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)

By Funeral Director Daily | September 24, 2024

  In early September the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) joined with hundreds of other groups to delay implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) which is set to be implemented on January 1, 2025. …

CEMETERY

Last wills, charitable giving, and preneed

By Funeral Director Daily | September 18, 2024

      Central Co-op of Great Britain is an interesting company.  They are a company with a history of over 100 years and operate in the grocery, legal services, floral, and funeral business.  According…

“Place” is very important

By Funeral Director Daily | August 26, 2024

    Earlier in August I came across this feature article titled “One of Oregon’s most prominent families appears to want another family’s burial plot” from Willamette Weekly of Oregon about a disagreement in ownership…

Propel Funeral Partners announces acquisition

By Funeral Director Daily | August 14, 2024

    In a press release Propel Funeral Partners of New Zealand announced a somewhat unusual acquisition.  Propel announced in July that they had completed the acquisition of Decra Art.   Decra Art is believed…

CREMATION

Florida’s Van Orsdel Funeral & Cremation adds “Water Cremation”

By Funeral Director Daily | September 26, 2024

    Fifty years ago services were almost all traditional casketed funerals with earth burials.  Then, for the next 50 years cremation choice by the consumer started building until we now have an approximate 60%…

The Crematory Dilemma: Continued consumer choice vs. the NIMBY attitude

By Funeral Director Daily | September 25, 2024

    For over a year and a half Funeral Director Daily has followed the application process of the Evans Funeral Chapel in trying to locate and build a new crematory in the White Marsh…

Carriage Services: Strategies driving improvements

By Funeral Director Daily | August 15, 2024

  I’m one that believes you can learn something from seeing what the public companies in funeral service are doing.  When I was active with my funeral home in the business I would read their…

PRENEED

The Federal Funds interest rate came down, what does that mean for you?

By Funeral Director Daily | October 3, 2024

    If you ask my opinion, American borrowers have been somewhat spoiled by the low interest rates that we had had for almost the last ten years.  This article will tell you that from…

Prelude receives an investment from Cortado Ventures

By Funeral Director Daily | September 27, 2024

  The last time we mentioned the upstart preneed company Prelude in Funeral Director Daily was this article back in March 2024 when we first heard of them.  We mentioned that we didn’t know much…

Last wills, charitable giving, and preneed

By Funeral Director Daily | September 18, 2024

      Central Co-op of Great Britain is an interesting company.  They are a company with a history of over 100 years and operate in the grocery, legal services, floral, and funeral business.  According…

PRODUCTS

Academic scholarships available from the Funeral Service Foundation — 6 weeks to application deadlines

By Funeral Director Daily | September 20, 2024

  I know a lot of people in funeral service.  And, I might make a wager and say that most of those that I know are humble and enjoy helping their community and the world…

I’m set for New Orleans. . Are you?

By Funeral Director Daily | September 13, 2024

  Just over a month from now, from October 19 thru the 23rd, I’ll be in New Orleans attending the 2024 National Funeral Directors Association National Convention.  I procrastinated but still got registered under the…

Foundation Partners acquires Cake

By Funeral Director Daily | September 6, 2024

    In a press release from yesterday we learned that funeral home and cemetery operator Foundation Partners Group (FPG) has acquired the end-of-life planning company Cake.  The press release, which you can access here,…