If you have been anywhere near a television, radio, smart phone, newspaper, or other news media you know that President Trump’s signature piece of legislation, the “Big, Beautiful Bill” was passed and signed into law over the extended 4th of July weekend.

 

I’ve always liked to stay up-to-date on current events and learn as much as I can from what is happening in the greater world around me that might affect me, or my business, in the future.  However, I’m not going to read a boring 940-page government-ese edition of this bill.  I’m counting on what I can get from media to help me understand the bill and, as I always do, try to understand the ramifications on Death Care.

 

First of all, as to your business, for the most part this new bill codifies for a greater length of time the 2017 Trump business changes.  In that regard there appear to be no changes or surprises in this bill for businesses.  Here’s what one source said of that, “(the bill will) increase the small business deduction, and expand expensing provisions. These changes are expected to benefit manufacturers, small businesses, and those involved in international trade.”

 

One thing that I noticed about the bill is that there is a provision for Social Security recipients.   The first drafts of the bill had a provision in it that would exempt federal taxes on Social Security benefits.  It is my understanding that when the bill went through the Senate “reconciliation” process that provision was taken out of the bill because “changes to Social Security are generally prohibited in reconciliation legislation”. 

 

However, in its place, what is now being called the “Senior Bonus” was provided for during the years of 2025 through 2028 — 4 tax years.   The “Senior Bonus” is described as such, “a $6,000 deduction (that) would be available to individuals over the age of 65 with up to $75,000 in modified adjusted gross income, and $150,000 if married and filing jointly. It phases out for taxpayers who are above those thresholds.” 

 

In one overview of this bill that I read it mentioned that the “Senior Bonus” would be available to 88% of current Social Security recipients who fall under those income guidelines.

 

Related — “What Trump’s “on big beautiful” tax and spending bill means for our money”.  CNBC

Related —  “5 under-the radar pieces of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” that may impact your life.”  Axios

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  So, I would have to do a little more investigating than I have done so far, but if potential future clients of my funeral home are receiving an extra savings of up to $6,000 (depending on their tax situation) for the next four years, I would look for a way to capitalize on that and help them realize that it might be a smart decision to turn that savings into paying for their eventual funeral — with a preneed funeral plan through their local funeral home.

 

You can be assured that travel companies, auto dealers, and others will be gearing up some kind of promotional avenue to capture what appears to be a greater positive cash-flow for older Americans.

 

One way to do so for funeral homes might be, after you know the final ramifications of this legislation, is to work with your local media and putting out information on how the bill might affect citizen’s lives — especially this “Senior Bonus”.  Letting consumers know that legislation may be able to change their lives for the better might also give you a leg-up on the competition.

 

It seems to me that most funeral homes out there today are concentrating their marketing dollars on getting to be the #1 listed funeral home on SEO searches.  It brings to mind the below podcast where the discussion is about an “authenticity” approach to marketing. . . . . which might include letting consumers know of possibilities.

 

 

Related — The latest “Two Guys and a Question” podcast brings some marketing experts on to it and the “tease” for the podcast states, “With decades of combined experience and a deep understanding of consumer behavior, they’re challenging funeral directors to move beyond being “number one in search results” and toward becoming genuine community resources—where relationships, not algorithms, drive growth.”

 

In my opinion, that’s an appropriate message for preneed and consumer information which may help deepen your relationship with potential preneed clientele.

 

Connect with the “Two Guys and a Question” podcast here.

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Penrose funeral home co-owner sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.  Heart of the Rockies Radio (CO)
• Generous man arranges for money to be dropped from a helicopter at his funeral.  Video news story and print article.  KFVS Channel 12 News – Cape Girardeau (MO)
• Plots at Arlington Cemetery (Texas) to be declared abandoned in September if not claimed by deadline.  KERA News -NPR Texas (TX)
• Senate Bill 421 to allow human composting as alternative to burial, cremation on July 1.  Video news story.  WMAZ Channel 13 – Macon (GA)
• After five months Omaha woman’s ashes lost in mail have been found.  Video news story and print article.  WOWT Channel 6 – Omaha (NE)

 

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