FUNERAL FACT
According to a recent staff report issued by the FTC, 88 percent of funeral homes are complying with the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule.

Six National Cemeteries Authorized Following NFDA Lobbying Efforts

Six national cemeteries will be established during the next four years, due in part to the hard work of NFDA lobbyists in Washington, D.C. After Congress passed the “National Cemetery Expansion Act of 2003” (Pub.L. No. 109-109) on November 11, 2003, President George W. Bush signed it into law. The cemeteries will be located in the following areas:

1. Southeastern Pennsylvania.
2. The Birmingham, Alabama area.
3. The Jacksonville, Florida area.
4. The Bakersfield, California area.
5. The Greenville/Columbia, South Carolina area.
6. The Sarasota County, Florida area.

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Addendum to the Military Family Tax Relief Act

Last week, NFDA sent out a Special NFDA Bulletin reporting the passage of the Military Tax Relief Act. For those families who received the Death Gratuity Benefit of $6,000 prior to the passage of this act on November 11, 2003, but after its effective date of September 11, 2001, the Veterans Administration will automatically issue checks for the balance of $6,000. The act increased the Death Gratuity Benefit from $6,000 to $12,000 to eligible families retroactive to September 11, 2001. Families need not apply for the balance. Also, the entire amount is now tax exempt so adjustments in prior tax returns may be necessary.

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FTC Includes Funeral Rule in Report to Senate Special Committee on Aging

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has submitted its most recent staff report titled Activities Affecting Older Americans, to the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The report addresses practices or industries that are of particular interest to older consumers. It also lists the Funeral Rule and the purpose it serves protecting consumers, relating to goods and services offered and prices charged. The commission’s consumer education program from September 2001, to August 2003, is also highlighted. The FTC staff prepared the report at the request of the committee, and is available by visiting http://www.ftc.gov/os/2003/11/agingreport.pdf (PDF document). Information on their enforcement of the Funeral Rule is on page 7.

The FTC report referred to above titled Activities Affecting Older Americans is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If you don't already have the Acrobat Reader Utility installed on your system, you can download it from Adobe Systems at no charge. Click the button below and follow the onscreen instructions to install. Then, you will be able to open this and other Adobe Acrobat PDF files.

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Richard Aaron Helps Members Focus on Today’s Families

Event planning is something that funeral directors have always done. Whether finding a caterer that fits a family’s needs or discovering new trends, funeral directors should have a plan to offer new options at the request of today’s families. NFDA consumer research in 2001 showed that families want to create a more meaningful celebration of life. They want to personalize their funerals, commemorate through gathering and celebrate their loved ones - everything funerals have always provided. They’re just looking for a more modern approach. At the 2003 NFDA Convention, NFDA’s seminar Exceptional Events: A New Frontier for Funeral Service was one of the highest attended, adding to two regional sellouts. Richard Aaron presented initial details like developing goals and forming a vision, then tackled theme tributes and how to form partnerships with those involved in the process. Here are some tips from the seminar regarding the new mix of event-related services in the funeral process.

1. Change creates new opportunities that embrace ideas shaping modern services to your families. Become a student of the many new ideas surfacing to shape tomorrow’s business practices today.
   
   
2. Expand your comfort level by placing seed questions in the arrangement process. This allows for more opportunities to bring personalized ideas into memorial planning. Highlighting favorite hobbies or activities opens the door for positive discussion and creative thinking in organizing the final celebration of a life.
   
   
3. Keep an active set of templates of event-related services and pricing as resources regarding catering, rentals and video development for a more complex memorial service presentation.
   
   
4. Stay focused on the role of risk management planning when service delivery incorporates food and beverage, or more complex staging elements outside of your regular location.

If you weren’t able to attend Exceptional Events: A New Frontier for Funeral Service, you can purchase it on audio tape through NFDA at 800-228-6332. This seminar will also be offered February 23-25, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada and April 26-28, 2004 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Call NFDA if you’d like to receive more information or sign up for one of these dates. To view a list of all the 2003 NFDA convention workshops, most of which are available on audio tape, visit http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=456.

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Embalming Proves to be Hot Topic at NFDA Convention

One of the most significant parts of a funeral, embalming continues to be an issue some take too lightly. But funeral directors are making it a priority. At the 2003 NFDA convention, members purchased embalming books, videos as well as the workshop, Embalming, Gross vs. Microscopic Conditions, placing them atop the most popular resources.

In her article titled The Nature and Purpose of Embalming in the October, 2003 issue of The Director magazine, Melissa Johnson Williams comments on the importance of embalming: “Special cards and register books, photo tributes, videotaping of the service and all that ‘fancy schmancy’ funeral stuff does not mean a hill of beans if the casket ends up closed because of poor embalming results…What makes funeral directors and embalmers unique is that we can make the remains viewable for a family. We must never forget that the funeral really is only about one thing - or person, rather: the remains. There is nothing more personal than that.”

NFDA is working to arrange more embalming events in 2004 for you! Look for Exceptional Embalming coming in March, 2004 to the New England Institute in Boston, Massachusetts and in August, 2004 to Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. More information will be coming on these two seminars in future issues of the NFDA Bulletin.

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Funeral Profession Takes Center Stage in New Book, Movie

While the popularity of the award-winning HBO series Six Feet Under is now coming to a bookstore near you, a new movie aims to look at the humorous side of funeral service.

Six Feet Under: Better Living Through Death has recently been produced by Melcher Media and released by Pocket Books. The book traces the fictitious life of the Fisher family and the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home. This 208 page one-of-kind companion is filled with never before seen photographs and relics from the Fisher family. The publisher of the book contacted NFDA months ago for historical information on the funeral service profession, for which NFDA has received credit in the book. The book is available from the publisher at: http://www.simonsays.com/book/default_book.cfm?isbn=0743480651&areaid=33.

A new comedy about competing funeral homes titled Plots With a View is set to be released in 2004. Set in a small town in Wales, a traditional funeral director named Boris admits he’s fallen for a woman while preparing her aunt’s funeral. But as a new, upscale American funeral home comes into town (funeral director played by Christopher Walken), Boris begins losing business and must stand up to new challenges. The official Website and movie trailer can be viewed at http://www.plotswithaview.com.

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Editor’s Note

In the Elections Present Board Members, New Future for NFDA section of the previous NFDA Bulletin, we failed to mention that Dwayne R. Spence, CFSP will serve on NFDA’s Executive Board as the Immediate Past President from 2003-2004. Our apologies Dwayne. To view the current Executive Board, visit http://www.nfda.org/executiveboard.php.

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NFDA Bulletin

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