The February issue of The Director is now available online.

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The authors of the recent General Accountability Office (GAO) report on federal and state regulation of funeral service will present their findings during the 2012 NFDA Advocacy Summit, which will take place March 7-9 at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Posted: February 3, 2012

A broad range of benefits is offered to military veterans and certain members of their families by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Among these benefits are various types of financial assistance, including monthly cash payments to disabled veterans, health care, education, housing, and funeral and burial benefits. Basic criteria must be met to be eligible to receive any of the benefits administered by the VA. Congressional Research Service recently released a report which outlines the basic eligibility criteria for VA-administered benefits, including the issue of eligibility of members of the National Guard and reserve components. Click here to view the report.

NFDA knows that funeral directors are honored to serve veterans and their families in their time of need. We have recently heard of several cases in which funeral directors have had to wait an excessively long period of time to receive reimbursement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We would like to hear more about your experiences with the VA. Please click the following link before February 24 to take a brief survey: https://www.research.net/s/2012_VA_Payment_Issues_Survey.

Posted: February 2, 2012

Business Services Online (BSO) is a suite of online services that enables organizations, businesses and other authorized individuals to conduct business with the Social Security Administration. Once registered, users may request, activate, and access a number of services and functions. For example, employers and businesses can verify Social Security numbers and file W-2s right over the Internet. These online services can be especially beneficial and convenient for small businesses. Learn more about the services available by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/bso.