Dan Isard

This is the fifth and last installment of a series of articles on the cremation business.  The cemetery has a unique problem with the growth of cremation.  On the one hand, there are fewer graves purchased for casket interment.  On the other hand, there is more inventory, as you can inter about 30 urns in a space that would take one casket. Also, there are so many more options for interment with an urn than there are for a casket.  It is these last two facts that present the greatest opportunity for the cemeterian.  

Dan has spent the last several years exploring the DNA of funeral home pricing, including cremation pricing.  He fully understands how to set cremation prices, Better yet, by studying the past he understands how we as a profession messed it up. The How and Why of Cremation Pricing – AFD July 2015

There is no one answer to the question of how to best invest preneed monies. But the first step should be to determine your purpose for offering preneed. If growth is not the biggest reason in your choosing a preneed vendor, then figure out what that factor is. In some cases, the only goal is to put new business on the books. I get that. I  understand that that is a compelling purpose to preneed.

Gift-giving is a fairly common practice among organizations and a touchy one where taxes are concerned.  The very term “gift,” has a precise definition. The IRS has several different classifications, including intangible gifts (which are taxable) and tangible gifts (which are tax free). Some gifts can be claimed as a deductible expense, while others cannot. The process of a business giving a gift to a worker is far different, tax-wise, from gifts between individuals.  Click here to read more about this confusing topic.

This is the fourth installment of a series of articles about the cremation business. In the three previous articles, I explained that there are three types of cremation businesses and outlined how the trade cremation and “no-frills” cremation businesses work. This month, I’m exploring the harsh reality of the funeral home cremation business.