September 2, 2015
Published by 
Dan Isard on September 2, 2015
Dan Isard on September 2, 2015In this final series on IRS Rules Regarding Gifts, Diane DeClercq discusses tax deductible issues pertaining to Employee Rewards and Meals and Entertainment. Tax issues with employee awards are complex. For Meals and Entertainment it is important to keep good records and your receipts.
August 18, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on August 18, 2015
Dan Isard on August 18, 2015Phoenix, AZ August 18, 2015: Daniel M. Isard, president of The Foresight Companies, LLC announced today that Christopher L. Farmer, long time industry legal expert, has joined his company as a financial and business management consultant.
August 12, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on August 12, 2015
Dan Isard on August 12, 2015If your job includes hiring or managing employees, you have to keep track of the ever-changing federal, state and municipal laws covering HR practices. Do you know what ‘ban the box’ refers to? Do you know what constitutes discrimination against a pregnant employee? Are you on top of efforts to make sick leave a mandatory benefit? For the answers to these questions and much more, read Stephanie Ramsey’s article in the August/September issue of ICCFA Magazine.
July 31, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 31, 2015
Dan Isard on July 31, 2015Building a business for the future takes diligent research and smart decision-making. In this month’s Finance 101 column, Dan responds to Hammer and Nails in Nashville about the methods and steps of how to build a business for the future.
July 31, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 31, 2015
Dan Isard on July 31, 2015Finding a qualified employee who will fit well within the funeral service environment is the goal of all funeral home business owners and managers. Unfortunately, this can be a challenging task, especially for owners of small funeral home businesses with limited HR resources. But there is a path you can follow that can increase your chances of finding that “one” key employee out of the masses who apply. Read more as Stephanie Ramsey outlines these steps in the August issue of The Director.
July 28, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 28, 2015
Dan Isard on July 28, 2015In this issue of Front Office News, Stephanie Ramsey reviews some simple steps to follow when developing a dress code for your business. Given the increasing amount of litigation occurring in this area, you may want to update and review your policy at least annually. If you don’t have one, call us to find out how we can help you establish a dress code policy.
July 28, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 28, 2015
Dan Isard on July 28, 2015Want to know what is considered tax deductible clothing? Read this month’s AccountAbility to review the common scenarios and accounting consequences of each. Diane DeClercq defines the difference between a “uniform” and a “dress code”, when each may be deductible and to whom the destructibility applies.
July 14, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 14, 2015
Dan Isard on July 14, 2015Phoenix, AZ, July 14, 2015: Daniel M. Isard, MSFS, President of The Foresight Companies, LLC, the nation’s leading financial and management consulting firm serving funeral homes and cemeteries throughout North America, announced today the dates for a new and revolutionary seminar. “If you own a cemetery it is not just about mowing, digging and coloring a map a few times a month. The operation of a cemetery is a holistic operation that speaks a whole different language than any other business including the language of funeral service. This event is called CEMETERY IMPOSSIBLE!” Dan said. This is another revolutionary seminar offered by The Foresight Companies, LLC.
July 13, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 13, 2015
Dan Isard on July 13, 2015This 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.
July 7, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on July 7, 2015
Dan Isard on July 7, 2015Dan 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
June 30, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on June 30, 2015
Dan Isard on June 30, 2015There 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.
June 25, 2015
Published by Dan Isard on June 25, 2015
Dan Isard on June 25, 2015Gift-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.