Calling

A PUBLICATION OF THE NEW YORK STATE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, INC.

December 2015

The

NYS

EDRS

Update

Con

tents

NYSFDA Officers

Douglas R. BrueggemannPresident

East Northport, 631-368-1235

Walter J. KentPresident-Elect

Elmira, 607-734-5368

Wesley A. “Andy” Powell, CFSPSecretary / Treasurer

Amityville, 631-691-0172

Robert C. EnosImmediate Past President

West Seneca, 716-674-3636

Francis “Joe” Martin, Jr.Continuing Past President

West Henrietta, 585-424-3700

Bonnie L. McCullough, CAEExecutive Director

800-291-2629

Randy L. McCullough, CAEDeputy Executive Director

800-291-2629

Bureau of Funeral Directing518-402-0785

New York State Funeral Directors Association, Inc.1 South Family Drive, Albany, New York 12205

PHONE: 800-291-2629 • FAX: 518-452-8667WEB: www.nysfda.org • EMAIL: info@nysfda.org

THE CALLING is published by NYSFDA © 2015. All rights reserved. Please send all photos and story ideas to rana@nysfda.org. CLICK HERE

for publication schedule.

Dec

embe

r 20

15

• President’s Message

• In Remembrance

• NYS Tribute Foundation

• Classified Ads

• Calendar of Events

• Executive Director’s Message

• COVER STORY: EDRS Update

• SLIDE SHOW: NYSFDA Family Assistance Commission

• Achieving Work-Home Balance

• VIDEO CLIP: 2015 Year-in-Review

• Renew Your Membership

• OSHA Consultation Services

• 2015 NFDA GPL Survey

• National Election Results

• NYSFDA Assists a Family

• Buddhist Beliefs about Death

• ALERT: Funeral Scams

• Conference Letter

• Cremation Form Update

• Directors Choice

• PrePlan

• Free Resources for Funeral Directors

• INTERACTIVE SURVEY

Facebook Advertising NYSFDA launched a new FACEBOOK advertising campaign on October 26, 2015. The series of four ads are geared to NYS residents aged 45+. They will run until December 31, 2015. The call to action features a free preplanning information kit.

Last month, I was honored to take care of a funeral in ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. The deceased, a Navy veteran, had not only survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, but served in WWII and in Korea and Vietnam. As I watched, over fifty Navy men and women,

with precision and exactness, took care of the full military honors that this man deserved. I couldn’t help but equate this event with what we as funeral directors do in our everyday lives for the families we serve in our communities.

From the handling of the casket from hearse to horse drawn carriage, to the band leading the procession with the family walking behind to the gravesite, to the folding and presentation of our American flag to his wife, everyone of the Navy honor guard had a job to do.

We offer to our families the services that they want for their loved one. We try to be meticulous in serving their needs because we, too, have a job to do. This certainly is not an easy task because in order to fill the family’s requests, we often have to rely on third parties. I think that now and then we need to reflect on what we do and not take for granted the services we provide.

Every funeral is a once in a lifetime service that we provide for the family of a deceased loved one. It is up to us as funeral directors to carry out these services to the best of our ability and be proud of the job we do. It should not make any difference if it is a simple cremation service or a high profile funeral service; the families deserve the same professional service that only we can provide.

Dear Colleagues:

President’s Message

One of my responsibilities to our association is chairing the FAMILY ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (FAC) which is a group of funeral directors trained to care for families of the victims in the event of a mass disaster. We hold our annual meeting in November at the NYSFDA office headquarters. This year we had a presentation from the NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB). We learned how we try to get federal, state and local agencies to come together in the event of a mass disaster to accomplish one objective: returning the remains of loved ones to their families during a mass fatality disaster. Again, we have to be precise and exact in the job we do for those families. [See PAGE 14 of this publication for more details.] As we enter this holiday season, we often find providing our services to be more difficult. Helping people get through a joyous time of year while they are grieving is a challenge. Let us be aware of how important the job that we do everyday is and be mindful of who we are caring for, not just the families in our communities, but also our own family. Martha and I wish all of you a safe and healthy holiday and a Happy New Year to you and your families.

Douglas R. Brueggemann

New

s

A listing of friends of NYSFDA who have recently passed.

In RemembranceCLICK to view

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CLICK to view

CLASSIFIED ADS

CLICK to view

THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to the NYS Tribute Foundation during the past year!

CLICK to view our donors

Watch the video

CLICK HERE to renew your 2016 NYSFDA membership!

We value your continued

membership!

MEMBER BENEFITS• Industry Information, Legislative Updates, and

Compliance Materials• FREE Annual Convention Registration• Members-Only Website• Members-Only Monthly Newsletter• Members-Only eNews Updates & Text Alerts• PrePlan!• Directors Choice Credit Union!• Continuing Education - Including OSHA & NYS Law• Consumer Publications• Weekly E-mailed Funeral News Summaries,

eCLIPS

I write this the morning after the October 28th Republican presidential debate. If you didn’t watch it (god bless you), please take my word that it was absolutely excruciating, a true horror show.

About a half hour in to the two hour debacle I reached for a bag of tortilla chips and dip. It was not enough. Less than 15 minutes later a bottle of wine was opened. Still painful but I was able to do it . . . get to the end.

So today, as I make my vow that only celery and water shall pass my lips, the whole thing reminds me of the slow-motion travesty I have seen play itself out in funeral service regarding preneed insurance.

Like so many of the absolutely unbelievable financial fairy tales told on the stage last night, third party vendors have enticed funeral directors to sell their dubious products promising untold wealth and selling the crack cocaine that is commissions.

There are no commissions allowed in New York, so preneed is simply a service you offer to consumers who want that service. It is simple. It is clean. It doesn’t cost you any money.

Let me give you the scenario once commissions to funeral directors and funeral homes are allowed:

Dear Members:

Executive Director’s Message

• Funeral director is told he will make a profit on preneed. Excitement and happiness ensue, particularly on the part of the person selling you this dreck.

• Funeral director has to hire someone to sell that preneed since now he will have so many people in the door.

• But funeral firm, in addition to hiring someone, has to advertise heavily, because, lo and behold, his competitors might get more preneed than he does because they are advertising heavily.

• Funeral firm keeps looking for that magical preneed profit, but it is elusive.

• Third party vendor tells funeral firm: Hey, we can help you fix that, let’s . . .

1. Change the law so you don’t have to be a funeral director to sell a funeral . . . or, in other words, preneed. Have these non-licensees out on the street selling for you, working on commissions and “voila,” the magic will happen.

2. You’ll get less commission, but what the heck, you’re selling more preneed.

• Now your license has become irrevocably eroded . . . one of the key reasons for your license is gone.

CONTINUED >

• But your competitors have ramped it up, so you have to ramp it up! Then they ramp it up some more, and then you ramp it up some more . . . and on and on and on and on.

The profit promised? Eaten up by marketing and advertising, employee costs and those soft costs of running a program that runs just because you’ve “got” to have it.

And, at the end of the day, consumers lose (do the math . . . there is only so much money in a preneed contract . . . those commissions you get up front come out of your hide and the consumers hide), funeral service loses and that wonderful friend you have made, the preneed insurance company representative and the company itself, win big. Did they give you a trip to Hawaii because you did so well? Rest assured, you paid for that too.

These are the facts. They are ugly but they are true. Once a state allows preneed insurance in, funeral firms become their hostages.

I’m sure I’ll get a few phone calls and self-righteously indignant letters after this message. But it is nothing but noise from people who want to use you to get to the elderly to sell their crap. I’ve been in this business for 30 years, and I know my stuff. Truth wins, but only if you tell it.

Watch the video, it is short. But a fine demonstration of what your life would look like if you bought into this scam.

United, you can beat back the insurance companies clamoring to sell their products in New York.

Executive Director’s Message

CLICK to view video

Please don’t drive me to eat any more chips and dip.

They just aren’t on my diet. Sincerely,

Bonnie L. McCullough, CAE

NYSFDA’s Board President DOUG BRUEGGEMANN and Secretary-Treasurer ANDY POWELL, along with Government Affairs Chairman BILL McVEIGH, EDRS Development Committee member STEVE HANS, and NYSFDA staff RANDY McCULLOUGH and MARIANNE SCHROM recently met with senior staff at the NYS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) to discuss the current status and plans for implementation of the NYS ELECTRONIC DEATH REGISTRATION SYSTEM (EDRS).

NYSFDA requested this meeting given the delay in implementing NYS EDRS throughout the State.

We are pleased to be able to report that the Bureau of Vital Records is making great progress with the planned testing and implementation, and we have been assured that funeral homes will see “significant activity” on EDRS in the coming year. In addition, the current delay is not due to anything major, but rather a series of things that have added up to simply slow the process down.

Live internal testing by DOH staff has shown a high level of workability and success. We were assured that DOH remains fully committed to successful statewide implementation of the system as early as possible but which is without any design or operational “shortcuts.”

NYS EDRS

PROGRESS REPORT

Government AffairsOTHER POINTS FROM THE MEETING:

• Preliminary testing of the EDRS system began in mid-November in the City of Albany. Staff from the NYS Office of Vital Records visited various funeral homes to set up accounts for “coordinators” and performed a hands-on “walk-through” of practice cases with funeral directors. This was a thorough demonstration, by all accounts, and serves as the initial preparation to run actual cases in tandem with the registrar and a local hospital as part of the formal system “Beta” test. This represents a small, but very important, step in the evolution of EDRS. How well the test goes in Albany will determine the time-frame to conduct a second Beta test in Monroe County.

• DOH is developing the training materials for all users. The training for funeral directors will likely be via webinar.

• DOH reiterated that sub-registrars will also have access to the system to ensure burial permits are issued on weekends and holidays.

• We have been assured that there are absolutely no financial barriers holding this project up. In fact, NYSFDA and our members were thanked for “stepping up to the plate” for our willingness to provide the funding for this system; in fact, NYSDOH stated that it is largely due to NYSFDA’s legislation that EDRS will become a reality in New York State. The $20 amount you are paying for each burial permit will more than be offset by the benefits your firm will realize in both time and productivity savings once EDRS is fully implemented.

NYSFDA is in frequent communication with the Bureau of Vital Records about EDRS. In addition, we will be having a follow-up meeting with the same senior DOH staff in January to discuss the pilot testing and a time line for full implementation.

We will share all details with you in the coming months as NYS EDRS starts to be “rolled out.”

2. 3.1.

CLICK the THUMBNAIL to view larger

1. L-R: The NYSFDA’s Family Assistance Commission wasn’t alone learning at NYSFDA’s presentation from the NTSB’s Elias Kontanis. Also present was Rensselaer County Public Safety Director - the county’s Emergency Manager. Mr. Kelly J. Paslow - seen here speaking with FAC Chairman and NYSFDA President Douglas Brueggemann.

New York State

NEW YORK STATE

News National Disaster Expert Speaks to NYSFDA’s Family Assistance Commission

By Ed Munger

Municipal mass-casualty disaster plans often contain pages and pages of detail about things like emergency vehicle specifications and stocks of supplies. But they seldom include more than a paragraph about topics like recovering victims or accommodating distraught family members hoping to learn if their loved one is alive.

Disaster planning was among several issues a representative of the NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) discussed with the NYSFDA Family Assistance Commission on November 10.

ELIAS J. KONTANIS, PhD., has responded to more than 30 accidents – mostly mass-casualty incidents – while serving as coordinator of medicolegal operations for the NTSB’s TRANSPORTATION DISASTER ASSISTANCE DIVISION – a unit that works to bring order to the chaos of transportation-related disasters in the U.S.

Some of Kontanis’ earliest experiences with disaster scenes included working with the federal DISASTER MORTUARY OPERATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM (D-MORT)

following the September 11 terror attacks in New York City.

He’s no stranger to some NYSFDA members – he’s met several, including NYSFDA President DOUG BRUEGGEMANN, at disaster scenes as part of D-MORT.

While sharing insights from disasters with FAMILY ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (FAC), Kontanis delved into the complexities of responding to major accidents and the loss of life. Accidents involving passenger planes and trains and other modes of transportation that occur on U.S. soil fall under the investigative purview of the NTSB, and the agency also participates in aviation and marine accident investigations that occur overseas. That is, unless criminal activity is suspected. Then, the FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION serves as the primary investigative entity.

The NTSB is charged with finding the cause of an accident, recommending measures to prevent a repeat and coordinating resources to assist victims and their families after an accident – a function members of the FAC would play a key role in after a New York State disaster.

Local responsibilities – those handled by non-Federal agencies – include victim accounting, managing personal effects, emergency management logistics support and coordination with other agencies.

Kontanis, who makes regular presentations when he’s not on the scene of a disaster, said the NTSB is working towards improved coordination and collaboration among local, state and federal organizations.

Officials and representatives from numerous entities wind up being involved in disaster response – and Kontanis said he and others are urging all to avoid creating “silos” for their particular concern when they arrive.

Some agencies develop a “fortress” mentality, close their doors and work to fill their particular role alone: some don’t share information with others at all, which complicates investigations.

And right from the start, investigators are under intense pressure from citizens who quickly hear about an accident and start wondering if their loved one was involved.

New York State“People want to know and they want to know fast,” Kontanis said.

Kontanis laid out a host of issues investigators face after a crash with multiple fatalities – including figuring out exactly who was there. In some instances, different agencies wind up with different counts of injured and involved.

This stems from the varying conditions of victims – some are treated on the scene and released. Others are transported by ambulance – a stage at which “official” accounting actually begins.

Ultimately, accounting for fatalities and the injured isn’t a responsibility of the NTSB. That job remains in the hands of local authorities, Kontanis said. However the NTSB will work with the local, state, and federal agencies and the numerous other organizations involved in the response to facilitate the accounting process.

He explored another factor that often complicates precise accounting of victims – hospital staff misunderstanding or misusing the federal HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, or HIPAA.

When asked about patient whereabouts, many simply refuse to answer, citing “HIPAA,” Kontanis said.

HONESTY IMPORTANT

Kontanis shared his insights about family members of crash victims and urged funeral directors who become involved in disaster response to consider their words carefully.

High energy crashes can leave victims “fragmented” and their remains can be identified many times during the course of the medicolegal investigation.

Initially, family members will often declare they want a phone call each and every time part of their

loved one is found and identified. But after four or five phone calls, they often ask instead to be told when the recovery is all complete, Kontanis said.

Finding the right words can be a challenge to funeral directors when family members are expecting they might get their loved one back in one piece – and that’s not always the case. He suggested funeral directors avoid contributing to any false hopes on the part of family.

In some instances, the remains of multiple victims can be commingled. Kontanis said it isn’t always possible to separate these remains, and family members should be told this.

Sometimes, family members will bring a photograph of their loved one to help in their identification. Kontanis warned this can lead to confusion.

Funeral directors involved in disasters should be aware that accepting a photograph of a victim can lead family members to believe

their loved one can be identified by a photo. In the case of a fiery airliner crash, that is seldom the case.

It is therefore imperative for those responsible for communicating with the families to convey realistic expectations regarding the medicolegal investigation.

Kontanis outlined the NTSB’s role in accident investigations and further detailed the work of “medicolegal operations” that take place after a mass casualty disaster.

These include investigating, recovering and examining decedents “in a dignified and respectful manner,” performing accurate and efficient ID of victims, providing for the “rapid return” to the legal next of kin and exchanging information with families in a timely and compassionate manner.

Kontanis covered a host of issues including victim accounting, mass fatality management concerns, operational challenges of the HIPAA law, the disclosure of information and other topics.

New York StateSince its creation in 2007, the NYSFDA FAC has not been called up to assist local governments with mass fatality disasters.

In the event of a mass fatality disaster, the FAC – comprised of experienced funeral directors familiar with disaster work – would interact with family members, gather information from them to help identify victims.

That work is one of many parts of disaster response, said FAC member WESLEY A. “ANDY” POWELL, current NYSFDA Secretary-Treasurer. Kontanis’ presentation provided a broad view of the various moving parts of a mass casualty incident, he said.

“It’s a pretty stark reminder,” Powell said.

Funeral Director JOSEPH R. NOLL, a NYSFDA member from Rockville Center, gave a presentation of his experiences as part of D-MORT; adding another stark reminder of the consequence of disasters. Noll has been deployed

as part of D-MORT to several disasters including the tornado in Joplin, Missouri in May of 2011 and the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo in 2009 – to name just a couple.

The FAC welcomed several guests to the presentation – representatives of several agencies that would also get involved in the wake of a mass-casualty disaster: the NYS DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES; the NYS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION; the NYS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS; RENSSELAER COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH and RENSSELAER COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY.

Mr. KELLY J. PASLOW, Director of Public Safety in Rensselaer County, said the meeting provided him a way to meet with others he’d likely meet in a more-chaotic situation – a local disaster.

“Tomorrow, tonight, something could happen,” Paslow said.

Heather A. Rauch, NYS Licensed Funeral Director

Being a funeral director is, in my opinion, one of the more challenging, rewarding, time-consuming, unpredictable life-paths that one can take. I have had the privilege of working with many seasoned professionals in the funeral profession and one thing I have taken notice of is the

importance of a quality work-home balance.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that many funeral directors have difficulty balancing their alternate lives to the point where relationships suffer and people get burned out.

Over the past few years, I have contemplated what qualities one must possess in order to balance the stress of being an on-call professional with the relaxation and amusement that many other people simply call life.

I feel that being a good funeral director requires that you satisfy your human needs as well as the needs of others, because without you, who is going to take care of them?

METHODS TO ACHIEVE A QUALITY

WORK-HOME

Balance

Business Tips

MAKE YOUR HOME SPACE HOMIER AND WORK SPACE “WORKIER”

Studies have shown that the average person wastes about 4.3 hours each week searching for misplaced papers. This does nothing but add stress to your work life and reduces your ability to concentrate on more important things, like operating a funeral home while simultaneously juggling the tasks of running a household. When your work space is clean and bright you will be more productive. Small updates to your area, as small as they may be, can make all the difference to your daily mood and progress.

MAKE YOUR SPACE, YOUR SPACE

Even for a neat-freak, that could mean getting yourself a sparkly new pair of bedazzled desk readers or a pink feather pen (with death certificate-approved black ink, of course). Bringing a small amount of home into your work space can be beneficial to a certain extent, like a family photo or a child’s drawing. Just a few items to remind you of the happiest parts of your life and brighten your mood. For the most part, a clean, organized space with a few helpful accoutrements will keep spirits high and efficiency levels up.

CLEAR CLUTTER AND REMOVE THE NOISE!

Keeping work things out of sight during your home time, especially if you often work from home, will assist in your business-to-pleasure transition and allow you to truly be home.

USE POST-IT NOTES!

At work, my monitor looks like this: computer monitor with Post-it notes. Taking notes as the day goes on and crossing items off that list as you complete them is a great way to boost your sense of accomplishment and help you to push forward. The method to my madness is to write items on Post-it notes as they are

rattled off to me and to stick them around the perimeter of my computer monitor as reminders of tasks ahead. A few different times during the day, I will re-stick my Post-it notes from top to bottom in order of priority. Once I complete a task, that Post-it is gone. If I must leave tasks undone for the next morning, a colorful, prioritized flow reminds me of all the work things that I conveniently removed from my mind the night before. Each of them is right there for me to pick up where I left off without missing a beat. I am able to fully enjoy my home time with all of my colorful Post-it notes adhered to my monitor rather than my mind.

ZEN

Zen is a practice that focuses on awareness through meditation. I am not telling you to bring your yoga mat to work, or to stand on your head when the feeling strikes. Unfortunately, not all employers are pro-relaxation in the work place. What I am telling you is to take everything on, one thing at a time. If at any point you feel overwhelmed, close your eyes and take a breather. Halting productivity to regain your sanity will ultimately benefit not only you, but those around you.

PLAN A HOME-TO-WORK & WORK-TO-HOME TRANSITION

The home-to-work transition is often a standard, step-by-step procedure marked by morning rituals which you almost literally run through in your sleep. For funeral professionals such as ourselves, this transition often occurs not only in the morning, but it can also happen noon or night. Being prepared for the unexpected can save a lot of time and stress. Have some “on-call duds” ready and waiting in a predetermined location. A preferable location would be one which is not inhabited by your sleeping spouse. This will take you from point A to point B and back to point A again (point A being your bed) in a more timely fashion so that your body can return to its restful, sleeping state. As much as I enjoy picking out an adorable outfit, 2:30 in the morning is hardly the time for decision making. I’m sure I don’t even have to tell you that keeping a blank notepad and a pen on your nightstand to jot down vital information is also a great time-saving maneuver, making the infamous 2:30 a.m. pen-search a thing of the past.

Business Tips

SET ASIDE SOME TIME FOR YOUI hate the term “significant other” almost as much as I hate the word “boyfriend” past the age of 19, but for lack of a better word, my boyfriend and I have been together for seven years. To a lot of you, that’s just a drop in the bucket, but for me, that’s a quarter of my lifetime. What is our secret you ask? This comes from a healthy work-home balance. While he does not work in the funeral industry, he does own his own business and sometimes we may not see each other for more than an hour a day. In order to combat time lost, we look forward to the future.

I am an organizer, a planner and an open communicator who is granted every other weekend to myself. I purchase concert tickets, book wine tours, plan short weekend getaways to places we have never been and book massages to rejuvenate the body, mind and soul. One fun, relaxing day can prepare me to take on the world for the next two weeks.

While we’re on the subject of the significant other, one of the biggest ways to injure any relationship is to unload work stress on your spouse.

This is why we make a valiant attempt to practice what we call the “buffer zone policy.” When spouse number two finally gets home, no matter what time it is, it’s a quick welcome home with a smile and a smooch and then that person takes a 10-15 minute buffer zone period to overcome their work stress, work through all of their residual work thoughts and all-around just get comfortable.

Those all-important 10-15 minutes will renew and refresh their mood and allow the two of you to spend more quality time together rather than bickering over nonsense just because one party carried a bad mood home from work. I admit, I tend to be a bit of a buffer zone invader, so making a conscious effort to enforce the policy on both parts is important. I get overly excited about sharing my day and don’t allow for adequate decompression and this is extremely important in every relationship.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

Many of us tend to take for granted the fact that we are blessed with people in our lives who not only put up with our skewed schedules, but love us for what we do for others. These people bring us back from work mode and remind us that we all need to put a little “fun” in the life of the funeral director when the time is right.

It’s the little things that you strive to fit into each day that will ultimately balance your scale.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read more stories like this one, visit: www.SympathyNotes.org!

SympathyNotesA candid discussion about end-of-life issues

New York State

CLICK to view LOCATIONS or to

REGISTER!

‘Tis the Season!

And best wishes for a successful 2016!

Watch the video

Please note our upcoming holiday schedule:Christmas Eve – CLOSING at 1 p.m.Thursday, December 24th

Christmas Day - CLOSED Friday, December 25th

New Year’s Eve – CLOSING at 3 p.m.Thursday, December 31st

New Year's Day - CLOSEDFriday, January 1st

To those who must be on call . . . THANK YOU for being there for families that might need your help.

OSHA CONSULTATIONSERVICES

According to the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, over the last 5 years, the average OSHA fine levied against a funeral home in NYS exceeded $2,000. Would your funeral home be ready for a surprise inspection? Why take the chance? Get everything in order BEFORE you are inspected!

NYSFDA is pleased to introduce our new OSHA CONSULTATION SERVICE exclusively for members in need of personalized, on-site compliance assistance. DAN HARRISON, CSP (certified safety professional), provides OSHA compliance services for NYSFDA members. Simply select specific services you need to prepare for an OSHA inspection, eliminate potential fines and protect your employees.

MENU OF SERVICES • On-site audit, covering actual OSHA violations in funeral

service in NYS• A customized written safety program. Select from:

a. bloodborne pathogens; or

New York State

b. personal protective equipment (includes the OSHA-required “Hazard Assessments”); orc. hazard communication (includes the OSHA-required “Globally Harmonized Standard”); ord. formaldehyde

• One, 1-hour employee training session on OSHA-required topics and required documentation

• Free, unlimited technical support, plus free assistance negotiating any OSHA fines

• Additional optional services are available, and include:• Extra Employee Training Session ($195 per session)• Formaldehyde Testing and Analysis of Results ($195)• Employee Safety Manual ($39)

ABOUT DAN HARRISON, CSPDan developed an award winning health, safety and environmental program cited as the “most comprehensive program of its kind in the nation” by the American Society of Association Executives. Dan’s education includes a M.A. and a fellowship for doctoral studies at Oxford University. He has more than 12 years of direct experience in the field of OSHA and environmental compliance in health care. Dan’s credential, the CSP, is recognized by OSHA as the benchmark credential in the safety field.

THE COST?Flat fees mean no surprises. Only $995 for up to six-hours of on-site service, plus, if necessary, out-of-pocket travel expenses. Your fee includes UNLIMITED e-mail and telephone access to Dan Harrison, CSP. To enroll in NYSFDA’s OSHA Consultation Service and receive a customized safety program that fits your specific needs, simply CONTACT DAN DIRECTLY at: assetcorp@yahoo.com or call 518-339-0302.

NATIONAL News

2015 MEMBER GENERAL PRICE LIST SURVEY

The NATIONAL FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION (NFDA) recently released the results of its latest MEMBER GENERAL PRICE LIST STUDY, which includes the median cost of a funeral with burial.

For the first time, the report includes a calculation of the median cost of a funeral with cremation.

MEDIAN COST OF A FUNERAL WITH BURIAL

Since the 1960s, NFDA has calculated the median cost of a funeral with burial by totaling the costs of the following items:

• Basic services fee• Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home, embalming and other

preparation of the body (casketing, cosmetology, dressing and grooming)

• A metal casket• Use of facilities and staff for viewing and a funeral ceremony• Use of a hearse• Use of a service car/van, and • Basic memorial printed package (e.g., memorial cards, register book,

etc.).

THE NATIONAL MEDIAN COST OF A FUNERAL FOR 2014 WAS $7,181

If a vault is included, something that is typically required by a cemetery, the median cost is $8,508. The cost does not take into account cemetery, monument or marker costs or miscellaneous cash-advance charges, such as for flowers or an obituary.

Over the past decade, the median cost of an adult funeral in the United States has increased 28.6 percent. This is similar to the 2000-2009 period when the median cost of a funeral increased by 26.6 percent. The percent increase during the 1980s (1980-1989) was significantly higher (87 percent), reflecting the significantly higher inflation rates during that decade.

Item 2014* 2004* % Change

Non-declinable basic services fee $2,000 $1,460 37.0%

Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home $310 $195 59.0%

Embalming $695 $498 39.6%

Other preparation of the body $250 $174 42.9%

Use of facilities/staff for viewing $420 $339 23.9%

Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony $495 $395 25.3%

Hearse $318 $225 $225

Service car/van $143 $100 42.5%

Basic memorial printed package $155 $95 63.2%

Metal casket $2,395 $2,100 14.0%

Median cost of a funeral with viewing & burial $7,181 $5,582 28.6%

Vault $1,327 $998 33.0%

Total with vault $8,508 $6,580 29.3% 2004 prices have not been adjusted for inflation.* Median Price – The amount at which half of the figures fall below and half are above.

NATIONAL MEDIAN COST OF AN ADULT FUNERAL WITH VIEWING AND BURIAL:

2004 vs. 2014

NATIONAL MEDIAN COST OF A FUNERAL WITH CREMATION

The national median cost of a cremation in 2014 was $6,078. NFDA calculated the median cost of an adult funeral with cremation by totaling the costs of the following items: basic services fee, removal/transfer of remains to funeral home, embalming and other preparation of the body, use of facilities and staff for viewing and a funeral ceremony, use of a service car/van, basic memorial printed package, cremation fee, cremation casket and urn. The cost does not take into account vault, cemetery monument/marker costs or other miscellaneous cash advance charges.

Item 2014*

Non-declinable basic services fee $2,000

Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home $310

Embalming $695

Other preparation of the body $250

Use of facilities/staff for viewing $420

Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony $495

Service car/van $143

Basic memorial printed package $155

Cremation fee (if firm uses a third-party)** $330

Cremation casket $1,000

Urn $280

Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Cremation $6,078 * Median Price – The amount at which half of the figures fall below and half are above.**65% of respondents use a third-party crematory (i.e., the funeral home does not own a crematory)

NEW NFDA PRESIDENT

BOB ARRINGTON, CCO, of ARRINGTON FUNERAL DIRECTORS in Jackson, TN, was installed as president of NFDA. The installation took place during the House

of Delegates Meeting at the 2015 NFDA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION & EXPO, October 18-21 in Indianapolis, IN.

ELECTIONS

Three individuals were elected by the NFDA HOUSE OF DELEGATES and installed as officers:

• President-elect W. ASHLEY COZINE, CFSP, CPC, CCO, of BROADWAY MORTUARY in Wichita, KS;

• Treasurer KENNETH “KEN” CAHALL, CFSP, CCO, of CAHALL FUNERAL HOMES INC. in Georgetown, OH; and

• Secretary CHARLES T. “CHUCK” BOWMAN, CMSP, CFSP, CCO, of HORAN & MCCONATY FUNERAL SERVICE & CREMATION in Denver, CO.

BYLAWS

Per a change in the NFDA Constitution and Bylaws, which was adopted during the 2015 House of Delegates Meeting, the Executive Board is now known as the Board of Directors. (Source: NFDA)

New York State

NYSFDA ASSISTS A FAMILYNYSFDA has received and the FDSS Board of Directors has approved a claim for payment of funds from the Association’s “Consumer Prepaid Funeral Protection Fund,” the first-ever such claim in the history of the Fund.

ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION WAS RECEIVED FOR THIS CLAIM:• Certified death certificate dated on/after January 1, 2012 • Final itemized bill for the funeral merchandise and services provided• Completed, signed and notarized claim form• Copy of the original signed pre-need agreement (dated on/after January 1, 2011)• Proof of all funds paid to the original funeral home (i.e., cancelled checks – front/

back, bank statements, deposit statements, annual activity statements, etc.• Amount of Claim

FUND BACKGROUNDCreated in 2011 by acts of the NYSFDA and FDSS Boards of Directors, the purpose of this Fund is to pay the documented funeral and burial costs of any consumer of a New York State funeral firm who has had their preneed monies illegally misappropriated by a funeral director. This is the first program anywhere in the country that is operated by a state association or any other private entity, in contrast to others which are funded through an assessment on each preneed contract and operated by a state government. This initiative reflects the strong belief of our leadership that our consumers are entitled to the funeral/burial they desired and, indeed, had already paid and planned for through their previous establishment of a preneed account.

For more information, contact the Fund Administrator: Adam@preplan.org.

BUDDHIST BELIEFS ABOUT

DEATHFuneral rituals and customs vary greatly by religion and culture. The following information is from NYSFDA’s publication, RELIGIOUS FUNERAL ETIQUETTE: A GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS available in our PUBLICATION CATALOG.

ORDER FORM

Consumer Information

Death of the physical body is just a part of an ongoing process of reincarnation until one receives enlightenment. After death, it is believed that the departed goes through a transformation in which they discover death, and prepare for their rebirth.

VisitationThe casket is open at the funeral home but the viewing period is only a few hours.

Funeral practicesThe service is held at the funeral home and lasts about 45 minutes. The most unique feature of the service involves the preparation of a meal of rice, vegetables and sometimes fruit, which is taken to the ceremony. It is common for Buddhists to cremate their dead. Final funeral prayers occur the first seven days after death.

Mourning ritualsPrayers are said weekly during a 49-day funeral period. It is during this period that the prayers of the mourners are believed to help the deceased during the post-death transformation and awaken their spirit to the true nature of death.

BEWARE: FUNERAL SCAMS ARE

Back

New York State

TO AVOID GETTING TANGLED IN ONE OF THESE SCAMS, BE MINDFUL OF THE FOLLOWING EIGHT TIPS:

1. A telltale sign of a possible scam is a message from a free e-mail service account (i.e. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo). VISA reports that

these e-mail services have no billing relationship with the consumer, making them very difficult to trace.

2. Never ship merchandise until you verify that a check has cleared and funds are in the account.

3. Simply because a charge goes through on a credit card does not mean it is legitimate. The card may have been stolen and a

chargeback will eventually be made against the funeral home when the theft is discovered. Funeral homes should be very careful about accepting credit card payments when the contact is initiated by the consumer and credit card information is given via e-mail, fax or telephone.

We encourage all members to remain vigilant in watching out for scams.

NYSFDA has recently received calls from members in various parts of the

State informing us that they have received e-mails from a “local” man who

is at sea aboard a fishing vessel whose wife has recently died in London. In

fact, the person is attempting to make at-need funeral arrangements and

set-up “payment” for shipping his wife back to the U.S. Although this is not

the “typical” storyline, it is clear that, unfortunately, these scams continue.

4. Never wire funds back to a consumer, especially overseas. Also, do not provide account information to an overseas consumer who needs to

deposit funds into your account.

5. Be suspicious whenever the purchase order is for several of the same item of merchandise.

6. Whenever a funeral home is requested to ship to an international address, it should be suspicious. Many scams are initiated overseas.

7. VISA advises that merchants should be careful about shipping to a single address when the transaction is placed on multiple cards.

8. Unless you have been contacted by someone from the American Citizen Services Unit of the country’s Embassy or Consulate, you should not send

any money.

As an additional protection, money for repatriation can be sent to funeral

homes overseas via the State Department in Washington, DC. If you wish

to verify the legitimacy of a death overseas and the intent to repatriate

the body, contact the OVERSEAS CITIZENS SERVICES OFFICE at the U.S.

STATE DEPARTMENT at 888-407-4747.

Please be sure all of your employees, as well as your answering service, are aware of this scam.

New York State

CONFERENCE LETTERAfter the recommendation of the Board, NYSFDA sent a letter

to DALENE PAULL, Executive Director of THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF FUNERAL SERVICE EXAMINING BOARDS on

October 2, 2015. The letter was regarding the potential invalidation

of National Board Exam scores of New York licensees related to

AAMI attendance. As of this writing, Ms. Paull as yet to respond to

our concerns. VIEW LETTER

40 + Yrs

AMERICAN FUNERAL CONSULTANTSAFC

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Kathy Williams & Melissa Drake

Team up with PERSPECTIVE. Team up with AFC.

When Dr. Vanderlyn Pine founded AFC over 40 years ago, he was influenced by generations of Pine Family funeral directors, his experience managing a funeral home, and years of teaching the Sociology of Death and Dying at the university level.

…We took ownership of AFC after decades of learning from the best. It’s the emphasis on the importance of the funeral, the role of the funeral director in society, and the respect for the work they do that drives us today. It’s a unique perspective for those in our line of work and it’s one our clients have come to understand and trust. Our clients share our values, and know that the reputation of those on their team is a reflection on them.

A reputation for PERSPECTIVE…

LEARN MORE

NYS CREMATION UpdateThe NYS DIVISION OF CEMETERIES has updated the NYS CREMATION AUTHORIZATION FORM (as of August 2015). It simply adds the NY “State of Opportunity” logo to the top. The link below will take you to this updated Form, which can be completed online as a “fillable” form.

All NYS crematories must use the standardized Cremation Authorization Form, developed by the NYS Division of Cemeteries. The Form along with related instructions for completing the Form are now available on the NYS Division of Cemeteries website or here:

• New York State Cremation Authorization Form (updated 08/2015)• Instructions for Cremation Authorization Form

According to the NYS Division of Cemeteries, the Cremation Authorization Form was developed in response to errant practices that have surfaced across the country in recent years, and therefore provides a safeguard for confirming and protecting the identity of the decedent. The Form clearly states that “cremation is an irreversible and final process” and provides some detail of the process for the benefit of families.

Ideally, crematories will provide the Form to funeral directors; however, a funeral

New York State

director may download the forms as explained above. For ease of use, type in your funeral home name and the name and address of the crematory to be used before printing. Funeral directors are advised to work with the families to accurately complete the Form prior to signing as a witness as required for the Form’s completion.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT NYSFDA HAS RECEIVED:

• All crematories and, by extension, funeral directors, must use this newly updated state Form. The Form may not be customized; it must remain a visible state form.

• If multiple persons in control of disposition are making the arrangements, and they are easily located, it is advised that each of these persons should initial and sign the Form where indicated. Otherwise, it is only necessary for the “person in control of disposition” (whether the next-of-kin or “agent”) to sign it, provided this person has also filled out the final disposition law form attesting that they are the person who rightfully is the “person in control.”

• The Form is only for use by NYS Crematories. It is not required if a cremation takes place at an out-of-state crematory.

• A crematory may refuse to perform the cremation if the Form is not complete.

• If the family has not yet received the urn to be used, this should be indicated in the Cremation Container/Urn section of the form.

• NYSFDA strongly encourages funeral directors with prearrangements involving cremation to have the customer consider appointing a final disposition “agent” now (using the agent designation form) to ensure a smoother process at the time of need.

• If a funeral director is making arrangements with families via phone or e-mail, he/she may wish to obtain a notarized signature and attach that to the Cremation Authorization Form.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns relating to the Cremation Authorization Form, please contact MARIANNE or RANDY at 800-291-2629 or via email marianne@nysfda.org.

If you don’t plan ahead on how and when you should access your IRA (individual retirement account) money, you may get a worse tax bite than necessary.

The rules that govern minimum required distributions from IRAs are among the most complicated in our tax code. This article can only give a brief overview so it’s best to consult with an IRA specialist before making a distribution decision.

REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS If you own a traditional IRA, you must start taking a minimum amount of money out of your IRA by April 1 the year following the year in which you reach age 70½--your required beginning date. You always can take out more, but not less than the required minimum distribution amount. The required minimum distribution amount is based on a calculation of your account’s value and your life expectancy--how many more years you are expected to live. The longer your life expectancy, the lower the annual required distribution.

If you do not take at least the minimum required withdrawal amount each year, you’ll owe a 50% penalty on the amount that should have been withdrawn.

Roth IRA owners are not required to take minimum distributions during the owner’s lifetime. Roth owners can let their IRA grow free of federal taxes longer and take the money out on your own timetable.

FOLLOWING THE

RulesWithdrawing From Your IRA

Business ServicesTAX CONSEQUENCES OF A WITHDRAWAL

Dipping into your IRA, of course, means you’ll also get stuck with an income tax bill. Traditional IRA funds are taxed upon withdrawal. At that time, the owner must add the amount of the withdrawal to his or her income taxes for the year of the withdrawal. For example, if your taxable income is $30,000 and you withdraw $5,000 from your traditional IRA, then you will pay taxes on $35,000 for that year. Owners who make nondeductible contributions do not pay taxes on that portion of their traditional IRA withdrawals.

Because Roth IRA contributions are not tax deductible, they are not taxed when withdrawn. Roth IRA earnings are taxable if the withdrawal is not a qualified distribution. Contributions to a Roth IRA are withdrawn first, so no taxes are owed until the owner “dips” into their earnings.

It’s the IRA owner’s responsibility to determine the taxable portion of each withdrawal, with assistance from a professional tax adviser.

Happy Holidays

from us to you!

INTEREST COMPUTATION FOR PREPLAN ACCOUNTS AT-NEEDInterest is accrued on the TOTAL amount in the account INCLUDING AMOUNTS SET ASIDE FOR CASH ADVANCE items such as obituaries, cemetery charges and clergy fees.

In an at-need situation, the total amount of interest earned on an account should be applied to both the funeral home charges and cash advance charges. To calculate these amounts, please

do the following:

Determine what percentage of the total plan amount the funeral home charges comprise. Apply that percentage to the total amount of interest that has been earned on the account since it was opened. The remaining amount of interest would be applied to the cash advance charges.

Business Services

RATE WATCHCURRENT NET CONSUMER YIELD

1.24%ANNUAL CONSUMER NET YIELD

1.18%

EXAMPLE:Total Plan Amount $10,000

Funeral Home Charges $ 8,000 (80% of plan amount)

Cash Advance Items $ 2,000 (20% of plan amount)

Total Interest Accrued $ 380

Interest Accrued for Funeral Home Charges $ 304 (80%)

Interest Accrued for Cash Advance Items $ 76 (20%)

The staff of PREPLAN wishes its member funeral homes a happy and healthy holiday season! We greatly appreciate your continued loyalty and trust in our services.

Final Thoughts

What Do You Think?Take a moment to fill out our interactive survey.

Once you submit your opinion, you can view what your peers think too!

If an e-mail seems “fishy,” chances are it is. Has your funeral home received the latest scam e-mail mentioned on PAGE 36 of this magazine?

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR FUNERAL DIRECTORS

The U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) has an online FUNERAL DIRECTORS RESOURCE KIT. Funeral directors may use the kit when helping

veterans and their families make burial arrangements in VA national cemeteries. It has links about eligibility, benefits and services, plus videos and information regarding services offered with and without military funeral honors. The videos are available in English and Spanish.

www.cem.va.gov/cem/funeraldirector.asp