Funeral Director Daily recently published an article on the merits of Guaranteed Preneeds vs. Non-Guaranteed Preneed contracts.  In that article we discovered an inflation calculator that helped us explain the costs involved as insurance value grows and the cost to provide a funeral also grows.

I had some fun with the calculator and also decided it would be fun to see how costs of items, including funerals, have grown in the past 45 years. . . . . And, not only grown, but grown against other types of expenses and purchases.

The following table will show nine categories that I looked up prices.  I looked up “average” prices for the years 1980 (when I entered the work force), 2000 (when approximately today’s 45-50 year olds entered the work force) and last year (2024).  I then took the 2024 price and divided by the 1980 price which gives an approximate of the multiple that that particular product has increased in 44 years.

For funeral home pricing I looked at the cost of a traditional funeral that included professional services and casket but no cemetery or monument costs.  My study found those prices by, in general, looking up National Funeral Director Association (NFDA) statements on the subject. . . . This exercise is not meant to be absolutely scientific but more a general feeling of where funeral costs fit in the overall price increase equation.

Here are the categories that I found easily accessible and the data I found on the subjects.  As you can see, traditional funeral prices have increased an approximate multiple of 4.58 times the 1980 costs.  While that multiple is larger than some items I found including median household income, it is certainly less than new home construction or the cost of post-high school education and family health insurance premiums.

Costs of Products/Services from 1980 to 2024

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  I think that this chart puts funeral costs into perspective.  From my point of view, funeral homes have done pretty well in holding down costs of these services when you look at the comparison to the Median Household Income multiple —  they are very similar.

So, if price isn’t the problem, what is?  The problem for funeral home profitability is that the percentage of casketed, traditional funerals has went from about 85% of the total Death Care services in 1980 to probably about 35% of total Death Care services in 2024.  And, that large decrease is back-filled by cremation services which bring in less revenue.

Undergraduate Tuition —  There is no doubt that there are two main factors responsible for the growth of Higher Education undergraduate tuition.  The first is the fact that state legislatures, with their appropriation choices, have made Higher Education a private good rather than a public benefit good.  Virtually, all legislatures have increased the appropriations for Higher Education at lower levels than most other budget line items.  In my state of Minnesota, the legislature appropriated 7.1% of the budget to Higher Education in 2000 and that number is only 5.2% of the budget in 2024.

The result of that choice is that when I went to college in the 1970’s, the State of Minnesota contributed about 75% of the cost of college while I paid about 25%. . . . I learned from my time on the U of Minnesota Board that that ratio has now been “flipped on its head” whereby a state picks up about 25% of the cost and the student and/or their family picks up 75% of the cost.  Legislators have found other uses for monies previously appropriated to Higher Education.

Secondly, the advent of “Guaranteed Student Loans” has allowed colleges to raise their prices without a serious budgetary thought process.  Students who really want to go to college are simply walked over to the financial aid office and instructed how they can finance their eduction not always realizing the ramifications of debt repayment in the future.

Health Care Costs —  America faces a crisis if Health Care premiums and the costs that require those premiums cannot be dealt with.  On the other hand, America has raised its life expectancy on its citizens to 79.25 years from 73.61 years in 1980.  So, Americans are getting a life-span of almost 8% more in those 44 years. . . .What price is that worth?

Personally, I don’t think it is the Health Care insurance premiums that are the problem. . . . it is the medical costs driving those premiums.  People a lot smarter than me have to figure out how to get those costs in check if we are going to see a decrease anytime soon.  And, if we don’t see a decrease in health care costs all businesses, including funeral homes, are going to see headwinds to profitability in the case of continually rising employee health insurance benefits.

Will Technology help?  —  I always think of my time on a regional Wells Fargo board when I think of technology.  Banks have greatly increased their profitability because of technology — in the case of banks, internet banking specifically.

I can remember when Wells Fargo was just starting internet banking around the years 1998 or so.  One aspect I remember from a meeting is that it was brought to our attention that a bank transaction involving a teller cost the bank about $1, a bank transaction using an ATM machine cost the bank about 10 cents, and an internet transaction cost the bank less than 1 cent.  That’s a big reason banks pushed internet banking so much.

And consider that from that time, banks have went from having about 90% of their transactions with a teller to probably about 90%, or more, of their transactions online. . . . . .That technology has been a huge money maker for banks — especially when you consider they have less need for large, high priced locations and less use of consumer face-to-face staff.

I’m waiting to find out what the technology will be in Death Care that will have that result.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Selected Independent Funeral Homes Lets the Good Times Roll at 107th Annual Meeting in New Orleans

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – June 17, 2025 – The world’s leading independent funeral service professionals will gather in New Orleans, LA for Selected Independent Funeral Homes’ 107th Annual Meeting at The Ritz-Carlton on September 28 – October 1.

True to this year’s theme of “Let the Good Times Roll,” participants will have ample opportunities to network with colleagues, experience engaging educational sessions and obtain valuable continuing education credit. During the meeting, the Association will induct its newest Board Representatives and Officers, while recognizing the contributions of its outgoing Officers.

Keynote speaker Commander Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.) will present “Leadership & Accountability When It Matters.” Commander Lippold was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole when it came under a fatal terrorist attack by al Qaeda in the port of Aden, Yemen, on October 12, 2000. Using his experience from this devastating terrorist attack as a backdrop, Commander Lippold conveys how the principle of integrity created a diverse and inclusive environment for leadership where his crew felt empowered with a sense of ownership, seizing the opportunity to be responsible for their ship, and not just their jobs.

The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, an award-winning employment brand, will present “A Culture of Excellence: Building Success from Within” during the General Session. They will share best practices on how to activate and sustain a culture where valued and empowered employees own the customer experience. Leaders ready to transform their organization will walk away with actionable ideas to elevate experiences and engage employees.

Many other dynamic speakers will share valuable insights at the Annual Meeting. View details of all speakers and sessions online. Additional highlights will include the following:

• Up to 10.0 hours of continuing education credit (1.0 CE Units) by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice and states requiring CE. (Approvals vary by state.)
• Recognition of Selected Membership Milestone anniversaries.
• Induction of Selected’s 2025-2026 Board Chair and President, 2025-2029 Board Directors and recognition of outgoing Officers.
• Recognition of the Selected Educational Trust’s Ambassador of the Year Awards.
• Opportunities to connect with Selected’s Preferred Partners both at their individual displays and during informational “Conversation Café” sessions.
• Several members-only sessions and activities for Selected members including luncheons for members of Selected’s Communities.
• Two days of exclusive Selected Study Groups events for Selected Study Groups participants.

“For more than 100 years, Selected has used our Annual Meeting as a catalyst for positive change and an incubator for innovation,” said Tom Antram, 2024-2025 Selected President. “The good times happen when we are together. I’m excited to Let the Good Times Roll as we gather in New Orleans this fall!”

Spots are filling quickly! Register and make your hotel reservations today.

About Selected Independent Funeral Homes:

For more than 100 years, Selected Independent Funeral Homes has been the leading association of independently owned death care providers. The Association connects leaders in funeral service by delivering innovative and pertinent resources, solutions and ongoing support to its international network. These leaders transform care as they aspire to the highest quality standards and best practices. As the capstone of Selected’s year, the Annual Meeting gives members and participants an opportunity to create the future of funeral service.

Well, here we are — Election Day 2024!  Tomorrow some will be happy, some will be sad, some will have joy, and some will have angst in their hearts.

I get it — we all want to win and in a divided country it certainly seems like only 50% will.  But you know what, for all of us, we will be back to work and the politics of the moment  — whether we agree or disagree with the outcomes will probably not change the relationships with those we work beside.  With whatever work we do, the goal should be in completing the task.

What about us funeral directors?  The next time our phone rings to go to work, we won’t know if it is a Democrat or a Republican family calling us. . . .and, it shouldn’t matter  — we are called to serve all of those who need our care.

For today’s article I offer a reprint of a Funeral Director Daily article that is over a year old and titled, “Confessions of a Retired Funeral Director”.  I think it captures my point-of-view of where I feel today about the end of the election cycle. . . . and I think it comes to a point of understanding I’ve reached that what we do for others is much more important than what side of the aisle will win today.  —  Moving forward is about recapturing our humanity and trying to create a world in which we care about each other. . . .I hope you enjoy the article. . . The reprint begins here:

Confessions of a Retired Funeral Director” — originally published in June 2023

I had an incident in church on Sunday that both the party I was involved with and myself laughed about at the time.  However, when I returned home I thought about the situation and wondered to myself, “Is it just me in this stage of life or is humanity, in general, losing its focus on what really matters and our respect of it”.

And, I think on a deeper level the answer to that question will have ramifications on Death Care and the businesses that serve it.  Quite frankly, the level of profitability for those in our profession from funeral homes to suppliers may be affected more than we think moving forward on how we answer the question.

So, I was coming back from communion on Sunday up the side aisle of the church.  My friend, Diane, with whom I went to school with years ago was sitting on the end of her pew and I was going to pass right by her.  Her father, Franklin, died in January at age 99, was immediately cremated, and there was a delayed public committal service about ten days ago at a local cemetery.

I leaned over as I walked by and asked, “Did everything go okay at Dad’s committal service?”  She said “Yes, just perfect”.  Over time I’ve learned that honesty is the best policy and then said, “I had planned to come, but Friday is my golf day”.  We both laughed and went on our way following church.

I got home and started thinking.  For 33 years as a funeral director I made an effort to attend “every” service that was conducted by our funeral home.  And, I sometimes drove 5 hours one way to attend a one hour service of a friend’s dad or mom’s funeral service in another community. . . .or even 3 hours one way to attend my Batesville rep’s father’s visitation.  It’s just what I did. . . . I felt good about doing so and I also felt like it was about respecting and acknowledging a life that has been lived. . . .A life our Maker gave on this earth, that should be respected and acknowledged.

Now Franklin was a great guy!  Somebody everybody liked.  He was not unlike so many of the Greatest Generation that I served as a funeral director.  He was a veteran of World War II serving in the Pacific. . . . He came back and raised a family in our community while working in a blue collar employment position. . . . He served as an Honor Guard member at many funerals that I conducted. . . .I grew up with his children. . . and on and on.

I should not have missed his public service to acknowledge and respect those facts.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

The bigger question however, is our society and will its seemingly lack of respect and acknowledgment of human lives lived eventually dismantle the Death Care profession as we know it?  Attendance at funerals is lessening and quite frankly, many families have taken it to the level, through Direct Cremation with No Services, that they don’t even give us a chance to pay that respect. . . . However, let’s not chastise them,  maybe they are just taking the public’s lead, like my absence at Franklin’s service,  and think that nobody is interested or will spend their time in coming to the service anyway.

I could go on and on, but I worry about a society that seems to be more concerned with ourselves than we do with others.  Whether it is me golfing when I should have paid respects to a wonderful human being or it is our politicians that are more concerned with carrying out their party’s extreme wishes, which helps them self-preserve and protect their own positions,  rather than moderating to the wishes of the 70% of moderate non-political Americans in an effort to bring America forward.

In any event, my 30-second exchange in church on Sunday has made me take a new look at my actions.  I know that I will stray again, but I want to re-focus my energy on “helping others” more than I help myself.  I hope, for the good of our profession and the good of our country, others can do the same.

By the way last Sunday, July 16, happened to be my father’s 105th birthday.  As I’ve done on every July 16th since his death in 1977 I went to Kinkead Cemetery to visit. . . . . .but, on this Sunday I also took the time to find Franklin’s grave and pay my respects to his life.

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

On the 4th of July we celebrate independence, freedom and liberation.

This holiday is often accompanied by ribs and beer, fireworks and family gatherings.

But, before you fire up your grill, let’s take this opportunity to think about some ways we can liberate the funeral profession from any limitations or shackles it has held for too long.

Defining liberation

Before we dive into how to liberate the funeral profession, let’s get on the same page of what liberation truly means. According to the dictionary, liberation can be defined as “the act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression; release.” Another definition offered is “freedom from limits on thought or behavior”. 

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s explore some ways we can stop limiting ourselves and each other through limited thinking.

First of all, let’s talk about tradition.

If you really want to liberate yourself and this entire profession, we must first liberate ourselves from the traditions which no longer serve us. It’s not up to us, the writers of this piece, to decide which traditions no longer serve you personally. However, I do tend to think that anything that keeps us rigid, inflexible, unadaptable and stuck, needs to go. If we stay rigid, how can we evolve? 

Evolution requires adaptation. And without evolution, we become stale and stagnant. So ask yourself: what traditions are keeping me from evolving with the changes the world is seeing? How can I release myself from them?

Read more: 11 Tweets About Traditional Funerals That Show Things Are Definitely Changing…

Second, let’s do away with top-down company structures

As we enter into a world that’s innovating itself from the bottom up, we must assume it’s also our job to do the same. Innovation certainly doesn’t always begin at the top of your company. Innovation only truly happens in a collaborative environment. 

If your funeral home’s employees don’t have a say in the future of your funeral business, it’s a problem. Because let’s face it, you’re only as good as your employees. You can’t innovate without them. So make them a part of your innovative plans and let their true innate gifts shine. 

Read more: Superhero Leadership: How You Can Make the World a Better Place At Your Funeral Home

Third, let’s invite in the matriarchal approach to death

As we enter into a new way of the funeral profession, we can’t help but notice the amount of women entering into this profession. And as women infiltrate the funeral profession, we must ask ourselves one thing. 

The thing is: how can women enter the funeral profession without trying to be men? Many times, the way of the woman is much different than the way of the man. And both roles are important, and needed. However, we must remember that women are not men. There is a different pace, structure and way of a woman than a man. 

And instead of making the same mistakes that many other industries have made, I invite us to embrace the matriarchal way of death. In other industries, such as politics, women enter the industry trying to be like men. And it doesn’t work! We truly need a feminine way in the funeral profession, too. It’s important and meaningful. Both are important. But right now, to truly liberate ourselves, we must celebrate and invite in the matriarchal approach to death.

Read more: What If Women Ran The Funeral Profession? 10 Predictions Made

Happy 4th of July to the funeral pros out there

May we all liberate ourselves from all the ways we limit ourselves and our capabilities, as well as others. 

May we all stay open in our hearts and our minds and welcome change.

May we all remain compassionate towards ourselves and one another as we transition into new ways of doing things.

May we all be happy, and free.

How do you think it would look to liberate the funeral profession? Tell us in the comments below!