As its first step in educating the preneed industry about SB1’s requirements, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors posted the Top 12 Changes to Missouri’s Pre-Need Law to its website. However, I had trouble getting past No. 2. The explanation about fiduciary reimbursements of sales expense on Pre-SB1 sales sent me back
August 2009
Missouri Memorial Sales and Chapter 436
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Legislation
For the past fifteen years or so, Missouri cemeteries could sell markers and memorials on a preneed basis without making delivery of the marker, or depositing purchaser payments into a trust. RSMo. Section 214.387 authorized cemeteries to use a segregated account to hold an amount equal to 110% of the marker’s wholesale cost. If the…
Illinois’ death care reform: inching towards reality
By Bill Stalter on
Reform in Illinois inched closer to reality with Governor Quinn’s "amendatory veto" of SB1682. If accepted by the Illinois legislature, the reform bill will become law on January 31, 2010.
However, the Governor is seeking a 30 day window between the deadline for the report due from the Funeral Burial Task Force and SB1682’s effective date. It is doubtful much could be done to change SB1682…
An August 28th To Do List: Missouri’s Preneed Industry
By Bill Stalter on
The Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors meets August 25th to vote on emergency rules that are intended to keep the preneed industry functioning when SB1 goes into effect on August 28th. While numerous issues have been identified to the State Board as deserving of emergency status, four stand out above the rest:…
Notice of Intent? We don’t need no stinkin’ Notice of Intent
By Bill Stalter on
Come August 28th, every Missouri funeral home that plans to sell or honor a preneed contract must file a Notice of Intent To Apply. The State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors has devised this form to ease the rush that will occur when hundreds of licenses must be obtained. However, many Missouri funeral homes…
Cemetery Preneed Oversight: the bucket factor
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Cemeteries, Preneed
Recent cemetery failures are causing regulators from Illinois, Missouri and Kansas to take a closer look at the oversight provided for preneed sales of vaults, markers, urns and burial services.
Cemetery preneed is a different animal for that offered by funeral homes. As Mr. Newcomer suggested to a reporter, the big difference between the…
The Zeal for Independence: The NPS investment advisor
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in NPS/Lincoln
The wait for Ms. Garrett’s lawsuit against NPS, the Cassity family (and anyone remotely connected with the Cassity Consortium) ended on August 7th.
If half of the allegations made in the NPS Complaint are true, the misconduct perpetrated on funeral homes and consumers is shocking to say the least. The Complaint provides a bevy of…
The Informant: Randall Sutton
By Bill Stalter on
News of Randy Sutton’s arrest was greeted by honking hearses in Missouri, Texas, Illinois, and a dozen or so other states. But, the question funeral directors are asking: What about the Cassity family?
Federal investigators need for someone to rollover and give up the Cassity crew, and apparently, Mr. Sutton is their choice.
Matt Damon’s…
Missouri’s Catch 22
By Bill Stalter on
Missouri’s Chapter 436 reform law goes into effect on August 28th, and the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors will have the responsibility of implementing the new changes. However, the State Board is caught in a Catch 22 situation.
Many of the changes will have to be implemented through regulations, but the Board…