National, March 15, 2023 – Funeralocity.com, the consumer advocate platform for funeral planning, has published The Funeralocity Manifesto. This manifesto outlines the company’s mission to assist families in times of grief and provide them with the necessary information to make informed decisions about funeral planning.

One of the main issues addressed in the manifesto is the high cost of funerals in the US. Funeralocity notes that funeral costs have consistently exceeded the Consumer Price Index for many years, making it the fifth most expensive purchase for the average American after a home, college education, wedding, and automobile. The manifesto emphasizes the importance of transparency in funeral pricing and aims to empower consumers by providing free access to pricing information for every cremation and funeral provider in the US.

The Funeralocity Manifesto also advocates for the quality of services provided by funeral homes and cremation providers. The company has established strict quality standards and credentials providers based on feedback received from consumers and end-of-life healthcare providers. Funeralocity also recognizes the top 10% of funeral homes and cremation providers in the US through their Best in America Awards.

In addition to providing pricing and quality information, Funeralocity encourages individuals to plan their own funerals in advance. The manifesto notes that this can reduce stress and prevent overspending during a time of grief. To support this, Funeralocity has created a Resource Center that provides guidance on funeral planning, terminology, and grief resources.

Funeralocity’s commitment to the end-of-life healthcare community is also highlighted in the manifesto. The company has created a separate Hospice Portal with information tailored to the profession. They believe that the continuum of care should extend beyond hospice care and include a compassionate and fitting celebration of a person’s life.

Environmental impact is another issue addressed in The Funeralocity Manifesto. The funeral industry can have a negative impact on the environment, and Funeralocity believes it has a responsibility to inform consumers about the options for green funerals. The company is also committed to being carbon-negative and has partnered with Trees for the Future to support reforestation efforts and offset carbon.

Overall, The Funeralocity Manifesto is a comprehensive statement of Funeralocity’s commitment to empowering families during a difficult time and providing them with the resources they need to make informed decisions about funeral planning. With its focus on transparency, quality, and sustainability, Funeralocity is leading the way in transforming the funeral industry.

Funeralocity.com was a Future Factory startup.

National, September 10, 2022 – Ed Michael Reggie, CEO of Funeralocity.com, has become a prominent voice in the funeral services industry, as American industries struggle to fill plentiful job vacancies in a tight labor market. CNN Business spoke with him about the challenges.

As demand for funeral directors and workers in the industry grows, colleges specializing in funeral service education are growing enrollment. Reggie says that “no one plans to be a funeral director, unless you have a parent in the business, but as a first-time career, it’s generally not a costly degree. It’s a shorter program than a full college degree, and you can make $60,000 to $75,000 a year.”

Funeralocity.com is a consumer advocacy resource that helps families find a funeral home or crematorium provider that best meets their needs. As the industry generates over $16 billion in annual revenue, and there were more than 18,800 funeral homes in the US in 2021, the platform has become increasingly important for those seeking to navigate the vast array of options available.

Reggie says that the shortage of workers in the funeral services industry is so severe that there’s a 90% job placement rate for graduates of these programs. “There’s a big interest in this field from women, and it makes sense. Women absolutely have an empathetic bent and are perhaps better prepared to help families get through a very difficult life event,” Reggie notes.

According to the American Board of Funeral Service Education, women currently make up as much as 72% of recent graduates of funeral services education. Reggie believes that the growing interest in the profession is partly due to the quick career advancement opportunities it provides. He notes that “you do have the opportunity to advance in just a few years from getting your college degree to becoming a funeral director or even owning your own funeral home.”

Funeralocity.com was a Future Factory startup.

May 5, 2022, National – Consumer advocate Ed Michael Reggie, the founder of Funeralocity.com, was recently interviewed by the Today Show about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance fund. As the United States passes the one million mark of COVID-19 deaths, the program aims to help families cover the cost of a funeral for someone who has died of COVID-19. The fund offers up to $9,000 and has no end date, covering deaths attributed to the virus as far back as January 2020.

Despite being eligible, less than half of the people believed to be eligible for the program had applied for it as of April 2022. Reggie noted that the up-to-$9,000 payment can make a significant impact since the average funeral in the United States costs around $8,000.

To apply for funeral assistance, applicants must call (844) 684-6333, where FEMA representatives will take their call. The application must be completed over the phone, and the process takes about 20 minutes. The applicant will also have to submit supporting documents, including any relevant receipts, a death certificate listing the coronavirus as a cause of death, and any other necessary paperwork, like funeral home contracts or invoices.

After the paperwork is received, it takes FEMA “approximately 45 days to make an eligibility decision.” Families who had multiple deaths due to the coronavirus can also apply. One family can receive up to $35,000 across multiple funerals.

After an application is approved, funds will either be deposited into a bank account or sent by mail via check, usually arriving within a few days of approval. Reggie warned that people should be aware that all contact will be direct through FEMA, not a funeral home or other party. While there have been no reports of scammers trying to use the program to get funds dispersed to themselves, Reggie said that people should be cautious.

The FEMA Funeral Assistance program is part of the American Rescue Plan, a stimulus package passed in 2021 to help the country financially manage amid the pandemic. “We wanted to offer funds for people to be able to provide a proper burial for their loved ones,” said Jaclyn Rothenberg, the director of public affairs for FEMA. Reggie noted that he has seen the program bring families some peace during these difficult times.

As our nation continues to mourn the impact of the pandemic, the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance fund provides families with an option for financial relief during an already difficult time.

Funeralocity.com was a Future Factory startup.

National, March 15, 2022 – Ed Michael Reggie, founder and CEO of Funeralocity.com, was recently interviewed by USA Today regarding the low uptake of federal COVID-19 funeral benefits. Despite an extensive publicity campaign undertaken by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), only 11 states had application rates of 50% or higher for the $9,000 death benefit available for coronavirus-related deaths.

Reggie stated that he believes a primary reason for the low application rates is that people are simply unaware of the benefit’s existence. He also cited the anticipation of red tape in the FEMA application process as a potential deterrent, as some people are daunted by the program.

The FEMA program, which pays for COVID-19 funeral-related costs incurred on or after January 20, 2020, has been funded by federal appropriations enacted in 2021. Applicants who ran up funeral expenses for more than one COVID-19 death may receive up to $9,000 per deceased individual and a maximum of $35,500 per application. However, people who pre-paid funeral expenses or had funeral insurance are not eligible.

Reggie’s company, Funeralocity.com, is a consumer advocacy platform that provides comparison prices for every funeral home and crematory in the US. He believes that the lack of awareness around the FEMA benefit is due to a failure to publicize it effectively. Nevertheless, FEMA has since improved its performance after initial long waits for applicants to get through to representatives when the program opened last year.

In addition to low public awareness, other factors may be contributing to the low application rate. FEMA notes that people over age 65 “typically have funeral/burial insurance or prepaid for their funeral,” and potential applicants may have received death benefits from other sources. Some people may also not meet citizenship or other requirements for the benefit, while others may not want to reopen the emotional wound caused by the death by gathering required documentation and applying for assistance.

Despite these challenges, Ed Michael Reggie and others are urging Americans to take advantage of the federal funeral benefits available. At a time of deep emotional loss, the financial relief provided by the FEMA program can be a much-needed source of support for families dealing with the impact of COVID-19.

Funeralocity.com was a Future Factory startup.