When Mark Harrison started working in funeral service safety nearly three decades ago, he brought something unique to the industry: an online education model that could reach funeral professionals wherever they were. Today, as president of Certified Safety Training (CST), Harrison has provided 100,000 funeral service trainings and partnered with major industry associations including the NFDA, ICCFA, and Selected Independent. In our recent conversation, Harrison shared insights about the evolution of workplace safety in funeral homes and the critical challenges facing the industry today.

Throughout his career training funeral service professionals, Harrison consistently encounters a troubling mindset that puts entire operations at risk: the belief that “it won’t happen to me or this will never happen at my funeral home.” This attitude, he explains, is “100% true until it isn’t.”

Harrison frequently sees funeral homes scrambling to implement safety measures only after an injury, safety inspection, or insurance audit catches them unprepared. The reactive approach to safety not only puts employees at risk but can also result in devastating consequences for the business.

When asked about the most critical safety hazards funeral directors and embalmers face daily, Harrison’s answer might surprise many in the industry. While people might expect embalming room incidents to top the list, the reality is more mundane but equally dangerous.

“We see more back injuries, slip, trips, and falls, than most people realize,” Harrison explains. Removals, in particular, have a very high injury rate. “People often don’t think a decedent’s home as ‘high hazard’ area, but they are. It’s a foreign environment, every decedent is different and weights can vary.”

Poor lifting techniques affect people of all ages, particularly older workers, making proper training essential regardless of experience level. Harrison also emphasizes the often-overlooked danger of safe driving, which has become even more critical with the prevalence of cell phones.

The evolution of workplace safety in funeral homes has been dramatically accelerated by an unexpected catalyst. Harrison points to COVID-19 as the pivotal moment that transformed safety training in funeral service. “Covid, covid, and more covid,” he says when asked about how workplace safety has evolved during his career. “Covid put everyone online in so many ways. Funeral Directors realized that spending a half day or even a full day on OSHA compliance was disruptive and inefficient.”

The pandemic didn’t just change how training was delivered—it fundamentally shifted attitudes. Funeral directors who were once skeptical of online learning suddenly saw the value in having resources available 24/7 with real-time tracking and accountability. This transformation has allowed CST to expand from serving funeral homes in the tri-state area to working with funeral professionals throughout the U.S. and internationally, training thousands of people every month without disrupting their day-to-day business operations.

One of the most challenging aspects of funeral home safety compliance is navigating the patchwork of state-specific OSHA plans. Twenty-nine states have OSHA-approved state plans, with 22 covering both private and public sectors. California’s Cal/OSHA, for example, has extensive state-specific rules covering injury and illness prevention programs, heat illness, and violence prevention that exceed federal standards.

States like Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming all have their own plans, often driven by specific industries that indirectly impact funeral service. CST addresses this complexity by customizing all materials to each specific state plan, ensuring funeral homes remain compliant regardless of their location.

As cremation rates continue to rise, funeral homes face new safety challenges they may not be prepared for. Harrison notes that OSHA regulations developed for other industries—such as confined spaces, heat illness prevention, and silica exposure rules from construction—now impact cremation operations.

“The private sector tends to move faster than the public sector,” Harrison observes, meaning that funeral homes adopting cremation services must quickly adapt to regulations originally designed for other industries, in addition to more obvious requirements like fire safety and chemical safety protocols.

Harrison emphasizes that OSHA training must happen “at the time of initial assignment” for two crucial reasons. First, new employees “don’t know what they don’t know” and need immediate training on safety, company culture, and standard operating procedures. Second, OSHA requires it.

Some of CST’s clients take this so seriously that they don’t issue a paycheck to new employees until they’re in OSHA compliance, have signed their employee handbook, and completed all required training. This approach not only ensures safety but also demonstrates to employees that safety is a priority.

For smaller funeral homes concerned about implementing a Safety Supervisor role, Harrison offers practical advice. The title has “a lot of wiggle room,” and in smaller operations where everyone wears multiple hats, someone simply needs to be the point of contact for emergencies and safety-related questions.

CST supports these designated safety supervisors with custom safety manuals, training, recordkeeping systems, and databases of frequently asked questions and resources, making the role manageable even for busy, multi-tasking employees.

The consequences of ignoring safety protocols can be devastating. Harrison has seen OSHA fines reach the maximum penalty of $161,323, typically following employee or community complaints about egregious violations. When fines reach six figures and other agencies like the EPA and Department of Health become involved, “the funeral home shuts down 100% of the time without fail.”

The combination of massive fines, increased insurance premiums, and community fallout creates an insurmountable burden that forces businesses to close permanently.

Harrison identifies several emerging safety challenges facing the funeral industry. The aging population means “we are going to be bearing heavy loads for a long time,” making safe lifting techniques increasingly important. The rise of greener disposition methods like aquamation and green burial presents new hazards, from chemical exposure to non-mechanical lifting challenges.

Perhaps most significantly, heat illness prevention is becoming a critical issue as global temperatures rise, particularly affecting outdoor workers and crematory operators.

For funeral home owners feeling overwhelmed by safety compliance, Harrison’s advice is straightforward: start in the prep room or crematory and work your way out. His team offers free downloadable checklists and personalized guidance to help funeral homes begin their safety journey.

Mark Harrison’s three decades in funeral service safety have taught him that effective safety programs must be flexible, accessible, and tailored to the unique challenges of funeral service. As the industry continues to evolve with new disposition methods and changing demographics, the fundamentals remain the same: proactive safety training, proper documentation, and a culture that prioritizes employee wellbeing over the dangerous assumption that “it won’t happen to me.”

With over 100,000 trainings provided to funeral service workers and partnerships with major industry associations, Harrison and Certified Safety Training continue to prove that comprehensive safety training doesn’t have to disrupt daily operations—it can enhance them while protecting both employees and businesses from the devastating consequences of preventable accidents.

The post Staying Compliant: Essential OSHA Standards for Funeral Homes and Cemeteries appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

Scottsdale, AZ [May 23, 2025]

Are you using the obituary to its fullest extent? Johnson Consulting Group (JCG), a leading M&A and consulting firm for the funeral and cemetery profession, is pleased to announce its support of Bob Arrington, President and Founder of ObituaryShare. This collaboration introduces another valuable service to help the profession succeed — one that enhances a time-honored tradition: The Obituary.

At JCG, we’ve long believed that the obituary is one of the best tools to promote a funeral home. It tells the story of a life well lived, preserves precious memories for a family, represents the values of your firm, and reaches deep into the community. That’s why we are supporting the team at ObituaryShare — to make this powerful tool even more impactful.

ObituaryShare simplifies the obituary distribution process, allowing funeral homes to publish obituaries across multiple platforms and publications with a single submission. The result? A faster process, wider reach, and drastically increased traffic to your funeral home’s website.

In fact, funeral homes using ObituaryShare have seen remarkable results. Arrington Funeral Directors received over 209,000 website visits in Q1 alone, showing how effective a well-distributed obituary can be in connecting with families and the broader public.

“We created ObituaryShare to facilitate the information friends and family are seeking in a time of loss,” said Bob Arrington, President and Founder of ObituaryShare. “Having Johnson Consulting Group’s support gives us the opportunity to extend that impact to even more funeral professionals who want to modernize their service and grow their community presence.”

About Johnson Consulting Group
Johnson Consulting Group is committed to providing business solutions and tools to achieve increased performance, profitability, and success as one navigates the journey towards an exit strategy. Our expert services include Succession Planning, selling funeral homes and cemeteries, financing solutions, business coaching, accounting services, business performance analysis, customer survey program, Customer Experience workshops, incentive compensation plans and Leadership and Management training.

About ObituaryShare
ObituaryShare is a leading obituary distribution platform that simplifies the obituary publishing process for funeral homes. By strategically promoting obituaries across multiple media outlets with one simple submission, ObituaryShare enhances both efficiency and reach.

Want to Learn More?
Contact your JCG representative to find out how ObituaryShare can benefit your funeral home, or visit www.obituaryshare.com to request a demo.

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Scottsdale, AZ –Johnson Consulting Group (JCG) announced the recipients of the JCG 2024 Excellence in Customer Service Awards, powered by J3Tech Solutions.

The Awards were presented to JCG client funeral homes who achieved the highest Total Value Index Score from family satisfaction surveys sent to each family they served during 2024. The Total Value Index is a calculation of the weighted sum of the Overall Performance Score, the Net Promoter Score and the “value of the price paid for goods and service” question. The Overall Performance Score is a calculation of eighteen independent questions that measure results in four areas: 1) Initial Contact, 2) Arranging Director, 3) Facilities and Vehicles, 4) Staff and Services Provided.

The JCG client funeral homes are divided into three categories based on call volume. Award recipients achieved the highest levels of customer satisfaction among the 576 funeral homes that were eligible in 2024.

On behalf of Johnson Consulting Group, we want to congratulate the following winners:

Category One: 24-150 Surveys Sent

• Coastal Cremations and Funeral Care – Jacksonville
• Care Funeral & Cremation Service – Moundsville
• Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service – Ahoskie Chapel
• Walker Brothers Funeral Home – Spencerport
• Halls of Waldoboro
• Foley-Cook New Day Cremation and Funeral Care
• Miles-Sterling Funeral & Tribute Center
• Wells Funeral Home – Canton
• Goodlettsville
• Alexander
• Baue O’Fallon Funeral Home
• Riemann – Biloxi
• Opatovsky Funeral Home – Dempster Chapel
• Aria – Irving
• Weigel Funeral Home

Category Two: 151-300 Surveys Sent

• Mountain View Cremation & Funeral Care
• Verne Wood Funeral Home
• Billow Funeral Homes & Crematory – Fairlawn Chapel
• Buonfiglio Funeral Home
• Jersey Memorial Group, Old Bridge
• E. Pike Funeral Home
• Harper & Lucas Funerals & Cremations
• Alpine Funeral Home
• West Funeral Home
• Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel
• Chancellor Funeral Home – Florence
• Smith & Buckner Funeral Home
• Posey Funeral Directors
• Biggers Funeral Home
• Aria – Northwest Hwy

Category Three: 300+ Surveys Sent

• Cremation Society of Virginia – Southside Chapel
• Cremation Society of Virginia – Peninsula Chapel
• Simply Cremation
• Fremont Chapel of the Roses
• Hansen Chapel
• Heartland Funeral Home – Early
• Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors Walled Lake
• Menke Funeral & Cremation Center
• Miles Funeral Home
• Ott & Lee – Brandon
• Horan & McConaty – Wadsworth
• Roper & Sons Funeral Services
• Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes & Cremation Center – Downtown Chapel
• Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes – Northwest Chapel
• Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home
• Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home Bueler Mortuary

The JCG Performance Tracker X tool provides funeral homes and cemeteries timely, accurate measurements of customer service and sale performance.  The software offers comprehensive reporting that shows business owners what they are doing well and identifies the areas that need fine-tuning and improvements.

Johnson Consulting Group started its customer survey program in 2008. This large amount of survey data has proven invaluable to providing insight into customer needs and satisfaction. The company attributes the program’s growth based on its ability to offer the program with no contract to sign, a low monthly cost, and accessibility to its management professionals for interpretation and usefulness of the reports.

“With the commoditization of products and services in our society, providing an exceptionally high level of customer service is critical to differentiating us from our competition. At the average sale of a funeral today, the loss of even one family can have material impacts on a business and its value. The answer to continual improvement is to survey our customers, ask the difficult questions, ask for a review online, and recover when there’s an issue”, says Jake Johnson, President and CEO of Johnson Consulting Group.

For more information about Johnson Consulting Group or the Performance Tracker X tool, email info@johnsonconsulting.com or visit us at www.johnsonconsulting.com.

About Johnson Consulting Group

Johnson Consulting Group is committed to providing business solutions and tools to achieve increased performance, profitability, and success as one navigates the journey towards an exit strategy. Our expert services include Succession Planning, selling funeral homes and cemeteries, financing solutions, business coaching, accounting services, business performance analysis, customer survey program, Customer Experience workshops, incentive compensation plans and Leadership and Management training.

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Scottsdale, AZ [March 6, 2025]

Johnson Consulting Group is pleased to announce the addition of Laurie Rhea and Tim Wilt to our team as Business Consultants. With extensive experience in the funeral profession, including the ownership and eventual sale of their funeral business in 2022, Laurie and Tim bring a wealth of knowledge to our clients.

In their new roles, Laurie and Tim will focus on developing new opportunities, leveraging their firsthand industry experience to provide tailored consulting services. Their practical insights into funeral home operations and client relations will be invaluable assets to our team.

Laurie is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and an award-winning restorative artist with over 22 years of experience in the profession. Tim served our country in the U.S. Marine Corps and also attended the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. With over 38 years of experience in the profession, Tim worked at a funeral home for 24 years before purchasing it in 2011. They now reside in Chambersburg, PA. Together, their expertise in funeral home management, operations, and client service make them a tremendous addition to the Johnson Consulting Group team.

“We are thrilled to welcome Laurie and Tim to Johnson Consulting Group,” said Jake Johnson, President and CEO of Johnson Consulting Group. “Their dedication to excellence, strong work ethic, and deep understanding of the funeral profession align perfectly with our mission to deliver unparalleled consulting services.”

Laurie and Tim’s journey in the funeral industry has been marked by a commitment to compassionate service and operational excellence. Their decision to join Johnson Consulting Group reflects a shared vision of supporting funeral homes and cemeteries in achieving their business goals.

“Joining Johnson Consulting Group is an exciting opportunity for us,” said Laurie. “We look forward to contributing to the success of our clients and collaborating with a team that values innovation and integrity.”

For more information about Johnson Consulting Group and our services, please visit johnsonconsulting.com or contact us at info@johnsonconsulting.com or 888-250-7747.

About Johnson Consulting Group

Johnson Consulting Group is committed to providing business solutions and tools to achieve increased performance, profitability, and success as one navigates the journey towards an exit strategy. Our expert services include Succession Planning, selling funeral homes and cemeteries, financing solutions, business coaching, accounting services, business performance analysis, customer survey program, Customer Experience workshops, incentive compensation plans and Leadership and Management training.

The post Laurie Rhea and Tim Wilt Join Johnson Consulting Group as the Two Newest Consultants appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

In this month’s Johnson Consulting Conversations, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Arrington, Founder of Arrington Funeral Directors and President of ObituaryShare and marketing for funeral homes.  One of the most significant challenges facing funeral providers today is the evolving nature of obituary sharing. With the decline of local newspapers and rising publication costs, funeral directors have been searching for more effective ways to announce deaths and celebrate lives. Bob shared how this challenge led to the creation of ObituaryShare, a platform designed to address these modern concerns while respecting traditional funeral service values.

“The decline in newspaper circulation wasn’t just about reduced readership,” Bob explained. “It meant families were paying more for less exposure, often receiving outdated news in return.” This reality sparked the need for a digital solution that could provide a broader reach while maintaining the dignity and importance of death notices.

What makes ObituaryShare unique is its development team’s diverse background – combining the expertise of a field director, a newspaper veteran, a school teacher, and a social media expert. This varied perspective ensured the platform would be both practical for funeral directors and accessible to families. The goal was simple: enhance existing services without adding complexity to funeral directors’ already demanding schedules.

The results have been remarkable. Funeral homes using the platform have reported a 74% increase in flower sales and a 19.2% rise in pre-need policy size. The increase in website engagement is even more telling, with average visit duration jumping from 42 seconds to 1.6 minutes, and users exploring more pages per visit.

One of the most innovative aspects of ObituaryShare is its ability to target specific community groups. Bob shared an example of how an obituary for Jimmy Cruz was strategically promoted to relevant groups, including tire dealers, Boy Scouts, realtors, and bankers – communities that were meaningful to the deceased but might have been missed through traditional channels. The platform’s success lies in its understanding that Facebook alone isn’t sufficient for comprehensive obituary sharing. The social media giant’s algorithms often limit organic reach, necessitating a multi-platform approach to ensure maximum visibility.

The adoption of funeral home digital solutions has led to significant business improvements. Funeral homes using ObituaryShare have reported an 8% growth in market share over the past five years, along with increased average revenue per call. The platform has proven particularly effective in reaching key demographics, with 68% of users being females over 55 – a crucial audience for funeral services.

As the funeral profession continues to evolve, the balance between tradition and innovation becomes increasingly important. Bob emphasized that embracing technology doesn’t mean abandoning traditional values. Instead, it means enhancing our ability to serve families more effectively. The rise in cremation and memorial services suggests that families are looking for more personalized ways to honor their loved ones, and digital platforms are helping funeral homes meet these changing needs.

For funeral directors considering digital solutions, Bob’s advice is straightforward: give it a try. ObituaryShare offers a no-commitment trial period, allowing funeral homes to experience the benefits firsthand without long-term contracts or setup fees. The platform has been designed to integrate seamlessly with existing operations, making the transition to digital as smooth as possible.

The conversation with Bob Arrington highlighted an important truth about funeral service: while the tools we use may change, our core mission of serving families remains constant. By embracing funeral home digital innovation, funeral homes can extend their reach, improve their service offerings, and better support families during their time of need. The future of funeral service lies in finding the perfect balance between traditional values and modern solutions, and platforms like ObituaryShare are helping to bridge that gap.

Would you like to learn more about how digital solutions can enhance your funeral home’s services? Visit Arrington Funeral Directors’ website for inspiration on meaningful obituaries or schedule a demo of ObituaryShare to see the platform in action at ObituaryShare.com

The post Innovative Marketing for Funeral Homes: Insights from Bob Arrington on ObituaryShare appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

Crafting a Strategic Financial Plan for Funeral Homes

Developing a robust business plan is the first step toward financial mastery in the funeral service profession. This plan serves as a roadmap, guiding your funeral home through budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management. A well-crafted business plan showcases the viability and strategic vision of your funeral home.

Key Elements of a Financial Plan:

1. Budgeting and Forecasting: Establish clear financial goals and projections to guide your business decisions.
2. Cash Flow Management: Maintain a steady cash flow to ensure operational efficiency and sustainability. Consider using a thirteen-week cash flow analysis provided on a weekly basis.

Understanding a comprehensive financial strategy will enable your funeral home to provide essential services while maintaining financial health.

Balancing Empathy with Economics in Funeral Service

Funeral home owners face the delicate task of blending empathy with economic viability. Financial control is crucial in balancing these elements, ensuring that pricing structures are fair and transparent while supporting your business’s profitability.

Strategies for Balancing Empathy with Economics:

• Transparent Pricing: A key consideration would be placing your prices on your website. Also, utilizing phone shopping vendors to ensure you are not only in compliance but providing all options to families guarantees your transparency and compliance.
• Cost Management: Control expenses on essentials like caskets and services to keep operations efficient and families happy.
• Revenue Tracking: A detailed sales contract analysis ensures that you know exactly what the average sales are per case type along with the averages of the items sold within those calls. This ensures that your pricing is not only competitive, but that you’re recovering your pricing as a correlation to the average sale you’re receiving.

By combining compassionate care with sound financial strategies, you can offer meaningful services while maintaining a viable business model.

Sustaining Your Funeral Home Business

Effective financial control is key to sustaining a funeral service business. Strategic planning helps you adapt to market changes while honoring the emotional aspects of our profession.

Key Financial Strategies for Sustainability:

• Budgeting: Predictable costs ensure affordability for clients and stability for your business.
• Financial Forecasting: Prepare for industry trends and future demands in your market.
• Investment in Staff Training: Enhance service quality and succession planning which fosters client trust and loyalty.

A well-structured financial plan empowers your funeral home to meet customer needs with integrity, ensuring both dignified services and business longevity.

In Conclusion, crafting a strategic financial plan is the foundation of a thriving funeral service business. By focusing on budgeting, cash flow management, and balancing empathy with economics, funeral home owners can sustain their operations and serve their communities effectively.

*This article was originally posted in NFDA’s Financial Column.

The post Crafting and Sustaining a Funeral Home Financial Plan appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

A client of Johnson Consulting Group (JCG) sought to enhance profitability and the value of their business. With JCG’s guidance, the client implemented strategic operational and financial tools that significantly boosted their business value.

Challenges

Initially, the client’s business EBITDA was $2.6 million. However, the client recognized the opportunities for substantial growth and sustainability in their financial metrics to increase the business’s long-term value.

Solutions Implemented

The JCG team took a tailored approach, deploying internal tools and consulting methodologies to drive measurable improvements. Key steps included:

• Financial Analysis and Benchmarking: Conducted an in-depth business assessment and identified key areas to drive up profitability.
• Strategic Planning: Formulated a strategic plan focused on optimizing the workplace, reducing unnecessary costs, and enhancing revenue streams.
• Performance Tracking and Adjustment (JCG’s Survey and Sales Analysis Software): Implemented consistent performance tracking to ensure that every adjustment contributed positively to the client’s business profitability.

Results

The outcomes were notable:

• Enhanced EBITDA: The annual EBITDA improved from $2.6 million to $3.0 million, a 15.38% increase as a result of the solutions implemented.
• Increase in Business Value: Within this first phase of implementation, the client’s business value rose $3 million based on a conservative industry EBITDA multiple.

Conclusion

Through Johnson Consulting’s expertise and the deployment of targeted tools, the client achieved measurable growth and value. This case study exemplifies Johnson Consulting Group’s ability to deliver significant return on investment when compared to JCG’s costs to implement.

Learn More

The post Johnson Consulting Group Increases Client’s Value by $3 Million appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

Q: Which major tax provisions from the TCJA are set to expire at the end of 2025?

A: Individuals and families can expect tax increases, but for business owners, the most concerning provisions include:

• Loss of the Section 199A Deduction: This deduction, currently available to pass-through entities (such as S-corporations and LLCs), allows business owners to deduct up to 20% of qualified business income. When this expires, pass-through entities will lose a valuable tax-saving tool, potentially increasing the tax burden on small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Loss of Caps on State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions in High-Tax States: Taxpayers in states with high income and property taxes could face higher overall tax liabilities as the current $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions disappears.
• Reversion of Capital Gains Tax Rates: Capital gains tax rates will revert to being determined by your regular income tax bracket. This means that individuals in higher income brackets may see a significant increase in their tax rate on long-term capital gains.
• Reduction in Estate and Gift Tax Exclusion: The current estate and gift tax exclusion of $12.92 million per individual will drop by nearly 50%, meaning estates valued over approximately $6 million will be subject to estate taxes. This change could affect many families planning to transfer wealth to the next generation, making estate planning a crucial step in the coming years.

Q: What tax strategies should funeral home and cemetery business owners consider as 2025 approaches?

A: One key strategy is to consider accelerating your income before the TCJA provisions expire. With capital gains rates set to revert to higher levels based on your income tax bracket, now is an optimal time to sell assets, take profits, or increase distributions. By doing so, you can take advantage of the lower rates now, reducing your tax liability compared to what it would be under future tax rules.

This strategy is particularly beneficial for those with capital assets such as stocks, real estate, or business interests that have appreciated significantly over time. Locking in current capital gains rates could save you a substantial amount in taxes before the rates increase post-2025.

Other considerations may be to reevaluate your business structure, either converting it to a C-Corp or an S-Corp to lessen taxes. It may also be an opportunity to increase contributions to retirement plans, investing in capital equipment, or exploring tax-advantaged benefits for employees.

The Importance of Timing in Succession Planning

When it comes to succession planning, the timing of a sale can have a significant impact on the value you ultimately retain. In the words of Jake Johnson, “It’s not what you get, it’s what you keep.” Even though the sale price of a business may remain the same before and after 2025, the amount you keep after taxes will change. This is due to the potential tax increases that could arise when the TCJA provisions expire.

Q: How should funeral home and cemetery business owners approaching a succession plan think about the timing of a sale?

A: If you’re considering transferring your funeral home or cemetery business, now may be the optimal time to maximize the value of your business. With the potential tax increases on the horizon, selling before the end of 2025 could result in you keeping more of the proceeds.

“It’s just food for thought and something business owners should be aware of,” Jake continued. “If you were planning to sell around 2025, the tax changes might push you to reconsider your timing. Even if you’re not quite ready to sell, it’s worth considering whether selling now could help you avoid a higher tax bill later.”

The core idea is that waiting until 2026 or 2027 could mean a larger tax burden, requiring your business to make up the difference in growth or additional calls on capital. By transferring before the end of 2025, you may be able to capture a more favorable tax position and keep more of the proceeds from the sale. However, it’s important to remember that not everyone will be ready to sell at that time, so planning ahead and discussing options with a tax advisor is crucial.

In conclusion, with the expiration of these TCJA provisions on the horizon, proactive tax and succession planning are essential, working closely with a financial advisor will help you craft the best strategies to minimize your tax burden.

*Johnson Consulting Group and its affiliates are not tax professionals. You should review the content of this article with your tax professional to see how it applies to you.

The post Tax Changes Looming: What Funeral Home Owners Should Know appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

Scottsdale, AZ [July 22, 2024]

Johnson Consulting Group is pleased to announce the addition of Fred Lappin to our team as the newest consultant. With 20 plus years leading a premier cemetery operation, Fred Lappin brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our clients.

Fred Lappin is highly respected in the funeral and cemetery profession, having dedicated his career to improving standards and practices. Recently, he was inducted into the ICCFA Hall of Fame, the highest accolade by the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA), recognizing his significant contributions to the profession.

“We are thrilled to welcome Fred Lappin,” said Nelson Thulin, Director of Business Consulting. “Fred’s extensive experience and dedication to excellence align perfectly with our mission to provide unparalleled consulting services to our clients.”

Fred began his career in funeral and cemetery service over two decades ago, when he became the President and CEO of Knollwood Cemetery Corporation in Canton, Massachusetts. With two large cemeteries just outside of Boston, the company performs more than 1,000 interments a year. Quickly rising to become a prominent figure in the profession, his expertise spans various facets of funeral and cemetery service management, including operations, sales, and customer service. He has also been a keynote speaker at numerous industry conferences, sharing his insights and inspiring others in the profession.

“I am excited to join Johnson Consulting Group and look forward to contributing to the success of our clients,” said Fred Lappin. “Johnson Consulting Group is known for its innovative approach and commitment to excellence, and I am eager to be a part of this exceptional team.”

Fred Lappin’s addition underscores our commitment to bringing the best talent and expertise to our clients. We are confident that Fred’s insights and experience will be invaluable as we continue to provide top-tier consulting services to funeral homes, cemeteries, and cremation service providers.

For more information about Johnson Consulting Group and our services, please visit johnsonconsulting.com or contact us at info@johnsonconsulting.com or 888-250-7747.

About Johnson Consulting Group

Johnson Consulting Group is committed to providing business solutions and tools to achieve increased performance, profitability, and success as one navigates the journey towards an exit strategy. Our expert services include Succession Planning, selling funeral homes and cemeteries, financing solutions, business coaching, accounting services, business performance analysis, customer survey program, Customer Experience workshops, incentive compensation plans and Leadership and Management training.

The post Fred Lappin Joins Johnson Consulting Group as Newest Consultant appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.

Scottsdale, AZ – 2024 marks the 41st year of the prestigious Memorial Classic golf tournament, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year’s event was particularly special as it honored the legacy of its founder, Tom Johnson, who passed away in December 2023. In tribute, the event has been renamed The Tom Johnson Memorial Classic.

The tournament attracted a full field of golfers from all across the profession. Over the three-day period, the event raised over $150,000 for educational initiatives within the funeral service profession. This year’s contributions set a new record, making it the most successful event in its history. Cumulatively, the tournament has raised over $1,250,000 for the funeral service profession.

Jake Johnson expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am overwhelmed by the generosity shown this year. My father would be incredibly proud of the contributions made in his honor.”

Funds raised from the Memorial Classic are donated to the ICCFA Educational Foundation and the Funeral Service Foundation. A tribute video is always presented during the event honoring prior attendees in the funeral service profession who have passed away. This year’s video paid special homage to Tom Johnson’s life and contributions to funeral service. You can view the tribute video through the link below.

[Link to Tribute Video]

For media inquiries, please contact:

Madison Wagner

Mwagner@johnsonconsulting.com

(480) 556-8531

Johnson Consulting Group

10115 E. Bell Road, Suite 107, #621

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

The post The Tom Johnson Memorial Classic Raises Record Funds for Funeral Service Education appeared first on Johnson Consulting Group.