Small Moves, Strong Foundations
Welcome to 2026 - and FSI's new monthly newsletter. Starting with this edition, we'll bring you monthly insights to help grow your business, strengthen your preneed program and reduce your administrative burden, freeing you and your team to focus on business-building strategies.My hope is that each of you were able to rest and reflect during the holidays and are now coming into the new year feeling energized. With a full year of opportunity ahead, there are many priorities to focus on, and my goal is to offer you a starting point. Small but impactful places to begin, as we work together to build a strong year for business amid changing environments. Growth in 2026 likely won't come from sweeping changes, but from getting the fundamentals right. So we begin the year with clarity. The firms that grow this year will do so by getting sharper on compliance, consumer trust and operational efficiency. We can help you get there. To start off on a strong note and gain a clear picture of where your firm stands, begin with a mini internal audit and team alignment.
Thank you for trusting our team, Jack Hirsch President, Funeral Services, Inc. |
from sweeping changes, but from getting
the fundamentals right.”
How Family Requests Can Affect Preneed Funeral Contracts in FloridaBy Wendy Russell Wiener, Managing Member, WRW Legal In 2026, we will be answering some of the more frequent questions asked by our clients about preneed and perpetual care operations. We begin with this often asked question. In Florida, if, upon the death of the preneed contract beneficiary, the family wishes to change the arrangements, what is the impact on the preneed contract? The answer is dependent on the changes the family wishes to make and whether the contract is revocable or irrevocable. This time we'll address one of the two changes that families often wish to make. Change Funeral Home - If the family wishes to have the preneed contract "fulfilled" by another funeral home in Florida or elsewhere and the contract is revocable, the correct thing to do is to CANCEL the preneed contract and make a refund to the PURCHASER pursuant to the terms of the contract. Note that the terms differ depending on which contrary type you are using. Preneed contracts are not transferable. If the preneed contract is irrevocable, it cannot be cancelled. However, if another funeral home has fulfilled the preneed contract prior to contact with your funeral home, the SFGSS for the fulfilling funeral home should be provided to you. You will submit a transmittal report to FSI reflecting that the contract was fulfilled and include the required supporting documentation. Upon receipt of disbursed funds, you may pay the fulfilling funeral home the amount set forth on its SFGSS and deliver remaining funds (amount deposited to trust but NOT income) to the Agency for Healthcare Administration pursuant to Florida law. In practice that means that you must only pay the fulfilling funeral home from principal you receive. You may retain the income. If there is remaining principal, that is the amount that must be sent to AHCA. Next time, we'll offer guidance on what to do when a family wishes to change the services and merchandise purchased on the preneed contract. |
|
Leverage Technolog to Drive Growth in 2026 In a year when clarity and efficiency will define success, small upgrades to your back-end technology can make a big impact. Our recent article with Funeral Vision explores how funeral homes are modernizing the tools behind their operations to drive smarter decisions and a stronger client experience. Discover how small technological improvements can help set your firm up for success in 2026. |
|
 |
