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NJSFDA Membership

Become a Member

Benefits of Membership in the NJSFDA

Why should you become a member of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association? Quite simply, because your membership is among the best bargains a funeral director could have. The NJSFDA is constantly working hard to keep its members abreast of changes in the industry, and the resources the Association provides make conducting your business easier.

New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund

This secure pooled trust takes the hassle out of funding revocable and irrevocable arrangements. Member firms can participate in the Trust (also known as Funeral Planning CHOICES), allowing funeral directors to deposit funds for an intended funeral recipient’s arrangements worry-free, ensuring compliance with preneed laws and regulations. Those funds earn competitive rates of interest and can be accessed quickly when a funeral becomes at-need. The Trust provides online account look-up and claims filing along with digital monthly preneed ledgers for your records.

Discount Pricing on Continuing Education

Several times a year, New Jersey Funeral Service Education Corporation holds continuing education seminars at locations throughout the state. Members can earn licensure credits in OSHA, Ethics, Preneed Arrangements, Laws and Regulations at discounted prices over non-member fees.

NJFD-PAC

The Association’s Political Action Committee, NJFD-PAC, advocates for your funeral service needs with legislators and other government officials and ensures that your voice is heard in Trenton. NJFD-PAC also provides members the opportunity to meet with those who make and enforce the laws and hear first-hand what’s on the legislative docket.

Funeral Directors Convention and Expo

The highlight of the Association’s year is the annual Funeral Directors Convention and Expo held in Atlantic City. This premier event offers plenty of opportunities to network, learn and keep up to date on the latest advancements in funeral service. Members enjoy discounted registration for Convention events.

Celebrant Training

With celebrant training, your funeral home can design a meaningful tribute filled with anecdotes, personality and interests that is as different as each person who lived and died. Members enjoy discounted registration for this training.

Subscription to The FORUM

The NJSFDA’s online funeral service and industry resource keeps members informed on the latest developments in funeral service through timely articles and features. Links to the most recent articles on The FORUM can found in The Bulletin, delivered each Tuesday to member’s email.

Manager of the Day Program

Have a funeral call with some complications? Our Manager of the Day Program provides guidance on funeral service and industry-related questions and concerns. The Manager of the Day can be reached between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 800.734.3712 or by email at njsfda@njsfda.org.

Group Health Benefits

Qualifying members of the NJSFDA are eligible to secure comprehensive, self-funded group health benefits offered through Association Member Trust, a not-for-profit multi-association benefits trust. Participants are provided all of the advantages of network services and modern claims administration by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

OSHA Written Communication Plan

Your membership provides a discount on the purchase or renewal of the OSHA Written Communication Plan. The plan includes helpful information on the three primary OSHA standards required for funeral homes. Members receive online access to the purchased plan and required OSHA forms.

Members-Only Content on the NJSFDA Website

In addition to information about OSHA and state laws and regulations governing mortuary science, a host of other valuable material can be found on the NJSFDA website. Save yourself some time hunting for regulations on other less user-friendly websites. The NJSFDA has the information you need at your fingertips.

Business Forms and Tools

Filling out paperwork is a requirement of funeral service, and the NJSFDA website provides a number of business forms and tools that can make your job as a funeral director easier. Forms for insurance assignments, right to control, consent for services and more are all available in downloadable PDF forms for members.

Marketing Materials

NJSFDA member firms that participate in Funeral Planning CHOICES may borrow one of five professional displays that promote the benefits of prepaying funeral arrangements. Each attractive display opens halfway for a table top exhibit, or to its full size of 6' for floor placement. Consumer brochures promoting the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund and providing information on the SSI/Medicaid resource exclusion are also available for order, in both English and Spanish. 

Alerts on Important Information

From notifications of when certain compliance documents are due to alerts on delays in processing online death certificates, the NJSFDA’s email alerts and FORUM articles keep members in the loop when there are events that could affect your business.

Thanexus, Inc.

Members can also join the nation’s only funeral practice management cooperative. Thanexus offers employee benefit and human resource administration along with payroll services, marketing communications and optional insurance services to New Jersey's independently owned funeral homes.

Thanexus Financial Services, LLC 

Thanexus Financial Services, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Thanexus, Inc., offering various lines of insurance tailored to the funeral service industry. These include commercial and personal automotive; business property, casualty and liability; residential, flood and umbrella; employment practices liability; workers' compensation; and cyber liability policies. Staffed by salaried, non-commissioned licensed insurance producers, the company provides underwriting through top-rated carriers. 

Directors Choice Credit Union

Members are eligible to join the Directors Choice Credit Union, a nonprofit cooperative servicing the business and personal financial needs of funeral directors, funeral home owners, funeral home staff and their family members.

Funeral Matters

Designed for firms that desire to reposition themselves with today’s consumer, Funeral Matters improves the knowledge and communication skills of funeral home staff. By subscribing to Funeral Matters, you can allow potential customers to build and price a funeral online based on average costs or based on your own General Price List. Funeral Matters supports funeral home management with an automated metrics reporting system that provides individual and comparative funeral home performance information.

Membership Opportunities

There are many membership opportunities with the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association. Membership is open to registered interns and licensed practitioners.

The membership offerings listed below have certain requirements, but individuals receive all benefits of membership. Some membership types require joining one of the 11 district associations in New Jersey (see "District Associations" tab for more information). 

Fully Privileged Membership

New Jersey licensed funeral directors who are affiliated with a registered New Jersey mortuary can join the NJSFDA. District membership is required. A fully privileged member can hold office, can be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA and has full voting rights in NJSFDA elections.

Emeritus Membership

A district association may recommend emeritus membership for a fully privileged member who has completed 25 years of continuous membership, has ceased to practice as a funeral director and whose license has been classified as inactive by the New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science. District membership is required. An emeritus member cannot hold office, be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA or vote in NJSFDA elections.

Newly Licensed Membership

An individual receiving a funeral director’s license for the first time may apply for a newly licensed membership. The individual must apply for membership in the calendar year in which they were licensed. District membership is optional. Newly licensed members cannot hold office, be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA or vote in NJSFDA elections.

Resident Non-Affiliated Membership

A resident New Jersey licensed funeral director not affiliated with a registered mortuary nor actively using their license on a full-time basis in the practice of mortuary science may apply for resident non-affiliated membership.
Being “non-affiliated” means that neither the individual nor their spouse, child(ren), parent(s), brother(s) or sister(s) hold a total of more than 5 percent ownership in a New Jersey registered mortuary. District membership is optional. A resident non-affiliated member cannot hold office, be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA or vote in NJSFDA elections.

Non-Resident Membership

A New Jersey licensed funeral director who does not reside or work in New Jersey may apply for non-resident membership. District membership is optional. A non-resident member cannot hold office, be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA or vote in NJSFDA elections.

Dual Membership

A funeral director who is licensed to practice in another state but is not licensed to practice in New Jersey may apply for dual membership. District membership is optional. A dual member cannot hold office, be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA or vote in NJSFDA elections.

Intern Membership

Individuals presently registered with the New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science as a trainee/intern of a member funeral home may become an intern member with the NJSFDA. District membership is optional. An intern member cannot hold office, be appointed to a committee in the NJSFDA or vote in NJSFDA elections.

Honorary Membership

Honorary membership may be conferred upon any member of the NJSFDA at such times and under such conditions as the Board of Directors may determine. District membership is required. An honorary member is a fully privileged member who can hold office, be appointed to a committee in NJSFDA and has full voting rights in NJSFDA elections.

District Associations

Map

Bergen

  • District meetings take place at 4:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every other month from October through June.

Burlington

  • District meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.
  • There are no meetings in July and August.

Essex, Union & West Hudson

  • District meetings take place at 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month.
  • There are no meetings in July, August or November.
  • The December meeting is held on the second Thursday of the month.

Hudson

  • District meetings take place at 4:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month.
  • There are no meetings in July and August.

Mercer

  • District meetings take place at 5:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month.

Middlesex & Somerset

  • District meetings take place at 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of every other month.
  • There are no meetings in July and August.

Monmouth & Ocean

  • District meetings take place at 5:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month.

Morris

  • District meetings take place at 4:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every other month.
  • There are no meetings in July and August.

Passaic

  • District meetings take place at 5:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.
  • There are no meetings in July and August.

Tri-County

  • District includes Hunterdon, Sussex & Warren counties.
  • District meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every other month.

West Jersey

  • District includes Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem counties.
  • District meetings take place at 5:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month.
  • There are no meetings in July and August.

Membership Dues

Annual dues helps to ensure the NJSFDA has the resources available to advocate on behalf of its membership and provide members with the tools needed to succeed, such as participation in the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund, access to The FORUM, the NJSFDA’s online funeral industry resource, and special member rates for the annual Funeral Directors Convention and Expo, continuing education seminars, webinars and training sessions.

For a full list of member benefits, click here.

The NJSFDA 2024 dues rates are as follows:

Member Type Rate

1st Firm Member

$523 + NJFD-PAC contribution of $521

2nd Firm Member

$392

3rd Firm Member

$262

Resident Non-Affiliated

$262

Dual

$295

Non-Resident

$295

Newly Licensed

$131

Intern

$131

Emeritus

$131

NOTE: The amounts above do not include district dues.

If you have any questions, please contact Membership Services at 800.734.3712.

The FORUM

Your funeral service resource.

LEARN MORE

NJSFDA's Manager of the Day Program

The NJSFDA provides members and consumers with assistance through the Manager of the Day program, which links individuals with questions to association senior staff members. The Manager of the Day is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 800.734.3712 or by e-mail at: njsfda@njsfda.org. The NJSFDA does NOT provide legal advice, but does offer information on funeral service regulations and law.