The objective of the cemetery care account program is to provide interest and dividend income to subsidize the ever-increasing maintenance costs of your property. At the same time, the cemetery care account needs to provide the potential for principal growth, creating a greater base on which to generate interest and dividend earnings in the future. Maintaining the proper balance between maximizing the growth of your cemetery care principal investment and generating current yield is essential for meeting the growing obligations of your cemetery now and in the future.
THE CEMETERY CARE DILEMMA:
In most states, you are required to place a portion of the funds collected from all interment sales into an account where the interest and dividends can be used to offset the maintenance and upkeep of your cemetery. In many cases, the interest and dividends generated from these accounts do not cover the full cost of upkeep and therefore cannot subsidize the costs paid out of the operating income to maintain the property. The objective is to gain as much cash flow from the perpetual care account as possible. Higher returns, however, generally come with higher risk to the original principal invested. The challenge is balancing the desire for near term interest and dividend income, while preserving the principal investment. Additionally, in order to subsidize tomorrow’s maintenance costs (which tend to grow with inflation), the principal balance in the perpetual care account needs to grow over time. The greater the growth of the principal balance, the larger the base from which to generate interest and dividends.
INVESTMENTS:
At Cooperative Funeral Fund (CFF), we understand the delicate balance in managing the objectives of a perpetual care fund. Our clients need to defray current maintenance costs with interest and dividends coming from the perpetual care account while generating growth on principal for the future. At the same time, the risk component needs to be managed to each client’s own aversion to risk and the ultimate growth objectives of the perpetual care funds. While all perpetual care funds need to be managed prudently and conservatively, government regulations allow some variation (varies by state) in investments to allow better opportunity to grow principal to cover future costs. CFF’s unique program offers you the ability to choose an investment strategy that suits your individual business needs and your level of comfort with risk. In order to give you the most control over the interest, dividend, and growth objectives of your perpetual care fund, Cooperative Funeral Fund has created five portfolios of investments from which to choose (Conservative Income Strategy, Moderate Income Strategy, Conservative Growth & Income Strategy, Moderate Growth & Income Strategy, and Long Term Growth & Income Strategy). CFF offers you investment options comprised of funds specifically created with your objectives in mind, diversified, and catered to varying levels of risk aversion. Many of our competitors invest in risky singular stock investments or create a “one-size-fits-all” portfolio for which you have no input as to how your funds are being invested. CFF’s unique program offers you the ability to decide the portfolio you wish to have your funds invested in based on the objectives of your individual business.
Conservative Income Strategy:
Seeks to preserve capital and generate interest income associated with a fixed income investment strategy. Typically invested in 100% United States Treasury Bonds. Intended for companies that want to minimize risk while earning interest for today’s costs.
Moderate Income Strategy:
Seeks primarily to generate current income and preserve principal while taking on moderate risk. Companies investing in this strategy generally seek to gain current income through interest and dividends for current maintenance costs.
Conservative Growth & Income Strategy:
Seeks primarily to generate current income and secondarily to provide modest long-term growth of capital. Intended for companies that are still growing perpetual care principal with new deposits or have a significant principal balance that generates enough income to cover ongoing maintenance costs.
Moderate Growth & Income Strategy:
Seeks an even combination of current income and capital appreciation investments. Best for companies who generally have moderate ongoing maintenance costs or are able to subsidize these costs by other means.
Long Term Growth & Income Strategy:
Seeks significant growth of capital and generation of modest current income. For companies that have either low ongoing maintenance costs or are able to subsidize those costs by other means.
With CFF, you can rest assured that your funds are being managed professionally. Our relationship with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC brings hundreds of years of investment experience to the management of these portfolios. Cooperative Funeral Fund’s tiered investment options allow you to select the strategy that best aligns with your company’s goals and objectives.
*Statements relating to past performance contained herein does not suggest or imply and should not be construed, in any manner, a guarantee of future performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Therefore, no current or prospective client should assume that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product made reference to directly or indirectly in this material, will be profitable or equal to corresponding indicated performance levels. Returns are historical and based on data believed to be accurate and reliable.