We've blogged on this topic in the past, covering paying in advance for funeral services.

AARP magazine has a big story in the January-February edition with examples of scams and other problems that face consumers who have bought pre-paid, or pre-need, funerals.

And there's news out of Illinois that people who have pre-paid for their funerals may have trouble accessing that money because the fund is running low.

AG Nixon filed a series of lawsuits in 2005 against companies in the bereavement industry for similar problems with pre-paid services. At least one of the funeral home owners we targeted is serving prison time.

You can file consumer complaints on this topic with our office or with the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

Make no mistake - planning now for your funeral service is a great idea. It should be part of your end-of-life plans, regardless of your age. Find out more about the decisions we all need to make in our publication Life Choices.