Pre-Planning a Funeral
Individuals or family members are welcome to make an appointment with one of our experienced staff to discuss their future funeral requirements. Some people prefer to simply prearrange their funerals without prepaying, which alleviates families from decision making. Other people prefer to prepay their funerals to further alleviate financial concerns. Either way, planning ahead allows you to document exactly what your wishes are, together with recording personal information required for registration purposes with Births, Deaths and Marriages.
To help you with this requirement, a Personal Profile form can be downloaded and completed prior to your appointment.
What options will we cover?
Options for discussions may include:
- Type of funeral service at chapel, church, crematorium, or other venue required
- Selection of coffin or casket
- Preferred cemetery or crematorium
- Clergy, celebrant or other to conduct service
- Organist and selected hymns
- Special music to be played
- Flowers or life symbols to be displayed
- Catering
- Which newspapers for death and funeral notices
- Cremation certificates
- Death certificates
- Any other personal requirements.
What happens next?
If prepaying is preferred, after the selected requirements have been chosen, the cost is calculated and the agreed amount is invested in a Funeral Bond in your name. The Funeral Bond funds cannot be accessed until the funeral service is provided. Funeral bonds attached to a pre-paid funeral are exempt from the assets test regardless of amount.