Things to do after losing a loved one

First things first
Written By Ella vDG

Things to do after losing a loved one

Having just been confronted with the tragic loss of your loved one, having to organise necessities and the funeral is the furthest thing from your mind.  We hope that the information below will ease this burden somewhat and provide you with some guidance. 

Obtaining the death certificate

An interim death certificate will be issued by the coroner, you will receive it via your funeral director as a part of their service.  It can generally take a week or two to arrive. 

Organising the funeral 

The role of a funeral director is to provide a very special service and ensure the wishes of the family and your loved one are fulfilled.  They can give advice and arrange all the details that make up a funeral service.  There are many Funeral Directors offering this service, if you don’t know of one it can be a bit daunting.  Here are a couple of websites that might be helpful in finding one. 

Gathered Here 
www.gatheredhere.com.au 
Helps you find and compare funeral homes in your area and also gives an estimated price. 

Australian Funeral Directors Association 
www.afda.org.au 
Helps you find a funeral director in your area. 

Bereaved families and friends may want to arrange a memorial service at another venue, for example, in your own home, in a public space or somewhere that may have been very special to your loved one.  An inexpensive option is a Direct Committal.  A direct committal is a basic funeral.  It is offered by most funeral directors, it is a cremation or burial without a service. 

Who you need to notify after the death

A number of people and organisations need to be notified about the death.  This helps to finalise the person’s affairs and makes sure you can get the help and information you need.  

The following website may be helpful

Australian Death Notification Service
https://deathnotification.gov.au/

This service allows you to notify a number of organisations online.  Before you get started, a death certificate needs to have been issued for the person who died.  However, you don’t need to have the certificate with you to use this service.

They suggest checking:

  • wallets for cards, licences and memberships for organisations and government services;

  • mail for phone and internet bills, utility bills, investments, bank statements and council rates;

  • Email for account memberships and subscriptions, online statements, superannuation and correspondence from organisations;

Documents to look for are: 

  • A will

  • Birth and marriage certificates

  • Taxation records

  • Passport

  • Insurance policies

  • Bank documents

  • Superannuation

  • Mortgage

  • Bills

As a helpful guide you may need to notify, either by phone or in writing, some or all of the following people and organisations: 

  • Department of Human Services

  • Superannuation company

  • Solicitor and/or public trustee

  • Accountant

  • Financial institutions and loan companies – such as banks, credit card providers, building societies and credit unions

  • Employer

  • Australia Tax Office

  • Trade unions or professional associations

  • Department of Veterans Affairs

  • Post office

  • Electoral office

  • Insurance Companies: - Life, Accident, Home and contents, Vehicle, Health fund

  • Doctor, specialist, hospital, Dentist, chemist

  • Medicare

  • Service NSW – Roads and Maritime Services

  • Clubs, organisations and associations

  • Church or religious organisation

  • Household help, caretaker services, home nursing services, meal delivery

  • Home appliance rental

  • Home Medical Aids rental company

  • School, TAFE, college, university

  • Telephone company

  • Internet provider

  • Electricity company

  • Gas company

Financial matters

After a loved one has died, you may be eligible for some financial assistance from Centrelink/Human Services.  They have a booklet which can be downloaded, setting out the assistance available, . 

Relatives and friends do not have to pay the debts of the person who has died unless the debts are in joint names.  Debts can be paid from the estate.  A death certificate will be required. 

There are a range of government and community organisations that provide support services and useful information you may find helpful.  If you would like assistance in working out a budget, managing your financial affairs or you are in financial trouble, you can speak to a financial counsellor by contacting any of the following: 

  • Financial Counselling Australia - the peak body for financial counsellors in Australia provides information about how financial counsellors can support and advocate for people experiencing financial difficulty. https://www.financialcounsellingaustralia.org.au/

  • If eligible, some financial assistance may be available from Centrelink/Human Services and Victim Services.

Reading the Will 

The will is a legal document that sets out how the deceased’s belongings are to be distributed after their death.  It may take into account: 

  • The likely value of their estate

  • Special funeral arrangements

  • Prepaid cemetery plots

  • Beneficiaries and special gifts

  • Who is appointed as executor

The Executor of the Will is responsible for distributing the person's assets to the people named in the Will.  This happens after any debts are paid. 

If the person has not left a Will, the estate is shared under a formula set by law.  If there are no close relatives there is a chance the estate could be paid to a state or territory government.  If you think there was a prepaid funeral or a funeral bond, but cannot find the paper work, it may have been left with someone such as a solicitor or the Executor of the Will.

Removing names from mailing lists

To register the details, contact the Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising. 


Social media accounts 

Social media platforms usually have procedures in place to deal with the accounts of deceased members.  For instance, Facebook have the option to memorialise an account. https://www.facebook.com/help/275013292838654

Instagram also have help for this: https://help.instagram.com/264154560391256

As these procedures can differ between platforms the best thing to do is to search the 'help' section of the network in question if you wish to close an account. 

Ella vDG
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Dealing with the media