A Seasons Guide to pre-planning your administrative affairs and funeral.
Stop! I wanted to be cremated
Be Prepared! Cremation or burial isn t the only question your family will face when you pass away. Seasons has developed this guide to help families make the right decisions and effect your wishes for your funeral. After all, different families have different ideas about how a departed loved one should be acknowledged. Some prefer no service at all. Some want a ceremony in a chapel. Some want a service at a cemetery. Others want to gather in a church. Making these decisions in advance is practical and will ensure that there is less stress for your family or friends when the time arises. You can complete and keep this guide for your family s benefit (make sure they know where it is), or you can discuss it with Seasons as the basis for pre-planning or financing your funeral. There are three sections: Essential information for your records, your family, and, potentially, Seasons if you choose us to pre-plan and/or finance your funeral. Helpful information that your family and friends will need at the time of your passing. A guide on pre-financing your funeral. Please complete carefully. Make sure the important directions to your family are clear and explicit. You may wish to leave sufficient flexibility for your family to accept or modify your guidance to meet their needs. Your Seasons arranger will be able to provide you with comprehensive information, options and support. They will also be able to provide a deeper introduction to our company and its services: Seasons. Incomparable. Please visit our website www.seasons.com.au.
My wishes I have detailed the following information to help my family organise my funeral. This information will help ensure that it is carried out in accordance with my wishes. By making choices in advance, I want to relieve my family from the stress of making further decisions during a time of grief. This will help create a funeral service that will celebrate my life the way I want to be remembered. I hope you (my family) will have a greater peace of mind knowing you are carrying out my wishes. Remember, my funeral is for you to grieve and find closure. Name : Date :
We are storytellers... Stories that tell of your loved one s life. Stories that make their life live on. Stories told by our family to honour your family. Incomparable stories. Stories that deserve an incomparable funeral.
Section 1 Personal Details Full name Also known as Gender Male Female Religion (if applicable) Residential address Date of birth Place of birth If not born in Australia, arrival date from where? If widowed, please state date and place of death of wife or husband
Occupation Occupation during working life Former occupation if retired Old age, military or invalid pension (state which): Marital Status Marital status Married Never Married Divorced Widowed Separated but not divorced De-facto Unknown Place of marriage Date of marriage Age at marriage Spouse s full name If you have been married previously, provide all details of previous marriages
Children Name Date of Birth Male Female Name Date of Birth Male Female Name Date of Birth Male Female Name Date of Birth Male Female My deceased children were Male Female Male Female Parents Father s name Mother s name Mother s maiden name
Solicitor and/or Executor Name of Solicitor Solicitor s address Solicitor s phone/ mobile Solicitor s email Name of Executor Executor s address Executor s phone/ mobile Executor s email
Section 2 Your Estate financial affairs Location of Will Location of property title Mortgage details Details of other properties Life Insurance policy details including company and policy number Superannuation details Location of general insurance policies, including car, home etc.
Your Estate financial affairs (cont...) Bank accounts, including branches and account numbers Location of bank books and income tax Other assets Details of credit arrangements including hire purchase, credit card etc. Location of marriage and birth certificates Location of passport Does your Will/Solicitor have a record of your wishes and passwords for your digital/social media sites?
Funeral Preferences Unless specifically stated, the wishes recorded below are suggestions only for the family s guidance; they are not binding instructions. The family can confirm or change these suggestions to meet their needs at the time. Pre-arranged/pre-payment details - (Ensure your Executor knows your preferences) Location of contract Existing grave or cremation deeds, including name of cemetery, deed number, name in whom grave or deed issued, etc. Persons to be notified of my passing Club/societies to be notified Details to consider with your Seasons Arranger You can plan as much or as little as you like, however, written details will help your loved ones when the time comes. This includes elements like your favourite songs, hymns or poems, floral tributes, family and friends speaking arrangements, catering options and other finishing touches. Not to mention whether you want to be cremated, buried or explore other personal options. Have you considered a dove release to aid closure for those left behind? Or perhaps a horse-drawn carriage for a truly memorable farewell? Maybe you want to create something completely original and authentic a special way you want to be remembered. Please discuss a personalised funeral service with your Seasons arranger and lock in your pre-planned and/or pre-paid funeral.
Section 3 Funeral pre-financing options and information Pre-financing can be arranged through either a funeral bond or insurance. Funeral bonds A funeral bond is a capital guaranteed investment designed to meet funeral expenses. It is a secure investment held in your name. You can pay a lump sum of up to $11,250 or open an account with as little as $200 and a savings plan, Money can be paid into it from your bank account, pension or by cheque as convenient. Monies held in a funeral bond are not deemed as part of your assessable assets and bonus payments paid on the investment are not assessed as part of your income for pension purposes. Should you change your place of residence, your investment is portable and moves with you. Providing money in a funeral bond is a sensible financial decision, giving you the comfort of knowing you will not be an expense to family or friends. Some additional features and benefits Monies are held in your name in the funeral benefit fund, Foresters Friendly Society. Other benefits include: Invest up to $11,500 (indexed annually). Maximise pension entitlements. Monies invested are not deemed part of your assets, nor are bonus payments deemed part of your income for pension purposes. Enjoy annual bonuses. Invest as little as $25 per month when making regular contributions. Stop making payments at any time and the money is still in your name. A funeral bond can be established in joint names. Nominate your preferred funeral director. Option of Prepaid Travel Care Plan. Funeral insurance Funeral insurance is a good option, especially if your life expectancy is short. When considering funeral insurance, remember that you must continue to make monthly payments up to the age of 90. Failure to make one monthly payment can cancel your policy, and there are no pension advantages with insurance.
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