We should all be prepared
If you want to be the one to decide what happens to your property and belongings (assets) after your death, then it is important that you have a will. Your assets can include money, property, shares, insurance policies, personal effects and so on. Without a will the court may need to decide who your beneficiaries will be.
The Australian Consumers Association provides information on making a will which may be helpful. The Australian Government website, Seniors.gov.au, also has information on estate planning.
Writing a will is something that you can do yourself to save costs, and do-it-yourself (DIY) kits are widely available. Get it checked over though. A solicitor or lawyer can help with your will. Don't be afraid to talk about their charges.
It is important not to leave it too late. Sometimes a person's health deteriorates rapidly or unexpectedly. In order to make a will you will need to have sound mind, memory and understanding. This is called testamentary capacity. In the last stages of illness this can fluctuate and sometimes people have not acted in time.
It is important to make a will, but it is just as important to talk to family (even though this can be a difficult conversation to have). Finally, let everyone know where it is. If the will cannot be found it may as well not have been written. Let your family and friends (or a designated person) know where it can be found, or if it is registered (such as with a solicitor or the Australian will registry).
Funerals
Many people want to help plan their own funeral. this could include, for example, deciding what music will be played and who will give the eulogy. Others prefer to leave it to family and friends to decide how they should be remembered. However, there are some matters that you may want to think and talk about with your family and friends.
If you have specific wishes as to what happens to your body after your death it is important that people know. You may want to be buried rather than cremated. You may want to donate your organs or consider donating your body to a medical school. Details can be found at the Australian Organ Donor Register.
Funerals and associated costs are something that many people think about. The Better Health Channel has a fact sheet on funerals and Choice has an article on funeral costs. Costs will vary with different features or services. The Australian Funeral Directors’ Association has a frequently asked questions page, which includes information on pre-paid funerals.
Centrelink has also produced a useful guide called help after someone has died.
This page was created on 26 March 2007 and is due for review in March 2009