Funerals

The executor named in the will, or family members, are usually responsible for organizing the funeral. Choosing a funeral director can involve comparing companies or relying on word of mouth. It is the funeral director’s job to help you with many of the legal responsibilities, including the death certificate. A funeral director will also liaise on your behalf with the cemetery or crematorium, the clergy or celebrant, and other relevant parties.

Before the funeral#

You will need to complete various legal forms before the funeral can take place, which your funeral director can help you obtain.

If there was no apparent cause of death, or if the person died suddenly or traumatically, an investigation by the coroner will be required. This investigation may also require an autopsy to establish the cause of death. The doctor will call the police, who will then contact the coroner’s office to arrange the autopsy.

Funeral costs#

The cost of a funeral depends on the company you choose and the kind of funeral you arrange. It is important to have a complete understanding of all costs involved before the funeral takes place. In general, the full cost of a funeral includes:

• The funeral director’s service fee
• The cost of the coffin or casket
• The costs of the cemetery or crematorium
• Other expenses, such as a celebrant or clergy, flowers, newspaper notices and the wake (including catering)

Decisions to make when organizing a funeral#

In discussion with your funeral director, some of the decisions you will need to make include:

• A convenient day and time for the service
• Whether or not you want to view the body before the funeral
• Burial or cremation, and at which cemetery
• The clergy or celebrant
• The type of coffin or casket
• The clothes the deceased person will be wearing
• Transport to and from the funeral
• Death and funeral notices for the newspaper
• The type of music to be played during the service
• Arrangements for the wake, including catering options

After the funeral – registering the death#

Every birth, death and marriage has to be recorded with the relevant registry of births, deaths and marriages. The information you need to supply includes the deceased person’s name, address and occupation, their place of birth and place of death, and family information such as the deceased person’s parents, children and relationships.

The person’s doctor (or the coroner) will provide the necessary medical certificates, stating the cause of death. Based on this and other documents, the registry will register the death. This usually takes around three weeks following the funeral.

If the cause of death is being investigated by the coroner, an interim death certificate may be issued. This can be used to administer the estate when there is a delay in establishing the cause of death. The death certificate is an important document, because the estate cannot be administered without it.

The death certificate is usually ordered for you by the funeral director at the time the death is registered. However, you can also purchase a copy of the full death certificate directly from the registry of births, deaths and marriages.

Key points#

• An autopsy may be required to establish the cause of death.
• It is important to understand all the costs involved before the funeral takes place.
• The person’s doctor, or the coroner, provides the medical certificate stating the cause of death.

Where to get help#