Planning a funeral is a difficult, logistical process that takes a lot out of bereaved families. However, the right funeral home in Melbourne can make the process as smooth as possible so you can focus on mourning your loved one.
When searching for a funeral home near you, you should look for one that is qualified to help you with ceremonial arrangements and legal paperwork. In return, your funeral director in Melbourne will ask you for some information to help them make arrangements.
Here is what you will probably need to know when planning a funeral. Gathering this information ahead of time can make planning a funeral as smooth as possible.
Basic Information About the Deceased
The first thing the average funeral home in Melbourne will ask you is some simple information about your loved one. You will need to tell them their full name, birth and death dates, address, and location of death. Funeral homes are responsible for releasing documents that transfer your loved one’s body from the coroner to their establishment, which is why they need this information.
The faster you can get this information to your funeral home director, the faster they will be able to begin preparing the funeral for your loved one.
Information About Next of Kin
Depending on local ordinances, your funeral director in Melbourne may be required to communicate with the senior next of kin only. This is usually a spouse or partner, then the eldest child, then a surviving parent or legal representative. However, if the deceased specified someone else as their preferred next of kin in their will, then preference is given to that person.
If there are divisions within the family, you should resolve that or put your disagreements on pause before talking to a funeral director. Disagreements will only make the process longer and more difficult.
Details About the Life of the Deceased
Besides the funeral arrangements, funeral home directors are also responsible for creating death certificates, which they will provide to the family after a funeral. They will also register the death with local authorities. As such, you should have the following basic information on hand to assist the director with filling out the death certificate.
First, you will need information about all of your loved one’s marriages, not just their current ones. This includes the date and location of the marriage as well as the spouse’s names, including any maiden names.
You will also need information about the deceased’s family. The death certificate needs to contain the full names and occupations of the parents, including maiden names. The official Births, Deaths, and Marriages registry requires this information. If you are not sure, you can find this information on your loved one’s birth or marriage certificates.
If the deceased had any children, whether they were biological or adopted, their given names and dates of birth will also go on the death certificate. Depending on the locality, stepchildren are not included, so check with local authorities.
Finally, you will need some basic information about the deceased. If they were not born in Australia, you will still need to provide their date and place of birth along with the year of immigration (an estimate is fine if you don’t know the exact year). You will also need to list their occupation. If they held multiple jobs, pick the one where they worked the longest or that meant the most to them.
Arrangement Details
A funeral home near you should be able to take care of legal requirements and help you plan the service commemorating your loved one. The director can advise you on selecting coffins, music, media, or someone to preside over the service, but ultimately, they should allow your family to make the final decision. A funeral home that attempts to pressure you into a service you know your loved one would not want because “that is how things are done” is not one you should trust.
Funeral directors can help you during your bereavement by planning a service befitting your loved one and handling legal information such as issuing a death certificate. However, they will need information from you about the deceased to complete their obligation. By having this information on hand, you can make the process smoother so you can focus on grieving.
