Frequently Asked Questions
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Your questions answered on cremations, memorials, funerals, burials, prepaid plans and probate. All explained clearly, without the jargon.
Government filing fees are set by each state’s Supreme Court and are separate from our fixed legal fee. These fees apply to all law firms, not just Bare Law, and cover the cost of lodging your probate or administration application with the court.
The exact amount depends on which state you’re in and the size of the estate. We’ll explain the applicable fee during your free consultation and include it clearly in your quote before any work begins.
Don’t stress, we’re here to help. A Grant of Probate is granted when the deceased held a Will and this Will is submitted to the Court. Letters of Administration are granted when someone passes away without a Will and someone close to the deceased (generally next of kin) applies to become the Administrator of the estate. If you’re not sure what you will require, feel free to give our legal team a call, or book a free consult for some no-obligation advice.
A burial refers to the act of interring (or placing) a loved one in a grave, while a graveside service is a ceremony held at the burial site. Graveside services are often simple and intimate, but can be combined with a larger service like a funeral, held at a separate location beforehand. A graveside service is a beautiful way to say farewell, and observe the burial as it takes place – there are many ways we can help you make this quiet moment truly special, and unique to your family and wishes. You may like to consider having a celebrant or member of the clergy accompany you to lead the service itself.
Once we’ve collected your loved one, we’ll bring them into one of our partner mortuaries where they are signed into the register and given a unique ID plate to track their progress.
After preparation, our mortuary team places your loved one in their chosen coffin. They're then cared for in cool, controlled conditions to best protect their body until the day of their service or cremation.
On the day of the cremation, your loved one is carefully transferred from the holding area to the crematorium. There, their cremation is carried out with dignity. This typically takes around an hour or two. Throughout the journey with us, know that your loved one is in the very best of hands - we treat every person we care for as if they were our own.
We take the responsibility of returning the correct ashes very seriously, and the process to ensure this happens is closely regulated. Your loved one is cremated individually, and their paperwork accompanies them throughout the entire journey. The coffin and the ashes receptacle are all labelled, checked, and verified multiple times to ensure their identity is recorded correctly.
Absolutely! At Bare, we understand that each person is unique and we believe in helping you create a personalised service that reflects the life and personality of your loved one. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your preferences, desires and ideas, ensuring the funeral service is tailored to meet your needs and pays tribute to the life of the deceased.
In short, almost anything is possible; whether it’s a traditional, religious, or modern funeral. Feel free to give us a call and we’ll see if we can make it happen.
When it comes to the venue and location options, the short answer is - almost anywhere you like.
We use a wide variety of venues to suit your individual wishes, whether it be a formal service to something more casual. Your dedicated arranger will help you choose your venue based on your wishes, be it a cemetery chapel, a function centre, a sports club, community hall, or a restaurant or pub. We can also work with you if you have somewhere specific in mind that’s not currently listed in our hundreds of Bare partner venues.
To view our Bare Funeral venues, simply head to our venues page and enter your postcode and preferences: https://bare.com.au/venues
Planning from home starts with a simple phone call to our team on 1800 071 176 (we’re available 24/7). You’ll speak with your dedicated concierge, who’ll take some brief details and talk you through the process, along with answering any questions you might have. Their role is to make your life just a little bit easier, and so they will do everything they can to make the cremation or funeral arrangement process as simple as possible.
You don’t need to make a decision right away, but if you choose to move forward with us, we will bring your loved one into our care, from wherever they’ve passed.
From your home, we'll then guide you through the paperwork that must be completed, and keep you constantly informed of what's happening with your loved one. Once the cremation is complete, we'll register the death, arrange for the Death Certificate to be mailed to you, and work with you to have you receive your loved one’s ashes.
How you talk with your dedicated concierge and arranger is entirely up to you - phone, text message, video, or email - whatever is right for you, is right for us. You’ll also have 24/7 access to updates on your loved one via our funeral arrangement platform, along with the ability to pause, save and resume any required forms and paperwork online throughout the process.
Once we’ve collected your loved one, we’ll bring them into one of our partner mortuaries.
As a first step, we'll sign them into the register and give them a unique ID plate to ensure we can track their progress throughout the journey with us.
After preparation, our mortuary team places your loved one in their chosen coffin. They're then cared for in cool, controlled conditions to best protect their body until the day of their service or cremation.
On the day of the cremation, your loved one is carefully transferred from the holding area to the crematorium. There, their cremation is carried out with dignity. This typically takes around an hour or two. Throughout the journey with us, know that your loved one is in the very best of hands - we treat every person we care for as if they were our own.
The needs of every family are different, and you’ll be able to choose the exact support you want to receive.
As a memorial service does not have the coffin present it can take place at any time.
We do request at least 7 days however to plan the memorial, as it requires securing a venue, meeting with a celebrant (if you choose to include one in your package) and organising the many features of the day. If you wish to have the ashes of your loved one present at the memorial we would also need to have the memorial booked on a date that ensures their ashes are available to come back to the family.
Giving yourself time and not feeling rushed is something we feel is quite important for you at a time like this.
Embalming, or the long term preservation of a loved one’s body, is not always required for a burial. However, embalming may be required by specific cemeteries or services. Burials in a vault or crypt for example do require embalming as part of the good care of the deceased and to meet health and safety requirements under the cemetery’s policies. We can take you through your options, guide you through pricing, and help you make the right choice for your needs.
Photo presentations allow for the sharing of rich and intimate moments with everyone gathered at the funeral or memorial service. Accompanying music allows you to share your loved one's favourite songs. We recommend that families include a wide variety of photos of all stages of your loved one’s life.
Your arranger will work with you to create a slideshow to be played at the service. You'll need to provide us with the photos and select the music you'd like to be played. We recommend showing about 40 photos per song, and playing 1-2 songs. If you only have a few photos, this is fine. We can even show one still photo while a song is played, to allow your guests a time of reflection.
A funeral is a service celebrating your loved one’s life that has the coffin present at the service. It therefore takes place before the cremation and at a venue suitable for the presence of a coffin.
A memorial service in comparison does not have the coffin present at the service. Because of this the service can take place at a wider variety of venues and at any time, before or after the cremation. Many families choose to wait till their loved one's ashes are home and have the ashes present at the service.
Bare offers both types of services and the choice will ultimately depend on the family’s preferences. Speak to our arrangers to understand which type of service may be best for you and your family. If you wish to receive a free quote online, you will see options available depending on your location.
Regardless of which service you choose, Bare will be there with you on the day. From the initial planning stages to the day of the service itself, our team is physically present to help coordinate the details, support your guests, and ensure everything runs exactly as you envisioned. You aren't just left with a plan; you have our dedicated team by your side to help manage the day from start to finish.
This will vary with each state, so please check with your arranger on the specific options available in your area.
Collection of ashes from our partner crematorium or Bare Facility is complimentary, where this option is available.
We can also send the ashes via express post to anywhere in Australia. Please note we require a signature for all returns of ashes to ensure they are successfully received.
In the majority of metropolitan areas, a member of our team can also hand deliver your loved one’s ashes.
In metropolitan Victoria a $50 cost applies to postage or hand delivery, which your arranger can discuss with you prior to booking in this service.
The paperwork requirements vary by state. We will provide you with all documentation that needs to be filled and, where helpful, guide you through it's completion. We also give you the ability to complete these documents online, so you don’t need to find a printer, and can start, stop and resume at your own pace. The documents are used for authorisation to cremate, transferring a person into our care from an institution (such as a hospital), and personal details for the registration of the passing.
Yes! We welcome all faiths, ethnicities and cultures and can tailor our services to support most faiths. Our arrangers will work with you to understand your needs, and take care of the arrangements depending on your location and preferences. We'll always do our best to support the unique needs for your family. Please reach out to our care team who can discuss your needs in detail and we'll be happy to guide you.
Yes. On completion of your prepaid arrangement, we’ll mail you a hard copy of your arrangement, as well as some instructions you might wish to leave with your family or lawyer. Your documents are also securely stored online and can be shared with family, executors, lawyers and accountants anytime. Your account details and documents can be found in your prepaid dashboard.
You can add photos, legal documents, account details, title documents, pet information and much more. It’s your personal digital deposit box to store all of your valuable data for yourself or to help manage your estate when you are gone.
You have a 30 day cooling off period to consider your contract and change your mind if you wish. You may cancel your contract within the 30 day period by contacting Bare or notifying us in writing. Your contract will be cancelled and you will receive a full refund. It is important that you are aware that your Bond cannot be withdrawn prior to death, except during the cooling-off period.
There are a number of institutions and people you should contact to ensure a person’s estate is effectively closed. Our team is here to help you with that with our Aftercare service, and we’ve also built a Who to Contact checklist that you can download here.
A burial refers to the act of interring (or placing) a loved one in a grave, while a graveside service is a ceremony held at the burial site. Graveside services are often simple and intimate, but can be combined with a larger service like a funeral, held at a separate location beforehand. A graveside service is a beautiful way to say farewell, and observe the burial as it takes place – there are many ways we can help you make this quiet moment truly special, and unique to your family and wishes. You may like to consider having a celebrant or member of the clergy accompany you to lead the service itself.
Absolutely. Personalising the service allows you to celebrate your loved one in a meaningful way. You can include specific music, cultural or religious rituals, photo tributes, unique decorations, or even non-traditional elements like storytelling or releasing butterflies. If you’re not sure where to start, there’s no need to worry. Our experts will help you tailor the service to reflect your loved one’s personality and wishes.
Why not now? It only takes 15 minutes, it's completely free, and it's an important thing to have done - just in case.
No. The contents of the vault are designed to support a legal will and to help manage your estate.
Bare is one of the largest independent funeral directors in Australia, having supported over 50,000 families to date. Bare and our partners are registered or licensed as per each state’s local guidelines and regulations for Funeral Directors. We're ISO certified, have more than 4,000 5 Star Reviews, and have featured in a number of media stories for the difference we're making in the industry.
There are no hidden fees. Our prepaid cremation prices are fully inclusive and your prepaid contract clearly outlines all included services and costs. A major reason Bare was started was to offer an affordable and completely transparent funeral service. We are completely open about our pricing, which differentiates us from the traditional funeral industry.
No. Unlike a will, your Final Wishes is not a legally binding document. However, it's an important additional document that sits alongside a will to help your family navigate your funeral wishes, as well as get the relevant instructions from you on how you'd like your estate managed.
After the funeral service, your loved one is taken to our partner crematorium - where they are privately cremated in their state of the art facility. Our cremations are carried out with your loved one's dignity and care as our focus; the cremation is unattended, but carried out professionally in the most state of the art facilities.
You may use your own celebrant or member of the clergy if you prefer. Alternatively, a family member or friend can officiate at the service. A Celebrant is not included in the package and is an additional extra cost if you wish for Bare to engage a celebrant for you. Whatever your choice it is important that someone is designated as the officiator of the day. Please speak to your arranger for more information.
The first thing to do is contact our Customer Care team on 1800 071 176 (we're available 24/7). On speaking with your dedicated concierge, they will take some brief details and talk you through the process, along with answering any questions you might have. Their role is to make your life just a little bit easier, and so they will do everything they can to make the funeral arrangement process as simple as possible. Once we have those initial details, we'll transfer your loved one into our care and begin the process of arranging a cremation. We'll guide you through the paperwork that must be completed, and keep you constantly informed of what's happening with your loved one. Once the cremation is complete, we'll register the death, arrange for the Death Certificate to be mailed to you, and work with you to have you receive your loved one’s ashes.
Firstly, this is quite normal and many families find themselves in this position. If no plans were made, that’s totally fine. We can help you choose a burial location, service type and other necessary arrangements at your time of need, making the process as smooth as possible for you.
A memorial is similar to a traditional funeral service, it simply happens separate to the cremation without your loved one's presence in their coffin. This gives you, and us, the time and the space to arrange a service that best reflects your loved one. Some families choose to have beautifully presented ashes as the centrepiece of the event, like the coffin is for a traditional funeral.
Bare can help arrange a personalised memorial service at one of our recommended venues. You can also include optional extras such as celebrant, flowers, and stationery all thoughtfully arranged to celebrate the life that was lived.
You can see this option as a Bare Memorial when you can get an instant quote here.
Yes absolutely! Writing your passwords down on a piece of paper can be daunting - who knows who will find or use them. The vault can safely and securely store this information and share it with your next of kin so they can can close your accounts when the time comes.
Yes, in most circumstances. Your loved one will be washed and dressed by our mortuary staff. Your arranger will speak to you about providing suitable clothing for your loved one and we will organise to gather that from you, or the clothing can be given to our staff when we come to bring your loved one into our care.
Arranging a burial service typically involves choosing a burial plot or location, selecting a coffin or casket, and coordinating the service details with your Bare arranger. From the moment you call us, we’ll be there to guide you. That includes ensuring all legal paperwork (such as burial permits) is handled efficiently, and making sure both you and your loved one are cared for at every step. Your arranger will also help you plan the different parts of the service, like music, readings and eulogies.
This is a very personal decision that will be respected by your memorial arranger in either case. The ashes can provide a tangible representation of your loved one, and they may form part of a special moment in the service for everyone to pay their respects to the deceased. Many families choose not to bring the urn, and instead, display a large framed photo to represent the life of their loved one.
If you already have a venue in mind, you can inform your arranger and we’ll liaise with the venue management to check the availability and cost.
It’s important to ensure that your next of kin or executor knows your wishes. That will make the process seamless at the time of your passing. If you are in an aged care facility or hospital, we encourage you to let them know that you have a prepaid contract with Bare and provide our phone number 1800 071 176. They will then be able to contact us immediately when the time comes.
We know that paying for a cremation or funeral can be daunting, particularly when bills and financial commitments don't stop. At Bare, we don't ask for payment upfront for an immediate or imminent arrangement. We offer affordable services and flexible payment options to support your family. If you have any questions about this, please give our care team a call on 1800 071 176.
Depending on the location and circumstances of your loved one’s passing, this option may be offered. Please speak to your Bare Arranger so they can advise if this option is possible.
Your data is completely encrypted - we can't see anything. It's encrypted 2 times before it hits the vault database, and then encrypted again.
Depending on the location and circumstances of your loved one’s passing, we may be able to arrange for this to happen at the chapel or crematorium prior to the funeral service. Alternatively, at an additional cost, a viewing may be able to be organised at a date prior to the day of the funeral. Please speak to one of our arrangers so they can provide confirmation.
Before engaging with your family lawyer, it’s worthwhile comparing their fees with our fees. It’s just as quick and easy for Bare Law to arrange a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, and more often than not, our fees are lower. We’re so confident our estate administration services are the most affordable in Australia, we’ll beat any genuine quote for the same service by 10%. If you have any questions about this, feel free to call us today or book a free consult with our lawyers for some no-obligation advice.
If there is no Will, it is most common that the next of kin of the deceased will apply to the Court for Letters of Administration. The distribution of the estate would then occur in accordance with particular rules of intestacy. The rules of intestacy are a set of rules that determine exactly who will receive a benefit from the estate and in what proportions. Bare Law can help you with a Grant of Letters of Administration if the deceased had no will.
Absolutely. The Base Funeral package includes a limited selection of coffins covered in the price. If you wish a different one, our Coffin Upgrade offers a wider selection. This is an optional extra, and the cost difference will then simply be added on to your invoice.
The timeframe to bring your loved one into care depends on their location. When a person passes at home, an aged care facility or a private hospital, we do our best to attend as quickly as possible once a healthcare professional has attended and confirmed their passing by completing in writing. Generally, we’re able to attend within 2-3 hours of your healthcare professional confirming the death. If your loved one passes away in a hospital which provides a morgue, or if they are taken into the care of the Coroner, we’ll need the Next Of Kin to complete an authority for their release. It’s quite normal for this process to take a day or so. We make the arrangements to bring them into care from a hospital or the Coroner on your behalf, and with your permission.
At Bare, we collect anytime day or night. Sometimes we will be dictated by the location of collection, for example certain hospitals will have dedicated collection times that we must adhere to. Needless to say, we will always collect as soon as possible - and there are never any out of hours hidden fees.
We are almost always in a position to be able to attend to your cremation care as planned, however additional costs may be incurred if the death occurs outside 50km of the address nominated on your prepaid contract. We encourage you to keep in touch and provide us with updated details should you change address. In the rare event we can't complete our services, your finances are released back to your estate, or can be transferred to a local funeral director.
In most cases, without a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, the executor will be prevented from accessing and managing the assets of the estate. Occasionally, a smaller estate will not require these documents to access and distribute the estate’s assets, but this is uncommon. If you’re unsure if you’ll require a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration based on the size and types of assets in the estate, feel free to give us a call for some no-obligation advice.
Yes, we can help you arrange a viewing or private time with your loved one, allowing family and friends to say their goodbyes. This typically happens before the burial service and can be held within our dedicated viewing spaces or, if possible, your funeral venue. If you’re considering burying your loved one in a vault or crypt, a viewing may take place in the days leading up to the funeral. Please feel welcome to call us so we can guide you based on your individual needs.
The short answer is - almost anywhere you like.
We use a wide variety of venues to suit your individual wishes, whether it be a formal service to something more casual. A Bare Memorial offers a wider variety of venue options as it doesn’t include a coffin which is commonly not accommodated in some venues. You choose your venue based on your wishes, be it a cemetery chapel, a function centre, a sports club, community hall, or a restaurant or pub. We can also work with you if you have somewhere specific in mind that’s not currently listed in our hundreds of Bare partner venues.
To view our Bare Memorial venues, simply head to our venues page and enter your postcode and preferences: https://bare.com.au/venues
For security reasons we recommend not adding usernames and passwords to your Final Wishes. You can use this to list the accounts you currently hold that may need to be closed when the time comes.
If you have arranged the cremation through Bare, we will organise the Death Certificate to be sent to you via Registered Post with tracking. From the time of cremation, we typically advise a wait time of about two to three weeks. At times it can take longer if there is a delay in processing by the Births, Deaths & Marriages Registry Office.
You may request to not have the ashes returned after the cremation. If that is your wish, we will require a signature as confirmation. We can then organise to have the ashes scattered in a cemetery in an undisclosed location as a complimentary service. We cannot hold your loved ones ashes for an indefinite period, so scattering at a cemetery is required if you do not want them returned to you.
Yes! We also recommend storing your Final Wishes and any prepaid cremation contracts here as well and nominate who should get access to those documents, either now or when you pass.
Bare is one of the largest independent funeral directors in Australia, having supported over 50,000 families to date. Bare and our partners are registered or licensed as per each state’s local guidelines and regulations for Funeral Directors. We're ISO certified, have more than 4,000 5-star reviews, and have featured in a number of media stories for the difference we're making in the industry.
We’ve seen those reports too – it’s exactly why we started Bare. As our customer reviews show, we’ve committed our lives and our company to providing the highest level of care in the industry. Our team have come from all walks of life, drawn to the purpose of doing right by families going through an incredibly difficult period. It’s also important to note that we use the many of the same crematoriums, mortuaries and transfer vehicles as “premium” funeral homes – we’re affordable simply because we don’t charge you for the things that you don’t need.
Having an end-of-life plan is one important way to take an emotional burden off your family when the time comes. We often see the difficulty associated with managing grief at the same time as managing a loved one's funeral and estate plans. Having your preferences written down is one way to make this process easier for those left behind.
Flowers can be a beautiful way to add a touch of colour to a service. They are not required, but they can be included in your package as an optional extra. If you choose to have flowers, you might also consider complementing them with a personal touch of your own; lots of families get creative when it comes to honouring their loved one, so feel welcome to add an array of photos, letters, books and other unique mementos that speak to your loved one’s story.
Absolutely! At Bare, we understand that each person is unique and we believe in helping you create a personalised service that reflects the life and personality of your loved one. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your preferences, desires and ideas, ensuring the funeral service is tailored to meet your needs and pays tribute to the life of the deceased.
In short, almost anything is possible. Feel free to give us a call and we’ll see if we can make it happen.
A grant of probate is granted when the deceased held a Will and this Will is submitted to the Court. Letters of Administration are granted when someone passes away without a Will and someone close to the deceased (generally next of kin) applies to become the Administrator of the estate. If you're not sure what you will require, feel free to schedule a call here and they'll be happy to give you some no-obligation advice.
As part of the Prepaid Cremation arrangement, you will receive a funeral contract, and your detailed policy documents in hard copy, which lists all the prearranged services agreed upon. We'll provide you with a digital copy immediately on purchase, and hard copy documents are delivered via post within 14 days of purchase. You will also receive a copy of your Lifeplan Australia Friendly Society Disclosure Document outlining how your money is kept safe.
After you have finished filling out your Will Form it must be printed then signed. Signing the Will correctly is vital to ensure it is valid.
The Will-maker (testator) and both witnesses must be present at the same time of signing. They must also use the same pen to sign and date the Will Form, including any additional pages or correction notations (codicils) added to your Will. Use a black or dark blue pen.
Signing each page of the Will is extremely important, to ensure absolute certainty that extra pages have not been inserted, removed or replaced later. You and each of your witnesses MUST be present together to sign the Will Form. The three of you will need to sign the bottom of each page of your Will. The witnesses will need to write in their full name and address, this usually is done on the last page of the Will. Don’t forget, the three of you must use the same pen, so take turns signing and filling in the details.
Aside from not having a witness sign the document, the Will-maker can sometimes pass away without themselves having finalised and signed it. If it’s not signed, it’s simply not valid. So ensure you don’t forget this vital step.
Yes we collect anytime day or night. Sometimes we will be dictated by the location of collection, for example certain hospitals will have dedicated collection times that we must adhere to. Needless to say, we will always collect as soon as possible – and there are never any out of hours hidden fees.
The memorial table at your service is important as it represents the unique life and personality of your loved one. You can display photographs, personal items, mementos and keepsakes. These items provide a tangible connection to the person and help to bring their story to life during the service. We've had memorial tables that have included sporting memorabilia, cook books, war medals, favourite records and everything in between.
Wills and estate plans shouldn’t be a ‘set and forget’ approach, but reviewed every few years or whenever there is a significant change to your personal or financial circumstances. For example, it’s wise to make a new Will, as soon as possible, if:
- there is a change in your relationship: if you marry, divorce, separate, have children, or enter into or end a de facto relationship;
- you buy or sell a major asset like a house or car. Any items that you’ve listed as specific bequests will need to be updated if they are no longer in your possession;
- you, or anyone else named in your Will changes their name;
- your executor has died since you wrote your Will, or if they are unable to execute your Will for some reason.
Absolutely - we’ve partned with The Prepared Company, who use military-grade security to safely store and encrypt all data stored in the Digital Vault.
You can. Many families choose to hold a funeral service, such as a religious or secular ceremony, followed by a burial. This is called a Dual Service Burial. The funeral allows a larger group of family and friends to gather and pay their respects, while the burial provides a moment for final goodbyes. Both can be arranged to suit your family and loved one’s wishes. There are endless ways to give these services a personal touch – we’ll help you celebrate your loved one’s life story just the right way.
Once we collect your loved one, we take them into our care. This is typically the mortuary of our service provider, where they will be cared for while we arrange for the cremation to take place. Throughout their time with us, rest assured that your loved one will be treated as if they were our own.
If you’re currently paying funeral insurance, you have three options. The first is to cancel your funeral insurance payments, and convert to a prepaid cremation plan. This means you forfeit your potential payout, but this is likely the cheapest option if you’re unlikely to require our service for three years or more. The second option is to continue paying your funeral insurance premiums, and also take out a prepaid plan. As funeral insurance simply pays out a lump sum of cash, this could be used by your family for anything (as a gift for a car, holiday, education etc) if you’ve also prepaid your funeral. The final option is to keep paying funeral insurance, and simply use that payout to arrange a Bare cremation when the time comes. This is what we recommend if you’re expecting to require our service in the next three years.
Catering is an optional extra, as some families choose not to provide any catering. We will tailor our venue recommendations to your preference, as some venues require catering, such as restaurants.
Timeframes vary depending on cultural or religious customs, family preferences and venue availability. Generally, burials occur approximately a week after death, but your Bare arranger can assist with alternative planning if more time is needed for family to travel or to fulfil other arrangements. We’ll guide you through your individual situation and circumstances – reach out to our team at any time, day or night.
We have a dedicated aftercare team that will act as your concierge throughout this process. While they work closely together, this will be a different person from your funeral arranger. Your arranger will remain your primary contact throughout the cremation and Bare funeral / memorial service.
A Bare Funeral package is a simple funeral that includes everything in Bare Cremation, a funeral coffin, and a service at one of our recommended venues. We also coordinate a photographic slideshow tribute with your selected music to remember your loved one, all curated in a way that best celebrates the life they lived.
While a Bare Funeral package covers the essentials for a simple yet meaningful service, we understand that every individual and family has different preferences. You can tailor the service to your preferences with optional extras such as a celebrant, flowers, stationery, or catering, available for an additional cost.
Your prepaid contract includes a breakdown of each service and its associated costs. If you'd like to review the details, you can request this anytime or you can visit our website to generate a quote and select the option to email yourself a copy.
We have a different business model to traditional funeral homes. Traditional funeral homes have high fixed operating costs - with physical funeral parlours to manage and maintain. Bare is different. By offering simple services that can be arranged online or over the phone, we can provide high quality services at affordable prices.
Photo presentations allow for the sharing of rich and intimate moments with everyone gathered at the funeral service. Accompanying music allows you to share your loved one's favourite songs. We recommend that families include a wide variety of photos of all stages of your loved one’s life.
The advertised price for a Bare Cremation is the final price. We understand that the funeral industry is known for hidden fees, but with our Bare Cremation package – our most affordable option – the price you see is the price you pay. We don't charge extra for weekend or overnight transfers, oversized coffins, or pacemaker removal. You have full control over adding optional services such as a viewing, memorial or funeral service, urn choices, or a different means of return of ashes to you than is included in the base package. You'll be provided with clear quoted pricing, so you can make an informed decision and keep control over your finances. If you haven’t already, you can view full pricing specific to your location and inclusions by clicking ‘Instant Quote’ at the top of this page.
Our care team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 1800 071 176 or via email – [email protected].
We generally advise families that the timing from collection of your loved one to when you receive their ashes is 3 weeks. However, this may vary depending on many factors, including your preferred option for bringing your loved one’s ashes home. It is best to obtain guidance from your arranger.
Funeral expenses are considered an estate expense, this means that the deceased’s bank accounts can be used to pay for the funeral expenses. However, if any other person pays for the funeral expenses, they are entitled to be reimbursed for these expenses from the estate.
Your chosen executor should be someone you can trust to make decisions about your estate. People generally nominate their spouse, sibling, an adult child, or some other close family member or friend. Others may choose a solicitor, however, it is not necessary to hold any professional qualifications to be an executor.
Other considerations include a person’s organisation skills, ability to manage details, their knowledge of all beneficiaries’ whereabouts and their travel time to the beneficiaries. If the person you choose moves to another country, it may be easier to write a new Will that nominates a different person to perform the task.
Your executor cannot be a witness to the signing of the Will, however they can be a beneficiary, providing they are 18 years of age or older. They must also be willing to take on the task.
We will guide you through the entire process and, where possible, do things on your behalf. We will require specific information from you and may require authorisation to act on your behalf
When you purchase a prepaid cremation, we must legally remit GST immediately. That means we take out the GST component of the amount paid and send it to the Australian Tax Office. We also take our setup fee to pay for the administration and setup of your Prepaid Bond in a regulated fund with the Lifeplan Australia Friendly Society. All of these costs are clearly outlined on your prepaid cremation contract. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to call or email us anytime. We pride ourselves on complete transparency.
Once you have completed your Final Wishes we’ll save them in a document you can print or send to your next of kin or executor. That will make the process seamless at the time of your passing.
Every Bare family we work with is different! We will start off your aftercare journey by determining all of the different areas of support you require for your unique circumstance.
A Bare Cremation (often called a direct cremation) is an increasingly popular alternative to a traditional funeral. A traditional funeral typically involves a ceremony, with coffin present, in a funeral parlour. A Bare Cremation is a cremation-only service, which then allows families to create a personal memorial service after the cremation occurs. It is the fastest growing funeral trend in Australia, because of the cost advantages, but more importantly the flexibility it affords families to hold a highly personalised farewell. For families who would like support arranging a ceremony, a Bare Memorial is perfect for you. A Bare Memorial is a ceremony, but without a coffin present. This allows the service to focus less on their passing, and more on the life that they lived - and the people that mattered to them.
No. Once the plan is paid in full, there’s nothing more to pay, whether you need us in 5 or 50 years’ time. The only situation where extra fees may be payable is if you pass away in a different region in Australia. While we are almost always in a position to be able to attend to your cremation care as planned, additional costs may be incurred based if the death occurs outside 50km of the address nominated on your prepaid contract. We encourage you to keep in touch and provide us with updated details should you change address.
In the instance of an overseas death, your finances are returned to their estate as we cannot service.
A celebrant is the person entrusted with bringing the story of your loved one out in all its richness. Your celebrant will meet with you prior to the service to help plan the Order of Service; who will speak, what they might like to say, what poems or passages will be read, and more. On the day, your celebrant ensures the smooth running of your service and supports your family every step of the way.
A Bare appointed celebrant is an optional extra in your Bare Funeral or Bare Memorial package to help plan the service and officiate on the day. Your Bare Arranger will recommend a celebrant based on an understanding of your family and your loved one. Whether Bare appoints a celebrant on your behalf or you organise a family member or friend to carry out the role it is very important someone is designated to officiate on the day. You will always remember the celebrant who celebrated your loved one's life, so we take great care in our selections.
The investment value of your prepaid contract is invested in a regulated Fund with the Lifeplan Australia Friendly Society. As a member of the Fund the investment value is held in your name and we can only access the funds on your passing as part of the pre-paid contract. In the very unlikely event that we are not in business when you pass away the investment value at that time would either be paid to your Estate or paid to another Funeral Director at the direction of your Executor to contribute to your funeral expenses.
The safest and easiest way to revoke, or cancel, your Will or estate document is to make a new document. This new document will then be declared as your last Will or most current estate planning document. Making a new version automatically makes all previous documents of the same type void. Signing the Will correctly is vital to ensure it is valid.
A Bare Cremation (often called a direct cremation) is an alternative to a traditional funeral as it is a more simple and affordable option. It is a private or unattended cremation with no family or friends present during the process. This option allows families to create a personal memorial service anytime at a later date or whenever they are ready.
A Bare Memorial is best for families who want a less traditional funeral and a flexible option with no time constraints. For families who would like support arranging a ceremony, a Bare Memorial is perfect for you. A Bare Memorial includes everything in a Bare Cremation and a memorial service arranged by your arranger at a time and place that suits you.
We take this responsibility very seriously, and the process to ensure this happens is closely regulated. Your loved one is cremated individually. They, the coffin, and the ashes receptacle are all labelled and checked and verified. Your loved one’s paperwork accompanies them throughout their care journey and is checked multiple times to ensure their identity is recorded correctly.
Our Base Funeral package already covers the essential services for a simple and meaningful farewell. If you would like to personalise the service, we also offer optional extras so you can choose and only pay for other service elements you need. Your arranger will guide you and help with any additions that suit your wishes.
You can include anything that you feel is important for your family to know and understand. It is a useful tool that can provide context about the decisions left in your Will or directions about your funeral.
The date a funeral can take place will depend on many factors, including the location of your loved one and completion of paperwork. There are also many things that need to be planned and put into place. We suggest that at least 7 days is necessary to allow you time to process matters, make decisions and planning to take place. Your funeral date will need to be settled in conjunction with your funeral arranger, but our advice is to not rush and to give yourself the much needed time to prepare for the day fully.
We know that paying for a funeral can be daunting, particularly when bills and financial commitments don't stop. At Bare, we don't ask for payment upfront for an immediate or imminent arrangement. We offer affordable services and flexible payment options to support your family. If you have any questions about this, please give our care team a call on 1800 071 176.
Probate (where there is a will), or Letters of Administration (where there isn't a will) is the approval granted to an executor of a Will by the Supreme Court. Obtaining a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration means that the Court has formally recognised the authority of the executor to manage the estate of the deceased.
For Bare Cremation or cremation-only without service, we use either a basic cardboard coffin or an MDF coffin made from compressed wood fibres. At this time, we do not offer other coffin options for our cremation-only arrangement.
No! If we are arranging a Bare Cremation, Funeral or Memorial on your behalf, then our Bare Aftercare services outlined above are included as part of your Bare service. We recognise that losing a loved one requires more than just a cremation or memorial service, so we do what we can to support our families throughout many different challenges they face.
Obtaining a grant of probate (or letters of administration) is not the whole estate administration process. Before obtaining a grant of probate (or letters of administration) the death certificate must be obtained and information must be collected from any asset holders. An application for the grant can then be made and, when the grant is made by the Court, asset collection and distribution can be completed.
The estate administration can take between 6 – 12 months, this is generally impacted by the type of assets that need to be dealt with. For example, if property needs to be sold this can be a longer process to complete.
Your Will does not need to be lodged or submitted anywhere. Keep a copy in a safe but accessible place and give another copy, or the original, to your executor or solicitor. The common approach is to not keep your original Will at your place of residence, because if the property is destroyed by fire your Will may never be found. You can store your Will at your bank, usually in a safe deposit box or envelope with any mortgage documents. If it’s stored under both your name and the name of your executor, they will have authorised access at the time when they need it.