How to plan your own funeral, one decision at a time

Planning your own funeral can feel strange at first, but many people find it a relief. It's a chance to say how you'd like to be farewelled, and it takes a great deal of guesswork away from the people you love at a very hard time. You don't need to do it all at once.

Start with the big choices

• Burial or cremation. If you have a preference about a place, a cemetery or what happens to your ashes, write it down. Our guides to burial and cremation and what to do with ashes can help.
• The kind of farewell. A traditional service, a small gathering, a celebration of life, or something outdoors.
• Who you'd like to lead it. A celebrant, a faith leader, or someone close to you.

Then add what matters to you

• Music and readings
• Who you'd like to speak, and stories you'd like told
• Flowers, or a charity for donations instead
• What people should wear, if you have a preference
• Anything you don't want

Notes for your eulogy and your own death notice are worth writing too. Our guide to writing a eulogy explains what a eulogy usually covers.

Write it down where it can be found

Funeral wishes are often put in a will, but a will is usually read after the funeral, and in Australia funeral wishes in a will are generally not legally binding. A separate written record your family can find quickly does more. You could keep it with your important documents, or use an end of life planner.

Tell the people closest to you

Let your family, or your executor, know that you've written your wishes down and where to find them. If talking about it feels hard, our guide to talking about funeral wishes has some gentle ways to begin.

Planning is not the same as paying

You can plan your funeral without paying for anything. If you'd also like to cover the cost ahead of time, our guide to prepaid funerals, funeral bonds and funeral insurance explains how each one works. For an idea of costs, see funeral costs in Australia.

This guide is general information only, not legal or financial advice.