Pre-planning Checklist

To Honour | To Remember | To Heal.

The following checklist will help you create your personalised plan.

Ways to Plan Ahead

General

Gather personal information for your obituary.
Choose a charity to direct donations to, if desired.
Are there any traditions, customs or rituals you would like explored?
Do you have preferred colours?
What are your instructions regarding clothing, jewellery or personal effects.
Do you want the family to take you home before a service?
Do you want the family viewing you at the funeral home?
Is there funding set aside for your funeral?

The Funeral Service

Choose burial or cremation.
Select a casket or cremation container.
Choose locations and type of service.
Choose floral arrangements.
Select which photographs and memorabilia you’d like to display.
Consider any customs, traditions, or religious rites that are important to you and your family.
Choose the clothing you’d like to be dressed in.
Select music and hymns, if desired.
Are there any specific readings, poems, photography you would want included?
Are there any special messages you would want people to share?
Choose a theme for decorations and personal items you would like included at your service.
Arrange transportation for your physical remains.

Participants

Choose a clergy member or officiator to preside over the service.
Select any musicians whose talents you’d like to employ.
Select pallbearers.
Choose friends or family members to perform the eulogy, read scripture, or prepare a speech.

Final Disposition

Choose a cemetery.
Select a memorial or grave marker and inscription.
Decide who will keep your urn.
Decide who will scatter your ashes and where.

Information You’ll Need

The following information is required in order to complete the Death Certificate and, in the case of returned service people, to enable RSA internment options.

Full legal name, home address and phone number
Date of birth
Place of birth
If born overseas, year of arriving in New Zealand
Father’s name
Mother’s name and maiden name
Occupation
Names and relationships of survivors including marriage details- age at marriage, place of marriage
Date of birth of spouse, Date of birth of divorced spouse (if loving)
Birth dates and gender of Living Children
Ethnic origins:
War service: war: No. Rank: Unit
Doctor:
Next of Kin:
Solicitor:
Trustee:
IRD Number (when investing funds)
Insurance policy information if using to pay for funeral expenses
Information about the burial location if applicable
Clergy name and phone number if applicable

Remember…

There’s no need to make all the decisions right away. For personalised assistance in creating your plan, contact one of our family care team to schedule a one-on-one meeting.

Call 06 878 5149 to make an appointment.

Other things to think about

Do people know what to do with your digital legacy? You may want to specify a digital legacy plan and let someone know how they might access online accounts, social media and banking etc. Click here to read more.