Frequently Asked Questions

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. ​

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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.

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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.