Persons and organisations to be notified of death

Although a phone call will be all that is needed for some of these people/organisations, others will ask you for a “certified copy” of the Death Certificate as well. A certified copy is a photocopy of the Death Certificate certified as a true copy of the original document by e.g. a Justice of the Peace or a legal practitioner. It is usually a good idea to get several certified copies.

A suggested notice for sending to these people/organisations is available for download.

• Suggested notice (pdf 6kb)

The following list of contacts is offered as a general guide only:

• Accountant
• Australian Electoral Commission
• Australian Taxation Office
• Banks, credit unions
• Centrelink
• Clubs (eg RSL, social, community)
• Credit card/hire purchase organisations
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs
• Doctor/s
• Electoral Office
• Electricity provider
• Employers (or former employers)
• Foreign pension authority
• Funeral insurance/benefit provider (sometimes available from Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Life Insurance Company, Private Health Insurance Fund, Trade Union, Social Club)
• Gas Supply Company
• Health Professionals (eg Dentist, Optometrist, Physiotherapist, Podiatrist etc)
• Hearing Centre
• Hospital
• Insurance Companies (eg, life, house, car, private health fund)
• Internet Service Provider
• Landlord
• Library
• Local Council (rates, meals on wheels)
• Mailing lists *
• Medicare
• Minister of Religion
• Motor vehicle registration and licensing authority
• Post Office
• Professional organisations (eg memberships, subscriptions)
• Public Trustee
• Social clubs
• Social Worker
• Legal Practitioner
• Stock Broker
• Superannuation Fund
• Telephone provider (landline and mobile).

*To have a name removed from mailing lists you can ask the Australian Direct Marketing Association to it for you. To register the details write to:
ADMA, Reply Paid 4054, GPO Box 3895, Sydney NSW 200
Phone: 02 9277 540
or register online: http://www.adma.com.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=1999

No will or invalid will

If no will can be found or the existing will may be invalid (e.g. named executors or beneficiaries have already died or personal relationships have changed) the partner or family members should consult a legal practitioner as distribution of the estate may be very complicated and finally decided by the laws of the state/territory in which the deceased person lived.

For more information:

• The passing of a loved one
• Useful contacts