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Process

Undertaker? Funeral Director?

Undertaker, funeral director and funeral service provider can all describe the person or business helping to organise a funeral. The words have different histories, but today there is no single title that tells you exactly what someone does.

Where did “undertaker” come from?

The word undertaker originally meant simply someone who undertook a task or responsibility. The specialised use of the word for someone who managed funerals and arrangements for burial dates back to the late 17th century.

The name makes quite a lot of sense when you think about it. An undertaker was someone who undertook the responsibility of the funeral, like;

arranging the coffin, transporting the deceased, organising the burial and bringing together the various people and services needed.

Historically, undertakers often came from trades such as cabinet making, stonemasonry, printing and upholstery. In Queensland, the State Library describes undertaking as a business that brought together many different trades and skills.

So where did “funeral director” come from?

As funerals became more organised and the role expanded, funeral director became increasingly used to describe someone who directed and managed the various parts of a funeral.

There isn’t a single clear date when “funeral director” replaced “undertaker”. The change happened gradually, particularly around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the funeral industry became more formalised. The British Undertakers’ Association, for example, was established in 1905 and later became the National Association of Funeral Directors.

The important thing is that the change in title did not necessarily mean a completely different job. A funeral director was still, in many respects, undertaking the responsibility for arranging and managing a funeral.

What about “funeral service provider”?

Funeral service provider is a more descriptive and less traditional term. It recognises that there are many different ways a person or business might help a family after someone dies.

A funeral service provider might collect and care for the deceased, arrange a burial or cremation, help with paperwork, coordinate a funeral or memorial, or simply provide some of those services.

It also avoids suggesting that every funeral has to be directed in the traditional sense.

What do we call ourselves?

We use undertaker and funeral service provider because both describe what we actually do.

We undertake the practical responsibility of bringing everything together, while recognising that the funeral itself belongs to the family. We can organise as much or as little as you need, rather than assuming there is one traditional funeral that everyone should have.

Do I need to use a funeral director?

No. Queensland law does not require you to use a funeral director for every part of a funeral.

A family can take an active role in arranging a funeral, and the law provides for a close relative or personal representative to make applications such as an application for permission to cremate, either personally or through an agent.

The practical difficulty is that some facilities and service providers have their own processes and may only accept arrangements through an authorised funeral service provider. That is one of the reasons Rest exists: to help families understand what they can do themselves while stepping in where professional assistance is actually needed.

You do not have to choose between doing everything yourself and handing everything over. There is a lot of ground in between.

What happens when someone dies in Queensland

What happens after someone dies in Queensland depends on where and how the death occurred, but there are a few important steps that need to happen before burial or cremation.

The first priority is establishing the death and determining whether the death needs to be referred to the coroner. After that, the family can begin making decisions about care of the person, burial or cremation, and the kind of farewell they want.

If the person is to be cremated, Queensland requires permission to cremate. A close relative or personal representative can apply, either themselves or through an agent such as a funeral director.

The death also needs to be registered with the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. It must generally be registered within 14 days.

There is much more to the process than can sensibly fit in an FAQ. We have written a detailed guide covering the journey from the moment of death through to the death certificate:

Read the funeral process in Queensland.

What is a will?

A will is a legal document that says what you would like to happen to the things you leave behind when you die.

When people hear the word “will”, they often think about money, houses, bank accounts and other property.

Those things are certainly part of it, but a will can be about much more than what happens to your stuff.

It’s not just about money

A will can give you an opportunity to make your wishes known about the people and things that matter to you.

If you have children who are under 18, for example, one of the most important questions to think about is:

Who would look after my children if I wasn’t here?

You can use your will to nominate someone you would like to act as a guardian for your children.

This doesn’t mean that the person you name automatically becomes the legal guardian in every circumstance. Decisions about children are ultimately made according to their best interests. But making your wishes known can be an important part of planning for their future.

You might also want to think about:

  • Who you would trust to care for your children
  • How you would like your children to be supported
  • Who you would trust to manage money or property left to them
  • What should happen to your home and other possessions
  • Whether there are particular belongings you want specific people to receive
  • Who you would like to manage your estate

You don’t have to be old to need a will

One of the biggest misconceptions about wills is that they are something you worry about when you get old.

You don’t need to be old to have things worth protecting.

You might have young children. You might own a home. You might have superannuation, savings, a car, a business, personal possessions or simply people you care deeply about.

Even if you don’t have much money or property, there can still be good reasons to make a will.

If you have children, the question of who you would want to care for them is reason enough to start thinking about it.

What happens if I don’t have a will?

If you die without a valid will, you are said to have died intestate.

Your estate is then distributed according to the intestacy laws that apply to you, rather than according to instructions you have made yourself.

That doesn’t necessarily mean your wishes will be ignored, but it does mean that you haven’t left your own instructions for how your estate should be dealt with.

A will is not a funeral plan

This is something we see quite often.

People tell us:

“It’s all in my will. I want to be cremated.”

A will and a funeral plan serve different purposes.

Your will deals primarily with your estate after you die. Your funeral arrangements need to be known by the people arranging your funeral, often within days of your death.

If you have particular wishes about your funeral, don’t rely on your will being the only place they are recorded.

Tell the people who will need to know.

You can read more about this in My funeral wishes are in my will. Do I need to plan?.

Where do I start?

Making a will doesn’t have to mean making complicated decisions about everything you own.

Start by thinking about the people who matter to you and what you would want for them if you weren’t around.

Then consider your property, finances and possessions, and who you trust to carry out your wishes.

A solicitor can help you understand your options and prepare a will that reflects your circumstances.

And remember: a will isn’t something you make once and forget about forever. As your family, relationships, finances and circumstances change, it is worth reviewing it to make sure it still reflects what you want.

The important thing

A will is about more than who gets your money.

It is about leaving clear instructions for the people you leave behind.

You don’t need to be old, wealthy or own a house to start thinking about what you would want to happen if you died.

Sometimes the most important question isn’t “Who gets my stuff?”

It’s “Who will look after the people I love?”

What is probate?

Probate is a court process that gives an executor formal authority to administer a deceased person’s estate when a grant of probate is required.

In Queensland, a grant of probate is issued by the Supreme Court of Queensland when there is a valid Will and the executor named in it is applying for authority to administer the estate.

Probate is not automatically required for every estate. Whether a grant is needed can depend on the assets involved and the requirements of organisations such as banks or other institutions.

Probate is separate from the funeral process itself. If you need to deal with an estate, the Queensland Courts provide current information about probate and other grants of administration. For legal advice about a particular estate, speak with a qualified legal practitioner.

When will I receive a Death Certificate?

The timing of a Queensland death certificate depends on when the death registration is submitted and whether the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has everything it needs.

Rest can help with the death registration process when we are acting as the funeral service provider. If you are not using a funeral director, the Queensland Government allows you to register the death yourself.

The Queensland Registry currently says that standard applications are processed in up to 10 business days once an application with all required documents has been received. Applications with missing information or documents can take longer, and postage time is additional.

The death itself generally needs to be registered within 14 days.

This is different from the time it takes us to complete the information and paperwork needed for registration. If you are waiting for a certificate, we will let you know if there is something we need from you.

Queensland Government: Register a death.