1. Take a breath — there is no rush in the first moments

There is no immediate urgency to make calls or arrange anything in the first few minutes. Take a moment to be with your loved one and the people around you. That time matters.

2. Verify the death and contact the appropriate person

Before a funeral director can take your loved one into their care, the death needs to be verified. Who you contact depends on your situation:

• If your loved one had a treating doctor who was expecting their passing, contact that doctor directly.

• If your loved one was receiving home care, the attending registered nurse or doctor can provide a verification of death.

• If neither of those apply, call NSW Ambulance — they can attend and verify the death at home.

• If the death was unexpected, unattended, or the cause is unknown, call 000. The police will attend, liaise with the NSW State Coroner if required, and guide you through what happens next.

• If your loved one passed away in a hospital or aged care facility, the staff there will manage this process entirely.

3. Call a funeral director

Once the death has been verified, you can call a funeral director. You don't need any decisions made at this point — a good funeral director will walk you through everything at your own pace.

At Funeral Management Services, we answer calls 24 hours a day, every day of the year. When you call, you'll speak directly with us — not an answering service. We'll come to you anywhere across the Sydney metro area.

4. Notify close family and friends

There's no perfect way to do this. A phone call to the closest family members first, then broader notifications when you're ready. It's okay to ask someone you trust to help make some of those calls on your behalf.

5. Gather important information

You'll need your loved one's full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, home address, and occupation for registration purposes. You'll also want to locate any pre-paid funeral plan details and their will if one exists. Your funeral director will guide you on what's needed and when.

6. Begin making funeral arrangements

When you're ready, you'll sit down with your funeral director to plan the service — the type of service, coffin or casket, flowers, music, and personal touches that reflect who your loved one was.

At Funeral Management Services, we offer options to suit every family and every budget — from our all-inclusive private cremation at $2,995 through to fully personalised burial and memorial services.

7. Register the death

In New South Wales, a death must be registered with the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages within seven days. Your funeral director will manage this on your behalf. At Funeral Management Services, we automatically apply for the death certificate when we register the death — so your family won't need to follow up separately.

8. Notify relevant organisations

The Australian Death Notification Service (ADNS) is a free online service that lets you notify banks, insurance companies, utility providers, Centrelink, Medicare, the ATO, Service NSW, superannuation funds, and more — all in one process. It's the best place to start.

For anything not covered, follow up directly with the Department of Veterans' Affairs if relevant, the Australian Electoral Commission, and the Australian Passport Office — you can cancel a valid passport at any Australia Post office with the death certificate.

9. Look after yourself

Grief doesn't follow a schedule. Be gentle with yourself and lean on the people around you. GriefLine (1300 845 745) and Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) offer free support for people navigating loss.

You don't have to navigate this alone

At Funeral Management Services, we're available 24 hours a day, every day, and we'll guide you through every step — with honesty, compassion, and no pressure.

When you're ready, we're here. Call us anytime on 1800 367 000.