Breaking down the basics
Prepared (adjective): properly expectant, organised, or equipped; ready: prepared for fire season
Being prepared
We all have some kind of insurance
Let's get this out of the way, being prepared is not about preparing to die. It isn't depressing and often opens discussions that surprisingly bring people closer together.
It is about being prepared for an emergency the same way we take out insurance for a car, house, health or life.
Have you ever wondered why some houses appear to have been abandoned? Chances are the owner didn't put plans in place, and now the only people making money from the house are the lawyers while ownership is dragged through the courts, and the house falls into disrepair.
Knowledge is power
Simply knowing what others will need and leaving the correct information for them doesn't have to take a lot of time or effort. It can involve nominating individuals to have the authority to speak or act on your behalf if you lose decision-making capacity.
Have someone in your family you know falls apart in a crisis? Nominate someone else and avoid the situation ever becoming an issue for you, doctors and the rest of your family.
You can pass authority to someone you trust and you're confident will be able to take the role.
You may even decide to spread the responsibility among different people based on their different skills and ability - the choice is yours, you just have to make it.
Of course, there is a fallback legal process for many scenarios; however, this gets complicated, particularly if your estate is over a certain value or you lose decision-making capacity due to illness or injury without nominating someone specific.
It's easier than you think
Putting plans in place isn't difficult, you can start immediately and build up your plan over time. As things change, so can your plan and if you choose to go digital you won't need to re-create new documents each time.
If your parents died, would you know their mothers' maiden names?
Most of us don't even know what information is needed to register a death or that insurance companies and banks freeze accounts until you can produce a death certificate - in person!
It will save your loved ones time and money
On average it takes around 73 hours to manage the death of a loved one.
When you consider how much there is to do, you can see how this can take a lot of time.
Even with the right information at their fingertips, someone still has to:
- Plan your funeral
- Close bank accounts
- Notify friends and family
- Locate and access any insurance policies
- Disconnect utilities
- Distribute or dispose of your personal belongings
Imagine knowing everything others need in an emergency could all be found in the one place
Our Top Picks For Being Prepared
Create a record of your assets, accounts, memberships and collectables.
Record information about your assets, finances, providers and utilities so your loved ones know who to contact and where to find everything. You don't need to share anything you don't want known about until you die but this will make sure it doesn't go unclaimed. You might choose to record all the details of your accounts or simply that you have an account at a specific organisation.
We've heard stories of hidden cash under houses, secret safe deposit boxes or investments. It's your right to keep your information private but it's better going to your loved ones or even charity, rather than going unclaimed.
Find more information and how to get started on our Personal Information Vault details page.
Stop worrying your important information won't be found
Give authority for someone to speak for you
Sometimes our loved ones are not the best choice to make decisions for us especially in an emergency. Nominating specific people for medical and others for financial can make sense based on their knowledge, skills, age or a number of other criteria.
Legally documenting your choices also involves having them accept which ensures they're prepared too. Your plan will make it clear who can give or withdraw consent for medical treatments including surgery and medication given to you if you can't speak for yourself.
Find more information and how to get started on our Substitute Decision Makers details page.
Plan ahead for your medical treatment and care
Most people know what a "Do not resuscitate" order is and have heard the stories of people having DNR tattooed on their chest in a desperate attempt to get the message across. Thankfully there is a much easier option available to all Australians.
Legally you have the option to record your preferences and wishes for medical treatment and care to be referred to when you can't speak for yourself. This can help you avoid any medical interventions that you would not consent to if you could be part of the discussion.
Find more information and how to get started on our Advance Care Directives details page.
Want the ease of having everything in one place?
Now you can! Flamingo gives you access to easy tools to help you create, store and share everything needed by others in an emergency - all in one place.
Help them get your story right after you're gone.
Capture photos and stories to make it easy for your loved ones to create memorial videos and funeral service booklets inline with your favourite memories, achievements or life events.
Find more information and how to get started on our Eulogy preparation details page.
Get started immediately
- No need to decide what's right or wrong, just follow the steps
- No complicated plans just a simple yearly membership
- Expert advice along the way
- Dedicated customer support when you need it
- Australian Government certified secure storage
- You decide who can access your information when you die
- No complicated forms to leave you wondering
- Unlimited updates and sharing
- Designed, built and owned in Australia, for Australia
For less than the cost of a weekly cheeseburger, you will save yourself and your loved ones a lot of stress, regret and money.
30 days no obligation trial then less than $3 a week for access to all products and services under a premium subscription.
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PLEASE NOTE: Our advice should be considered general in nature. We do not provide any legal, tax, medical or other professional advice and would advise that you seek expert professional or medical advice before making any decisions based on your individual circumstances.