Funeral Directives
Honouring Your Legacy and Saying Goodbye — Your Way
Most people don't like talking about funerals. But having a clear plan is one of the kindest gifts you can leave your family — reducing stress, confusion, and disagreements at a very emotional time.
Plan Your Farewell — On Your Terms
A funeral directive is a written record of your wishes about how you'd like to be farewelled. It covers practical decisions — burial or cremation, type of service, cultural or religious practices — and personal ones, like music, readings, and how you'd like your life to be celebrated.
Making these decisions now reduces stress and confusion for your family, helps avoid disagreements between loved ones, and lets people focus on grieving and remembering you rather than trying to work out what you "would have wanted".
We see funeral directives as an important part of planning for the future. They help your executors and loved ones understand what you want, instead of having to guess or argue about it later.
What Your Funeral Directive Can Include
Burial or Cremation
Your preference, and where you'd like to be buried or your ashes placed.
Type of Service
Religious, non-religious, private, public — or no service at all.
Music & Readings
Songs, hymns, poems, or readings that are meaningful to you.
Cultural & Religious Customs
Tikanga, religious rites, or cultural practices that matter to you and your whānau.
Speakers & Participants
Who you'd like to speak, read, or be involved in your farewell.
Special Requests
Flowers, charitable donations in lieu, dress code, photos, or anything else that reflects you.
Making sure your wishes are followed
A funeral directive only works if people know it exists and can find it. We recommend giving a copy to your executors, sharing it with close family or whānau, keeping a copy with your will and estate planning documents, and telling your loved ones which lawyer holds the original. This ensures your wishes are known quickly and your farewell reflects your values, culture, and beliefs.
How to Get Your Funeral Directives
Standalone via DYOdocs
Use DYOdocs to prepare your funeral directives online at your own pace. You can then ask us to review them or provide advice to make sure they align with your other estate planning documents.
From $23 (1 person) / $46 (couple)
Not sure what documents you need?
Use DYOdocs to create a free report on the documents you should have as part of your estate plan.
