Planning Ahead

A guide to putting your affairs in order.

WAR GRAVES

As long as we live, they too will live; For they are now a part of us: As we remember them! At the rising sun and at its going down we remember them. At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter we remember them. At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring we remember them. At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer we remember them. At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of the autumn we remember them. At the beginning of the year and when it ends we remember them. As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us. As we remember them. When we are weary and in need of strength we remember them. When we are lost and sick at heart we remember them. When we have decisions that are difficult to make we remember them. When we have joy we crave to share we remember them. When we have achievements that are based on theirs we remember them. For as long as we live, they too will live, For they are now a part of us, as we remember them.

The Department of Veteran's Affairs offers a range of services and information to entitled persons and their dependants and carers. These include:

1.Income support pensions and allowances for veterans and their eligible dependents
2.Compensation pensions to veterans and their eligible dependants
3.Medical treatment
4.Veterans Affairs Financial Information Service
5.A financial contribution towards the cost of funerals
6.A commemoration of the graves for eligible ex-service personnel

Why you need a will , changing your will

It is best to get advice from a solicitor or the Public Trustee if you are unsure about making or changing a will. If you use a safety deposit box ensure that someone else you trust has legal access to it and that a copy is held by your solicitor, accountant or banker. name property inspector

Power of Attorney

A power of attorney gives a person nominated by yourself the power to act on your behalf. This can be for all or specific circumstances. This person may be a relative, a friend, a private or public trustee, solicitor or accountant. An enduring power of attorney will remain effective even though you may suffer loss of ability to make decisions and manage your affairs. It is very important to consider the possibility of this happening. You decide when this comes into effect, either immediately or when your mental capacity has declined. A limited power of attorney allows a person to act on your behalf in specific circumstances only. You specify what a person can do on your behalf and length of time it is to operate. Ending power of attorney, no specific form of words is needed to end power of attorney, as long as the intention is made clear to the person whom you have given the power of attorney.

Funeral Benefits

Australian Veterans who at the time of death were receiving:
special (TPI) rate disability pension:
or extreme disablement adjustment (EDA) disability pension:
or disability pension plus an allowance under sub section 27 (1) of the Veterans' Entitlement Act 1986 as a multiple amputee: or who were ex-prisoner of war, are entitled to a funeral benefit.

Notification of death to Veterans Affair will generate a form with details of payment which must be completed. On return of this form, Veteran Affairs will make payment to the deceased veteran's estate.

Also eligible for Funeral benefit are those who died:

from an accepted service related illness or disability (an application for funeral benefit can be made up to 12 months after a veteran's death has been accepted as service related. in severe financial need:
or in an institution (this includes hospitals where the veteran was receiving entitled treatment): or after discharge from an institution in which the veteran had received treatment for a terminal illness:
or while being treated at home for a terminal illness. In these cases , application must be made on the funeral benefit form, within 12 months of death, with the receipt for the funeral attached.