What’s a Funeral Bond?

Manchester Unity
Funeral Bonds

By Trevor Hill

The foundations of Manchester Unity Friendly Society were laid back in 1840 with the aim of providing mutual aid for members. In the 164 years that have passed since, Manchester Unity has built on these foundations and moved with the times to provide a range of services that secure care for life for members.

Now, as in the very beginning, Manchester Unity is based on the principles of self-help, mutual support, personal and family welfare and benevolence in distress. In 1991 the Society established the Blue Chip Funeral Fund and this is the Fund into which Manchester Unity Funeral Bonds are deposited.

The subject of funerals and funeral arrangements are not topics that are raised easily, whether between spouses or more particularly, by adult children with their parents. Everyone fears ‘inviting’ death in the door by seeming to accept those things that are, of course, inevitable. Death has a significance that is quite different for each individual. What remains implacably constant is the desire to see our loved one laid to rest with care and dignity.

Whether that desire arises from a regard for the deceased, from a sense of duty or the family’s need for a public display, it doesn't alter the fact that the funeral is going to cost real money.

Funeral practitioners are experienced professionals who understand that the end of a life can mean all things from a catastrophe to a celebration. They are capable of providing an arrangement appropriate to the circumstances. But the question remains - who is going to make the decisions and pay for it?

The mahogany or the oak?

You’d have to agree that the person best equipped to make decisions regarding your funeral arrangements is you? Reflect for a moment on the funeral experience, the polished casket, the beautiful flower arrangements, the quietude as family and friends share and come to terms with the loss. You are the most able funeral arranger in the sense that your choices can provide your family with the peace of mind of knowing your wishes.

So even if you prefer not to think about your death and its consequences, at least save your family the worry and provide for the expense by placing some money into a funeral bond.

Funeral Bond Options

The basic option allows you to use a Manchester Unity Funeral Bond to provide for the expense of your funeral. You can simply place an amount of money aside in a funeral bond and your bond grows with bonuses that are allocated annually.

Alternatively, you can use a Funeral Bond to pre-arrange your funeral in conjunction with a nominated Funeral Director. This option allows you to plan all aspects of your funeral in advance, at an agreed price.

Both methods are social security effective, with the additional benefit that money deposited in a funeral bond (up to $5000) is not included in your Centrelink or Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Assets test. Also, annual bonuses that increase the value of your bond are not included in your Income test. The Blue Chip Funeral Fund is capital secure and when the need arises funds may be accessed without delay.

CONTACTS

Manchester Unity Funeral Bonds
Trevor Hill
Phone: (02) 9322 1284
www.manchesterunity.com.au