As more Australians are feeling the pressure of the day-to-day costs of living, can your family afford to not have a plan for funeral expenses? The Cost of Death Report 2.0, published by insurance group Australian Seniors, found that more…
The 2025 Annual Report is available for download (2.54MB)
The Role and Evolution of Friendly Societies in Australia Friendly societies are mutual, member-owned organisations that first emerged in Australia during the 1830s with the arrival of free workers. In an era when state-supported welfare systems were non-existent, friendly societies…
Funerals can be expensive, and when the time comes, emotions are high — the last thing we want is to leave behind unexpected financial stress. None of us like to think about it, but planning for the inevitable is one…
As of 1 July 2025, the maximum contribution limit for a funeral bond to be treated as an Exempt Asset by Centrelink & DVA, has increased from $15,500 to $15,750. That means that a funeral bond will be an Exempt…
A pensioner can invest in a funeral bond up to a maximum threshold (currently $15,500) and their policy will be treated as an Exempt Asset for pension assessment purposes. This can have significant benefits for pensioners. For example, for someone…