When someone you love passes away
You don't have to do this alone. We're with you every step of the way.
The weeks after are hard enough without the paperwork. Afterwards walks beside you: planning the funeral, finding the words for the service, finding the right lawyer, and closing every account so you never have to explain it again.
A few gentle questions, about three minutes. Your plan only shows what applies to you.
Margaret's plan
4 of 10 done- Choose a funeral directorErin chose one near Mum's homeDone
- Words for the serviceEulogy and death notice drafted for Erin to editWe do this
- Find a lawyer for probateThree Queensland lawyers to compareReady
- Close Margaret's accountsCBA and Netflix closed, Telstra and Origin under way2 of 5
- Claim her superAustralianSuper form ready to signTo do
Erin's brother is helping too. Nothing goes out without Erin's say.
How we help
From the first phone calls to the last account closed
Most people have never done this before, and they are doing it while grieving. We know what comes next, and we take on as much of it as you want us to. You never fill in a form: you talk to Wren, our AI guide, who asks, listens, reads what you send and builds the record, with our team right behind it.
The first days
Who to call first, what the funeral director handles, and how to look after the home and any pets. One clear next step at a time.
Planning the funeral
Choosing a funeral director, understanding the costs, and planning the service itself: the music, the readings, who speaks. We also check for a prepaid funeral or funeral bond they may have set up.
Finding the words
Tell us about them and we draft the eulogy, the death notice and the obituary. You change whatever you like, so it sounds like you.
The will and probate
We explain what the executor does and whether you need probate in your state, then help you find a lawyer if you need one.
Closing their accounts
Banks, phone, power, subscriptions. We send each one the death certificate and the right forms, and follow up until it is closed.
Money owed to the family
Super, life insurance, the Centrelink bereavement payment and the aged care deposit refund. We prepare the claims for you to sign.
And when it all gets too much, Wren is there to talk, any hour, and your plan points you to people who can help with the grief itself, not just the paperwork.
Bring the family in
Share the load, and everyone knows where things are up to
Grief is shared, and so is the work. Invite the people who want to help, so the plan isn't sitting on one person's shoulders and no one has to ring around asking for updates.
- See progress on every step and account, from any phone, any time.
- Take on a step. Give the funeral to one sibling and the car to another, and see when each is done.
- Add what you know. Upload a bank statement, add an account, or share a memory for the eulogy.
- One person signs off. The executor approves anything sent on the estate's behalf, so nothing is done twice or without agreement.
Invite up to five family members or friends at no extra cost.
Margaret's family
Works alongside the government service
For the accounts: the government service sends the notice. We do everything after it.
The ADNS is free and worth using. It tells participating organisations that someone has passed away. Each organisation then replies with its own next steps, and the family has to act on every one.
What the ADNS does
- One online notification to participating banks, super funds, utilities and government bodies
- Each organisation replies, often within 10 business days, with what it needs
- Organisations that don't participate are left for you to contact
What Afterwards adds
- We read each reply and send the forms and certified documents it asks for
- We contact the organisations the ADNS doesn't reach, including phone-only ones
- We follow up until each account is closed or the money is paid to the estate
Made for Australia
The rules differ by state. Your plan follows yours.
Probate, explained for your state
Whether you need probate (a court's confirmation that the will is valid) depends on the state and what they owned. Your plan says which applies and links to the right Supreme Court.
Money owed to the family
Super death benefits, life insurance inside super, the Centrelink bereavement payment and unpaid leave. We prepare the claims for you to sign.
The aged care deposit refund
If they lived in aged care, the refundable accommodation deposit comes back to the estate. We include the step and a letter to the provider.
Plain English, always
Every official term is explained the first time it appears. Every step says who does it: you, a family member, us, or someone like the funeral director.
Identity checked first
We verify the executor's identity before we contact any organisation on the estate's behalf.
Stored in Sydney
Documents are encrypted and stored in Australia. Signing in needs a code sent to your mobile.
For aged care providers
Give families real help in the weeks after a resident passes away
Your team already supports families through the hardest part. Afterwards picks up what comes next, so the call to your office about the deposit refund comes with the paperwork already done.
- One code for your organisation. Families who use it get 30 days free, with no card needed to start.
- The deposit refund step and letter are built into every plan from your residents' families.
- No system integration. Your staff hand over a card or a link.
Talk to us about a code for your residents' families
Email Ken, the founder, and we will set it up for your organisation.
hello@afterwards.care
Price
One price for the whole estate
$395once, per estate
- Your plan, the funeral and probate guidance, eulogy and notice drafts, and every account we close for you
- Room for the executor and up to five family helpers
- Free for 30 days if your aged care provider gave you a code
- The estate can repay you once its bank account is open
Questions
What families ask us
Are you a law firm?
No. We do the administration: notices, forms and follow-ups. If your situation needs legal advice, such as a contested will or an estate that owes more than it holds, your plan says so and links to your state's law society finder.
Do I need the death certificate first?
You can start your plan straight away. Most organisations need a certified copy before they close an account, so we hold those notices until you upload it. The funeral director usually registers the death for you.
I'm not the executor. Can I still use it?
Yes, as a helper. The executor named in the will, or the administrator if there is no will, approves anything sent on the estate's behalf. They can invite you in a minute.
What if an organisation only takes phone calls?
Our team makes the call. Some still want a posted certified copy, and we handle that too.
Who sees our information?
Only you, the family members you invite, and the Afterwards team working on your plan. We send documents only to the organisations you approve.
We're so sorry for your loss. Let us help carry some of it.
Start with a few questions. We'll be with you from there.
Start your plan