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Funeral Costs

At Tobin Brothers Funerals, we believe transparency around costs and pricing is yet another way that we can provide the highest level of care for our client families.

Ensuring that you are aware of all your options and the associated costs gives you the power to make informed decisions and can alleviate stress during what is already a difficult time.

Funeral Fee Proposal

Our automated Funeral Fee Proposal is designed to provide you with a quick overview of costs for the essential elements of a funeral service.

This gives you peace of mind as to what to expect when planning a funeral in terms of costs and options available, and allows you to start the planning process on your own terms.

Get an Estimate

Funeral Fees

The cost of a funeral will essentially reflect the personal, cultural, and financial needs of your family, and the choices you make. Tobin Brothers Funerals has a flexible pricing structure, which allows families to choose from a range of services and options.

There are generally three main costs associated with a funeral.

Tobin Brothers Professional Service fee incorporates the various tasks and services typically involved in arranging, planning and conducting a funeral.

Our Professional Service fee includes:

  • Around the clock guidance, expertise, care and attention from a team of professionally trained staff.
  • Service availability 24 hours a day, 265 days a year.
  • Transfer of the deceased from the place of death into our care.
  • Mortuary care by experienced and qualified embalming staff at one of our accredited mortuary facilities.
  • Availability of our chapels/offices for the initial arrangement meeting, the viewing and/or vigil, for the service and refreshments. 
  • Placement of death and funeral notices in the newspapers and on our website.
  • Registration of death with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
  • Making arrangements with all third parties.
  • All necessary staff, one hearse and one four-seat mourning coach on the day of the funeral.
  • Advice and support following the funeral.

Our Professional Service fee excludes:

  • “After hours" - rosary or vigil prayers or viewing.
  • Full embalming (required for overseas repatriation and other situations).
  • Weekend or Public Holiday fees.
  • Travel outside our usual operating area.
  • Additional vehicles (Hearse and one four-seat mourning coach included).
  • Payment to third parties, which are called third party fees.

These consist of the monies paid out by Tobin Brothers on your behalf to other parties in order to carry out the funeral in accordance with your instructions. 

 

These include payments for:

  • Cemetery or Crematorium 
  • Clergy or Celebrant 
  • Musicians/Vocalists 
  • Venue hire 
  • Floral tributes
  • Death and funeral notices
  • Catering
  • Registered Death Certificate
  • Medical Certificate required for Crematorium
  • Coffin or casket
  • Urn
  • Garments
  • Memories and Tributes options

GST is payable on Tobin Brothers fees and the supply of all related products and services. 

 

Unless indicated otherwise, we include GST in our quoted pricing.

Goods and Service Booklets

Download our Goods and Services booklet for detailed pricing breakdowns for your location.

Ballarat
Corowa / Wodonga
Echuca
Melbourne

Funeral Costs

Frequently Asked Questions

A Fixed Price Funeral Plan is a funeral that is paid for in advance, at a fixed price. This means that once you’ve worked out all the details and have confirmed the costs, you will sign an agreement between yourself and Tobin Brothers Funerals.

You will then pay for your funeral as agreed in your plan, and we will place the payments into a third-party fund, which is only paid to Tobin Brothers at the completion of your funeral service.

Tobin Brothers Funerals will ensure your wishes are carried out as you had arranged with us, and no additional costs will be incurred. This means you not only alleviate your family of any burden in having to plan and pay for your funeral, but you will save money by only paying today’s prices.

A Pre Paid Funeral is any funeral that is paid for in advance.

 

While a Fixed Price Funeral Plan is a pre-paid funeral, the term pre-paid is sometimes used when referring to funeral bonds and insurance products, though these differ considerably in how they function.

 

With funeral insurance, the idea is that you are paying for your funeral to be covered in the event of your death, however, limitations in your coverage or any lapses in payment may render you liable for further costs. For this reason we do not consider this a ‘pre-paid funeral’ as such.

 

Another option that can fall under the ‘Pre Paid Funeral’ banner is funeral bonds, which allow you to invest money for the purpose of paying for your funeral in the future.

 

While it is a great idea to plan your funeral ahead of time for many reasons and funeral bonds provide funds for future funeral expenses, there is no guarantee that these funds will cover the full cost of the funeral, due to inflation or poor returns.

 

A Fixed Price Funeral Plan means a fixed amount is paid now, for a funeral in the future, with no further costs incurred despite any price increases in the future.
A Prearranged Funeral is when you simply plan your funeral ahead of time, letting your wishes be known and enlisting Tobin Brothers Funerals as your Funeral Directors for when the time comes.

However, as opposed to a Fixed Price Funeral Plan, payment for services is made once the service has taken place. The pricing in this case is not fixed and all funeral-related expenses will be charged at the rate they are at the time of the service.
Yes. The money is securely invested into a third-party fund in accordance with the Funeral Act 2006. The funds cannot be accessed until the death has occurred.
Regardless of how the investment performs, the contract guarantees no further costs unless additional items or services are requested.
If the death occurs outside of Tobin Brothers usual operating area, there may be additional costs for transportation, documentation, and other miscellaneous expenses. It is possible to add “Travel Care” to the Funeral Plan contract, but this applies only to travel within Australia. Speak with our staff to find out more about travel care.
This depends on whether you are purchasing an at-need or pre-paid funeral. For specific information related to your service and costs, it is best to speak to your Funeral Planner or call Funeral Advice Line on 13 19 34.

Payment for a funeral service is generally rendered once the service has been delivered.
For pre-arranged or pre-paid funerals, there are a number of options including:

  • Pay in full – the price is fixed.
  • Take out one Contract as an “either/or” Funeral Plan.
  • Pay by instalments or,
  • Pre-arrange the Funeral - no payment would be required until such time as the funeral is required.

An either/or contact allows for a couple to provide for the cost of the first funeral, thereby alleviating financial burden on the surviving partner.
Yes, the initial instalment must include the Administration fee, any Cemetery/Crematorium fees, the GST payable and $500.00 to open the investment. The balance may be paid in regular instalments for up to 3 years.

No, it should not affect your payments, As the investment cannot be accessed, it cannot be used to generate income for you.
A Fixed Price Funeral Plan will not affect any pension payments and is not subject to the Income or Assets test.
Some clients find that investing funds in a Fixed Price Funeral Plan is an effective way to reduce their financial assets if required.

Speak to Centrelink or Services Australia for more information regarding your personal situation.

Fixed Price Funeral Plan (Assigned Investment)
The Funeral service is accurately priced and the total amount is invested.
The investment is assigned to Tobin Brothers Funerals, who receive the interest to offset ongoing Funeral cost increases.
When death occurs, the Funeral is conducted.
If the funds are not sufficient to meet the cost of the Funeral there is no extra charge to the executor or family.
An assigned Funeral bond, pre-purchased cemetery plots and cremation deeds are exempt from the Assets test regardless of their value.

 

Funeral Bond (Unassigned Investment)
You may invest an amount to meet Funeral expenses, and you receive the interest on those funds.
A specific Funeral Director is not selected, nor are specific Funeral arrangements made.
When death occurs, the investment is paid to the executor to contribute to the Funeral expenses.
If sufficient funds were not invested initially or the investment does not perform reasonably, the executor or estate is liable for any shortfall in funds.
An unassigned Funeral bond is only exempt from an assets test up to the value specified by Centrelink.
(Refer to the www.centrelink.gov.au)
Centrelink must be informed if a Funeral bond is taken out, no matter how much is invested.

It is strongly recommended that you read the fine print carefully before contributing to Funeral Insurance.

Please see our article about Funeral Insurance Pitfalls for more information.

As we approach 100 years of business, this scenario seems less and less likely. However, should Tobin Brothers cease to operate for any reason, another Funeral Director would fulfil the Funeral Service obligations as the funds are securely invested with an impartial investment institution in your name.
Regardless of how the investment performs, the contract guarantees no further costs unless additional items or services are requested.

You can always look to our blogs section for more information about Fixed Price Funeral Plans and other funeral related information.

Further independent information can be obtained from the Australian Security Investments Commission (ASIC) website.

What is a Pre-Paid Funeral?

A Pre Paid Funeral is any funeral that is paid for in advance.

While a Fixed Price Funeral Plan is a pre-paid funeral, the term pre-paid is sometimes used when referring to funeral bonds and insurance products, though these differ considerably in how they function.

With funeral insurance, the idea is that you are paying for your funeral to be covered in the event of your death, however, limitations in your coverage or any lapses in payment may render you liable for further costs. For this reason we do not consider his a ‘pre-paid funeral’ as such.

Another option that can fall under the ‘Pre Paid Funeral’ banner is funeral bonds, which allow you to invest money for the purpose of paying for your funeral in the future.

While it is a great idea to plan your funeral ahead of time for many reasons and funeral bonds provide funds for future funeral expenses, there is no guarantee that these funds will cover the full cost of the funeral, due to inflation or poor returns.

A Fixed Price Funeral Plan means a fixed amount is paid now, for a funeral in the future, with no further costs incurred despite any price increases in the future.

What is the difference between a Fixed Price Funeral Plan and Funeral Bond?

Fixed Price Funeral Plan (Assigned Investment)
The Funeral service is accurately priced and the total amount is invested.
The investment is assigned to Tobin Brothers Funerals, who receive the interest to offset ongoing Funeral cost increases.
When death occurs, the Funeral is conducted.
If the funds are not sufficient to meet the cost of the Funeral there is no extra charge to the executor or family.
An assigned Funeral bond, pre-purchased cemetery plots and cremation deeds are exempt from the Assets test regardless of their value.

Funeral Bond (Unassigned Investment)
You may invest an amount to meet Funeral expenses, and you receive the interest on those funds.
A specific Funeral Director is not selected, nor are specific Funeral arrangements made.
When death occurs, the investment is paid to the executor to contribute to the Funeral expenses.
If sufficient funds were not invested initially or the investment does not perform reasonably, the executor or estate is liable for any shortfall in funds.
An unassigned Funeral bond is only exempt from an assets test up to the value specified by Centrelink.
(Refer to the www.centrelink.gov.au)
Centrelink must be informed if a Funeral bond is taken out, no matter how much is invested.

Funeral Costs

Funeral costs can vary widely, but the average funeral in Australia can range from $4,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on various factors like location and services chosen.
Normally a cremation will cost less than a burial. There may be some cases where a small country cemetery is used, or only interment fees are being paid, where this may not be true. Initial costs do not include memorialisation expenses, and normally memorialisation of cremated remains will be less expensive than the erection of a monument over a grave. There will be exceptions however.

The Tobin Brothers Professional Service Fee incorporates the various tasks and services typically involved in arranging, planning and conducting a funeral and includes our 24 hour availability, 7 days a week, to assist our client families.

 

Our Professional Service fee includes:

  • Around the clock guidance, expertise, care and attention from a team of professionally trained staff.
  • Service availability 24 hours a day, 265 days a year.
  • Transfer of the deceased from the place of death into our care.
  • Mortuary care by experienced and qualified embalming staff at one of our accredited mortuary facilities.
  • Availability of our chapels/offices for the initial arrangement meeting, the viewing and/or vigil, for the service and refreshments. 
  • Placement of death and funeral notices in the newspapers and on our website.
  • Registration of death with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
  • Making arrangements with all third parties.
  • All necessary staff, one hearse and one four-seat mourning coach on the day of the funeral.*
  • Advice and support following the funeral.

*This is not included in our service fees for Ballarat, Echuca, Corowa, and Wodonga.
  • “After hours" - rosary or vigil prayers or viewing.
  • Full embalming (required for overseas repatriation and other situations).
  • Weekend or Public Holiday fees.
  • Travel outside our usual operating area.
  • Additional vehicles besides those included in service fee.
  • Payment to third parties, which are called third party fees.

How much does a funeral cost in Australia?

Funeral costs can vary widely, but the average funeral in Australia can range from $4,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on various factors like location and services chosen.
Because there are so many styles of funerals, there is no one answer to that question. In general terms, a funeral that is more elaborate will cost more than one that is simple in its structure.
When a Funeral Planner meets with a client family they discuss the different options that are available, and it is up to the client family to select the most appropriate options to meet their needs.
It is normal for the cemetery or crematorium costs, and the various disbursements (such as doctors fees, clergy or celebrant fees, registration costs, press notices, flowers, etc.) to be included in the one account, along with the funeral company fees.
Should you wish to obtain a fee proposal please see our Fee Proposal.

What is the difference between a Fixed Price Funeral Plan and Funeral Bond?

There are generally 3 main components associated with the cost of a funeral:
1. Professional Service Fee - The Funeral Director’s fees
2. Third Party Fees - fees paid on behalf of the family to the cemetery or crematorium, clergy or celebrant, florist, caterer, coffin or casket, celebratory or personalisation options such as memorial book, print or audio visual, newspaper notices etc.
3. GST - A personalised cost estimate can be arranged by contacting our Funeral Advice Line on 13 19 34 or requesting a Funeral Fee Proposal.

What does the Professional Service Fee include?

The Tobin Brothers’ Professional Service Fee incorporates the various tasks and services typically involved in arranging, planning and conducting a funeral and includes our 24 hour availability, 7 days a week, to assist our client families.
Our professional service fee includes the following:

  • Round the clock guidance, expertise, care and attention from a team of professionally trained staff
  • Transfer of the deceased from the place of death into our care (available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year).
  • Mortuary care by experienced and qualified embalming staff at one of our accredited mortuary facilities.
  • Availability of our chapels/offices across Victoria and New South Wales for the initial arrangement meeting, the viewing and/or vigil, for the service and refreshments.
  • Placement of death and funeral notices in the newspapers and on our website.
  • Registration of death with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
  • Making arrangements with all third parties
    All necessary staff, one hearse and one 4 seat mourning coach on the day of the funeral.
  • Advice and support following the funeral.

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Ana Recinos
Ana Recinos
★★★★★
Mum Passed away in August 2022 and Tobin Brothers took care of her and There are not words to describe the kind of Service they provided to us, there is so much compassion, Love and Kindness in the staff that I 100% recommended Tobin Brothers to anyone who experience a loss in the family no matter the age or gender I can't thank them enough for what they did for us.
Thank you so much for your Services Tobin Brothers.
Chiza Westcarr
Chiza Westcarr
★★★★★
We are so thankful that we entrusted dad into Tobin Brothers’ care.
They are a team of consummate professionals for whom nothing was too much trouble.
I most certainly recommend Tobin Brothers to anyone looking to arrange a funeral. They made it seamless.
Essie Taylor
Essie Taylor
★★★★★
Tobin Brothers Ringwood by far exceeded my expectations. Right from the beginning, they did everything to make me feel comfortable and valued. The service was perfectly facilitated right down to the finest detail and I felt Mum's life was truly honoured and celebrated. I can strongly recommend TB Ringwood from start to finish and I doubt any other could exceed their high standard of service and care.
Thank you TB Ringwood 💕
Tracey Mclean
Tracey Mclean
★★★★★
From the time our father passed away to his funeral, Tobin Brothers in East Burwood were fantastic. A big thank you to Judith the funeral planner, Veronica the Celebrant, Mary Anne who looked after us at dads funeral and the team on the day. It went very smoothly and the guests loved the venue and food.
Anthony Gherghetta
Anthony Gherghetta
★★★★★
Michelle and the team at Tobin Brothers Burwood organised the funeral for our father who passed away this week. Michelle was beautiful and made the process completely stress free. Thankfully we don't have to organise a funeral every week, but if I did I would use these guys! Highly recommended.

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Founded in 1934

The first funeral conducted by Tobin Brothers Funerals was for Ena Margaret Price in 1934. In its first year, the company conducted 53 funerals and after the payment of creditors and the collection of debts, it made a modest profit.