1. What do I need to do when my loved one has passed on? [-]

Here are some simple step-by-step guidelines to help you cope during this period of difficulty:

 

Contact our experienced Funeral Consultants for advice and solutions. They will be there with you to discuss and prepare the wake/funeral arrangements of your bereaved love one.

 

 

If your loved one passed on at his/her residence, we will arrange for a certified doctor to go to his/her residence to certify his/her passing on. The doctor will issue you the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD).

 

 

If your loved one passed on at the hospital, you must obtain a Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD) from the doctor.

 

 

Take along the CCOD, the deceased’s identity card and the identity card of the any next of kin of the deceased to any Police Station to obtain the death certificate. You will also have to notify the police officer if you would like to cremate or arrange a burial for your loved one. You have 3 crematoriums (Mandai, Bright Hill Temple and Tze Tor Aum Temple) and 1 burial site (Choa Chu Kang Cemetery) to choose from.

 

 

If you would like to hold the wake at the void deck, please approach your respective Town Council and bring along a copy of the death certificate and Singapore Power (SP) services bill to apply for void deck usage permit.

 

 

Decide on the cremation/burial timing and once the death certificate is ready, please hand it to the Service Consultants as soon as possible. This is needed to facilitate the cremation/burial booking.

 

 

Please be reminded to bring along your loved one’s dentures (if any) and 2 sets of clothings and footwear (used or brand new). This is to be used by the embalmers to dress your loved one. If the clothing is unavailable, do inform the Funeral Consultant; he will make arrangements to provide suitable clothing for your loved one.

 

 

During your discussion with the Funeral Consultant, the embalming or cleaning of your loved one’s body as well as the makeup will be done by our licensed embalmers.

 

 

The Funeral Consultants will take care of the rest of the funeral arrangements. Do not hesitate to contact us should you need any assistance at any point in time during the wake as our professional Funeral Consultants will be there to extend a helping hand to you at any time and day.

 

2. Can you recommend a place to hold a private service/wake for my bereaved loved one? [-]

Ang Chin Moh recommends the parlours at Mount Vernon Sanctuary which are located at 121, Upper Aljunied Road. These parlours are spacious and offers privacy and security. Visit Mount Vernon Sanctuary for more information

 

3. My friend’s loved one just passed on. What should I do as a friend to help her during this period of loss and difficulty? [-]

Here are some suggestions on how you can help your friend during this difficult period:

• Offer him/ her listening and sympathetic ear when he/ she needs to express his/ her thoughts and feelings. This simple action can help to relief the grief that he/ she is feeling and provide him/ her the consolation that he/ she needs during this period.
• Be patient and assuring with your friend during this period. A grieving individual’s behaviour may deviant from his/her usual self. Thus do not be upset/offended if he/ she does not reciprocate to the care and concern that you have showered on him/ her. Instead, give him/ her time to allow her to come to terms with his/ her situation and be there to give him/ her an assuring hug if he/ she needs one. If a hug is awkward for you or the griever, a gentle pat or a firm handshake will also convey the message that you care for him/her.
• Be of assistance to him/ her if you observed that he/ she has problems handling some of his/ her everyday tasks. His/ Her preoccupation with his/ her grief may cause him/ her to be less focused in handling these tasks.

4. My friend’s relative just passed on and I am going to pay my respects at the wake. Could you advise me on the funeral etiquette that I should take note of when I am at the wake? [-]

• Dressing: As a sign of respect for the deceased, do wear clothing that are white, black or light coloured. Bright and flashy colours are usually more appropriate for joyous occasions.
• Show sensitivity when conversing with/comforting the grievers.

5. Can you advise me on some of the issues that I should take note of when my loved one has passed on? [-]

According to Family & Community Development @ eCitizen, here are some of the issues which you should take note of:

 

Insurance Companies

Inform the deceased person’s insurance companies. Beneficiaries may receive payouts from insurance policies, credit and trade unions or fraternal organisations, etc.

 

 

Bills & Miscellaneous Matters

Check for any outstanding debts, such as credit-card bills. For bills where payment is made automatically via GIRO, inform the companies to cancel the GIRO.

 

Where appropriate, contact the deceased person's landlord, cancel utilities such as electricity and telephone connections, and other items such as safety deposit boxes etc. Give the post office a forwarding address for the deceased person's mail.

 

Central Provident Fund (CPF) Withdrawal

When a CPF member passes away, nominated beneficiaries will receive:

 

1. The deceased person’s CPF savings
2. Other monies due to the deceased person
3. Assets owned by the deceased

If no nomination is made or it is found to be invalid, the Public Trustee will handle the deceased person’s CPF savings, other monies due to or assets. These savings or assets will then be distributed to the deceased person’s family members according to Intestacy Laws.

 

Making a Claim

On a member's death, the deceased's family can inform the Board of the member's death by submitting the deceased's death certificate, at any CPF office. After verifying the validity of the deceased's nomination, the Board would invite the nominees to make a claim.

 

To withdraw the deceased person’s CPF savings, the following original documents will have to be submitted to the CPF Board:

1. Death Certificate of deceased
2. Marriage Certificate or Certificate of Making the Decree Nisi Absolute (i.e. Divorce Certificate), where applicable
3. Birth certificate(s) of the deceased person’s child(ren)
4. Singapore identity card or other identification documents
5. Nominees' bank passbooks or bank statements
6. Nominees' statement of account with the Central Depository Pte Ltd (CDP) if the Special Discounted Shares due to the nominee is to be transferred to his or her individual CDP account.

6. What is embalming? [-]
Embalming is a process of preservation of a deceased to enable friends and families to view throughout the wake, from the first to last day of the funeral