You Shouldn't Need a Law Degree to Claim What's Yours
Someone you love has died in Tasmania. Within days, you're expected to navigate Centrelink, the Supreme Court, the Land Titles Office, the State Revenue Office, and — if this was an accident — MAIB or WorkSafe Tasmania. Each agency has its own forms, its own fees, and its own deadlines. Miss one, and you could forfeit tens of thousands of dollars in benefits you were legally entitled to claim.
The official websites won't help. They give you fragments — a form number here, a fee schedule there — scattered across dozens of government portals, all written in language designed for lawyers, not for someone in the worst week of their life.
The Deadline Protection System
The Tasmania Survivor Benefits Navigator is built around the deadlines that matter most. Every chapter tells you exactly which agency to contact, which form to file, how much it costs (with current 2026–2027 fees), and when your window closes.
This isn't a generic Australian guide with a Tasmanian label. Every page references specific Tasmanian legislation, local tribunals, and state-level fee schedules. When we say "file Form E with MAIB," we mean the Motor Accidents Insurance Board of Tasmania — not a national equivalent that doesn't exist.
What You Get
Funeral Funding Decision Tree
Before you sign a funeral contract, the guide routes you through a cause-of-death decision tree. WorkSafe covers burial costs for workplace deaths. MAIB pays up to $14,040 for motor vehicle fatalities. DVA covers up to $2,000 for service-connected veterans' deaths. And if the estate has no money at all, Tasmania's Essential Care Funeral policy provides a publicly funded cremation — but only if you apply through the Magistrates Court before contracting a private funeral director.
Centrelink Bereavement Payment Walkthrough
The 14-week bereavement payment is a vital financial buffer — but only if you notify Centrelink within 14 days. Miss that window and you risk overpayment debts the Commonwealth will aggressively recover. The guide covers the exact notification process, the aged care "single rate" trap that reduces your expected payment, and how to handle the transition from couple to single pension rate.
MAIB and WorkSafe Death Benefits
If this death involved a motor vehicle or a workplace, the stakes are enormous. MAIB pays an $88,000 lump sum to dependent spouses. WorkSafe Tasmania pays a lump sum tied to 415 units of the state basic salary — currently over $477,000. The guide walks you through the exact claim forms, the dependency evidence you need to gather, and the strict deadlines (6 months for WorkSafe, 12 months for MAIB) that bar late claims entirely.
The Super Tax Trap
Superannuation death benefits paid to a non-tax dependant attract a 15% tax on the taxable component. On a $400,000 super balance, that's up to $60,000 in unexpected tax. The guide explains binding nominations, trustee discretion, and when to seek tax advice before the payout is processed.
Probate Decision Framework
Not every estate needs formal probate. The guide includes a decision framework based on asset types and bank thresholds. When probate is required, it walks you through the Supreme Court forms (Form 2, 4, 5, and 10), the tiered fee schedule ($534.80 for estates under $50,000, scaling to $2,278.63), and the 14-day advertising period you must complete before filing.
Public Trustee Fee Comparison
Many families default to the Public Trustee without understanding the fees — 2.2% on matrimonial assets, up to 4.5% on solely-owned assets, plus 6.6% on estate income and $120/hour management fees. The guide puts these numbers side by side with DIY probate costs and private solicitor fees so you can make an informed choice that could save thousands.
Property Transfer and Duty Exemptions
Transferring the family home after death means navigating the Land Titles Office, PEXA electronic conveyancing, and State Revenue Office exemptions. The guide covers the $177.38 transmission application fee, the spousal duty exemption that saves you thousands on property transfer, the pensioner downsizer concession, and the land tax grace period that prevents commercial rates from hitting the estate prematurely.
Quick Start Checklist
An 18-item printable checklist organised into four time phases — days 0–7, weeks 1–4, months 1–3, and months 3–12. Each item includes the specific form, cost, and deadline so you never have to wonder what comes next.
Who This Is For
- Surviving spouses and partners dealing with the sudden loss of household income and needing to claim every entitlement before deadlines pass
- Adult children named as executor who face the Supreme Court, bank freezes, and property transfers without legal training
- Low-income families who need to know about state-funded funeral options before they sign a contract they can't afford
- Rural Tasmanian families who can't easily travel to Hobart and need to know which steps can be done remotely
- Financial counsellors and social workers who advise bereaved families and need a reliable, consolidated reference
Why Not Just Use the Government Websites?
You can. But you'll spend 40+ hours cross-referencing the Supreme Court, Centrelink, MAIB, WorkSafe, the LTO, and the SRO — each with its own terminology, its own form numbering system, and its own assumptions about what you already know. The Supreme Court's free information kit tells you which forms to file, but explicitly warns that staff cannot give legal advice. Centrelink covers federal payments but ignores every state-level obligation. MAIB and WorkSafe only matter for specific causes of death, and most families don't even know to check.
The Tasmania Survivor Benefits Navigator consolidates everything into one sequential walkthrough, cross-referencing state and federal obligations so nothing falls through the cracks. It translates legal jargon into plain English, sequences the steps chronologically, and flags the deadlines that carry the highest financial consequences.
Your Safety Net
If the guide doesn't save you time, stress, and money during the most difficult period of your life, email us and we'll refund every cent. No questions, no conditions.
— Less Than One Hour of a Solicitor's Time
The average Tasmanian solicitor charges $250–$400 per hour for estate work. The Public Trustee takes up to 4.5% of your assets. This guide costs a fraction of either — and could save you thousands in fees, forfeited benefits, and missed exemptions.
Download the free Quick Start Checklist to see the first 18 steps. When you're ready for the complete system — every form, every fee, every deadline — the full Navigator is here.