Planning ahead

Here we explain the practical, medical and legal issues to consider when you’re told the cancer is advanced.

Finding all your personal, financial and legal paperwork and deciding what to do can be difficult. However, planning ahead is important whether you have a serious illness or not. Getting your affairs in order can help you feel more in control of your life and what the future holds, bring a sense of relief, and allow you to focus on treatment and living.

Learn more about:

Organising your paperwork

It’s helpful to have all of your paperwork up to date and in one secure place. This will make it easier if a family member or friend has to help you with financial and legal matters. Important documents to get together might include:

  • birth, marriage or divorce certificates
  • bank and credit card information, passwords
  • investment details (e.g. shares, funds)
  • Centrelink and Medicare details
  • superannuation and insurance information
  • house title/lease documents
  • loan details (e.g. house, car)
  • passport
  • will
  • document appointing a substitute decision-maker
  • advance care directive 
  • funeral information.

Discuss your legal arrangements with your family, and let someone know how to contact your lawyer.

Key resource

Download a PDF booklet on this topic.

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Living with Advanced Cancer

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More resources

This information was last reviewed in December 2019. View who reviewed this content.

Prof Nicholas Glasgow, Head, Calvary Palliative and End of Life Care Research Institute, ACT; Kathryn Bennett, Nurse Practitioner, Eastern Palliative Care Association Inc., VIC; Dr Maria Ftanou, Head, Clinical Psychology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, VIC; Erin Ireland, Legal Counsel, Cancer Council NSW; Nikki Johnston, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Clare Holland House, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, ACT; Judy Margolis, Consumer; Linda Nolte, Program Director, Advance Care Planning Australia; Kate Reed- Cox, Nurse Practitioner, National Clinical Advisor, Palliative Care Australia; Helena Rodi, Project Manager, Advance Care Planning Australia; Kaitlyn Thorne, Coordinator Cancer Support, 13 11 20, Cancer Council Queensland.

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