Childcare Costs in Western Sydney: What Parents Need to Know
Childcare fees can be frustrating because the first number you are given is rarely the amount your family will actually pay.
A centre may quote a daily rate. Services Australia may show you a Child Care Subsidy percentage. You may hear another parent mention a much smaller gap fee, only to discover that their income, number of children, subsidised hours and childcare session are different from yours.
When parents ask me about childcare costs in Western Sydney, I do not think the most helpful response is to give them one regional average and pretend it applies to every centre.
The more useful approach is to separate the cost into its different parts.
You need to know:
The centre’s full fee
The number of hours in the booked session
What the fee includes
Your Child Care Subsidy percentage
The government hourly rate cap
How many subsidised hours you receive
Whether a higher subsidy applies to a younger child
What you will be charged for absences and public holidays
Whether the service has additional fees
What your family must still supply
Once those pieces are clear, the fee becomes much easier to understand.
I also want to be honest about Kids Central’s own pricing. Our website explains what is included in the daily fee, but it does not currently publish the fee amount. Families should ask us directly for the current rate, available sessions and an estimate based on the information available at the time.
There Is No Single Western Sydney Childcare Price
Childcare services set their own fees.
Two centres in neighbouring suburbs may charge different amounts because their staffing, opening hours, premises, food service, facilities, age groups, and inclusions differ.
The quoted rate may also represent a different session length.
One service may charge for a 10-hour session. Another may book an 11-hour day. A centre open for longer hours does not necessarily calculate your Child Care Subsidy from the exact number of hours your child is physically present.
Services Australia defines the hourly fee by dividing the session fee by the number of hours in the booked session. It specifically notes that the session length may not be the same as the number of hours the child actually attends.
That distinction matters.
Imagine your child usually attends from 8.00 am until 4.00 pm. They are physically at the centre for eight hours.
If the centre has booked them into a 10-hour session, the daily fee is divided by 10 for Child Care Subsidy calculations, not eight.
Always ask:
What is the full daily fee?
How many hours are in the session?
Are different session lengths available?
Is the fee the same for every age group?
Does my booked session match the hours I need?
What happens if I collect later than the session allows?
You should not have to calculate this from an opening-hours sign.
Start With the Full Fee Before Subsidies
The full fee is the amount the service charges before Child Care Subsidy or other applicable assistance is deducted.
Ask for that number in writing.
Then ask what it covers.
A cheaper headline fee may require families to provide food, nappies, wipes, bedding or other daily items. A higher fee may already include many of those costs.
The question is not only:
“How much is the day?”
It is:
“What will this day cost our household once everything is included?”
A useful written quote should show:
The daily or session fee
The session length
The number of booked days
Regular inclusions
Items the family must supply
Any enrolment fee or deposit
Public holiday charging
Absence charging
Late collection fees
Notice requirements
How Child Care Subsidy is applied
Do not feel uncomfortable requesting this information before accepting a place.
Childcare is usually a recurring household expense. You need enough detail to budget for months, not only the first week.
What the Child Care Subsidy Actually Does
The Child Care Subsidy, usually called CCS, is an Australian Government assistance that reduces eligible families’ approved childcare fees.
Services Australia pays the subsidy directly to the approved childcare provider. The family then pays the remaining amount. Eligibility generally requires the family to be responsible for the fees, to use an approved service, and to meet the applicable residence and immunisation requirements.
The amount of CCS is affected by several things, including:
Family income
The applicable CCS percentage
The type of approved care
The child’s age
The hourly fee
The government hourly rate cap
Subsidised hours
The number and ages of eligible children in care
Particular family circumstances
This is why one parent’s percentage does not indicate what the other parent will pay.
You may have the same daily fee but different CCS results.
The official Child Care Subsidy information from Services Australia should always be treated as the source for current eligibility and entitlement information.
Your CCS Percentage Is Not Applied to Every Dollar Automatically
This is one of the most important points in the entire fee calculation.
Your CCS percentage applies to the lower of:
The service’s hourly fee
The government hourly rate cap
It does not necessarily apply to the full amount charged by the centre.
For centre-based day care, including long day care and occasional care, the hourly rate cap for a child below school age is currently $15.19. That rate was current on the Services Australia page updated on 6 July 2026 and is reviewed periodically.
If the centre’s hourly fee is lower than the cap, CCS is calculated using that lower fee.
If the hourly fee exceeds the cap, CCS is calculated using the cap. The amount above the cap remains part of the family’s out-of-pocket cost.
A simple way to understand it
Suppose a service’s hourly fee is below the government cap.
Your CCS percentage can be applied to that full hourly fee, subject to your available subsidised hours and other circumstances.
Now suppose the service’s hourly fee is above the cap.
Your CCS percentage is applied only up to the cap. The family pays:
Its unsubsidised percentage of the capped amount
The full difference between the service fee and the cap
Any amount affected by unavailable subsidised hours
Any temporary difference created by CCS withholding or later adjustments
This is why two centres with daily fees that differ by a relatively small amount can create a larger fee gap.
How to Work Out a Centre’s Hourly Fee
The basic formula is:
Daily or session fee ÷ booked session hours = hourly fee
For example, a $150 fee for a 10-hour session gives an hourly fee of $15.
A $150 fee for an 11-hour session results in a lower hourly rate, even though the family is charged the same daily amount.
That does not automatically make the longer session a better deal. You still need to consider:
Whether your family needs those hours
Whether your CCS entitlement covers the session
The centre’s operating arrangements
Late collection rules
The quality and inclusions of the service
Ask the service to confirm the session hours it reports.
Do not assume that the centre’s 11-hour opening day means every child has an 11-hour CCS session.
Current Standard CCS Income Rates
As of July 2026, Services Australia publishes the following standard CCS income structure:
Families with income from $0 to $88,520 may receive a 90 per cent standard CCS rate
Above $88,520 and below $538,520, the percentage reduces from 90 per cent towards zero
The percentage reduces by one point for every $5,000 of family income above $88,520
At family income of $538,520 or more, the standard rate is zero
These thresholds can change, so families should check the current figures before relying on them.
Your family income estimate matters because Services Australia uses it to work out the subsidy paid during the year.
If the estimate is too low, you may receive more subsidy than you were entitled to and later have an overpayment.
If the estimate is too high, you may receive less during the year and be paid the outstanding amount after the balance is completed.
Keep your income estimate updated when circumstances change.
A pay rise, reduced hours, a return to work, unpaid leave or a change in a partner’s income may all affect the estimate you previously supplied.
The Three-Day Guarantee Changed Subsidised Hours in 2026
From 5 January 2026, families eligible for CCS can receive at least 72 hours of subsidised childcare per fortnight.
Depending on recognised participation and other family circumstances, some families can receive up to 100 subsidised hours per child per fortnight. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can receive 100 hours under the relevant entitlement.
You may hear the 72-hour entitlement described as a three-day guarantee.
That description assumes three 12-hour days over a fortnightly week, but how the hours interact with your centre’s booked sessions still needs to be checked.
For example, if your centre reports 10-hour sessions, three days a week, it would use 60 hours per fortnightly week and 120 hours over a fortnight.
A 72-hour entitlement would not subsidise all 120 booked hours.
This does not mean the child cannot attend those days. It means part of the booked care may fall outside the family’s subsidised hours.
Ask:
How many subsidised hours does Services Australia show for my child?
How many session hours will the centre report each fortnight?
Will all booked hours be covered?
What will happen after the subsidised hours are used?
Are shorter sessions available and suitable for our routine?
Your CCS percentage and your subsidised hours answer two different questions.
The percentage affects how much of the eligible hourly amount is subsidised.
The hours determine how much booked care can receive that subsidy.
Families With More Than One Young Child May Receive a Higher Rate
Families with more than one CCS-eligible child aged 5 or younger in care may qualify for a higher subsidy rate for one or more of the younger children.
Services Australia generally treats the eldest eligible child aged five or younger as the standard-rate child. A younger eligible child may receive the higher rate.
As of July 2026, access to the higher rate also requires the family’s combined income to be below the published threshold of $370,727.
The calculation is completed separately for each child.
Do not assume that both children will have the same percentage.
When comparing the cost of enrolling siblings, ask the service to show the fee for each child separately and then check the CCS percentages listed in your Centrelink account.
The difference can be substantial for families paying two full childcare fees at the same time.
Why Your Statement May Show a Five Per Cent Withholding
Services Australia generally withholds five per cent of the CCS amount during the financial year.
The withholding is intended to reduce the risk of a debt when payments are balanced against the family’s actual income. Families can adjust the percentage within the applicable rules.
This means the subsidy shown in a theoretical calculation may be slightly higher than the amount initially passed to the service.
The family may temporarily pay a little more as a result.
After the financial year, Services Australia balances the payment using the actual adjusted taxable income.
Depending on the result:
Withheld funds may be returned
An outstanding subsidy amount may be paid
An overpayment may need to be repaid
Withheld funds may be used towards a debt
When reading your childcare statement, distinguish between:
Your CCS percentage
The calculated CCS amount
The amount withheld
The subsidy actually paid to the service
Your gap fee
Ask the centre’s accounts team when a statement is unclear, but speak with Services Australia about your personal entitlement or income assessment.
The childcare provider does not decide your CCS percentage.
What the Gap Fee Means
The gap fee is the remaining childcare fee after the CCS amount paid to the provider has been deducted.
Services Australia describes this as the family’s out-of-pocket cost and requires gap fees to be paid electronically.
The gap can include several components:
The family’s unsubsidised percentage
Any portion of the hourly fee above the CCS hourly cap
Hours that are not subsidised
CCS withholding
Adjustments or corrections
Additional centre charges that are not part of the subsidised session
This is why asking only for your CCS percentage is not enough.
A family receiving 90 per cent CCS does not necessarily pay exactly 10 per cent of the centre’s daily fee.
The government cap, session hours, available subsidised hours and withholding can all affect the result.
Ask for an Estimate, but Treat It as an Estimate
A centre may be able to provide an estimate after you share your current CCS percentage and subsidised hours.
That can be useful for budgeting.
It is not a guarantee from the service that the government will pay that exact amount.
The estimate may change if:
Services Australia updates your entitlement
Your income estimate changes
Your subsidised hours change
A child starts school
Another child begins or leaves care
The centre changes its fee
Session lengths change
CCS is temporarily withheld or adjusted
An enrolment has not been correctly confirmed
Your child has used all available absence days
Government thresholds or rate caps change
I would ask the centre to label the figures clearly:
Full fee
Estimated CCS
Estimated gap
Assumptions used
Items not included
That makes it easier to identify what changed when a later statement differs.
Childcare Fees May Still Apply When Your Child Is Absent
Many parents are surprised that they remain responsible for a booked day when their child is sick or the family is on holiday.
A childcare place and the staff required for it are reserved even when the child does not attend. The service’s own fee and absence policy will determine what it charges.
CCS may continue to apply to a limited number of eligible absence days.
Services Australia currently provides up to 42 allowable absence days per child in each financial year. Allowable absences can be used for reasons including illness, holidays, and public holidays, where the child would normally attend, and the service charges the family. Additional absences may be available for specified reasons and may require supporting evidence.
Important details include:
The child must normally have a booked session that day
The service must record the absence correctly
CCS will generally not cover absences before the child has physically attended for the first time
CCS will generally not cover absences after the child’s final physical attendance unless an approved reason applies
Long periods without attendance can affect the enrolment and CCS eligibility
Ask the service:
Are full fees charged for absences?
Are holiday discounts available?
Are fees charged when the centre is closed?
How are public holidays treated?
What happens after 42 allowable absence days?
What evidence may be needed for additional absences?
How do I report an absence?
Can I track absence days through myGov?
Do not wait until a long family holiday has already been booked.
Public Holidays Can Affect the Annual Cost
If your child’s booked day falls on a public holiday, the centre may still charge its usual fee under the enrolment agreement.
CCS allowable absence rules can apply to public holidays when the child would normally have attended, and the family is charged.
This can make one weekday appear more expensive across the year than another because some days attract more public holidays.
Before choosing your permanent days, ask:
Does the centre charge its normal fee on public holidays?
Is CCS generally applied as an allowable absence?
What happens if the family has used all standard absence days?
Is the service closed on any additional days?
Are Christmas or end-of-year closure periods charged?
Can booked days be swapped?
A centre is not necessarily doing something improper by charging for a public holiday when its agreement permits it.
The important thing is that the policy is clearly explained before enrolment.
The First and Last Days of Enrolment Need Special Attention
CCS generally begins when the child physically attends.
Services Australia states that it will not ordinarily pay CCS for absences before the first physical attendance or after the final physical attendance, unless an approved reason applies within the relevant rules.
This matters when:
A family accepts a place before the child is ready to start
A centre charges to reserve a place
The first booked day is missed
The family stops attending before the notice period ends
A holiday begins before the official enrolment end date
Ask what you will owe if:
The place becomes available earlier than your intended start
Your child is sick on the first day
You must delay commencement
You give notice, but stop attending immediately
The centre closes during the notice period
Do not assume CCS will cover every charged day simply because an enrolment exists.
Compare Inclusions Before Comparing Gap Fees
Two centres can produce similar estimated gap fees but place very different additional costs on the family.
Ask whether the fee includes:
Breakfast
Morning tea
Lunch
Afternoon tea
A later snack
Nappies
Wipes
Linen
Sunscreen
Educational programs
Preschool or transition-to-school programs
Excursions
Incursions
Communication apps
Special activities
Formula or bottles
Hats or bags
Then estimate the weekly cost of anything you must supply.
Food
A centre that supplies several planned meals may reduce shopping, preparation and morning packing.
You should still ask:
Where food is prepared
Whether the menu changes
How allergies are managed
Whether cultural and medical dietary requirements can be supported
What families must provide
Whether there are extra food charges
Nappies and wipes
For a child attending for several days, supplied nappies and wipes may remove a recurring household expense and another item from the morning bag.
Check whether a family can provide an alternative if the child has sensitive skin or other needs.
Linen
Supplied and laundered bedding can simplify the week, especially for babies and toddlers.
Ask whether the family needs to send sleep bags, comfort items or any other rest equipment.
Sunscreen
Supplied sunscreen may be included, but families should ask what product is used and what happens when a child requires an alternative.
The value of an inclusion is both financial and practical.
Sometimes the most meaningful saving is not having to prepare five different items before leaving home.
What Kids Central’s Daily Fee Includes
Kids Central’s current FAQ states that daily fees include:
Educational programs tailored to each age group
The Transition to School Program
Five nutritional meals cooked daily by an on-site cook
Huggies nappies
Wipes
Bed sheets and linen
Sunscreen
The same page confirms that eligible families can claim CCS through Kids Central.
These inclusions are publicly confirmed for the current service information.
The daily fee amount is not published on the website, so families should contact the team for current pricing and session details.
When requesting a quote, ask us to explain:
The full daily fee
The booked session length
Available days
The current inclusions
What you need to bring
How estimated CCS may appear
When payments are processed
The notice and absence policies
For the future Colyton centre, families should wait for a centre-specific fee schedule rather than assuming the Edensor Park rate or that every current condition will automatically be identical.
Extra Charges That May Sit Outside the Daily Fee
A centre’s daily rate may not be the only charge in its enrolment agreement.
Ask directly about:
Enrolment fees
Application or waitlist fees
Deposits or bonds
Late collection charges
Failed payment fees
Replacement access devices
Excursion costs
Incursion costs
Specialist programs
Centre merchandise
Photos
Celebration or event charges
Notice-period fees
Administration charges
Charges for casual or extra days
A service should explain whether each charge is:
Compulsory
Optional
Refundable
Included in CCS calculations
Charged once or repeatedly
Do not assume an optional activity will be free because it appears in promotional photographs.
Late Collection Can Become an Expensive Habit
Centres generally use late collection fees to discourage families from collecting after operating hours or at the end of their booked session.
The fee may be calculated:
Per minute
In fixed time blocks
Per child
At a higher rate after a particular point
Regular late collections can also create staffing and child well-being concerns, not just an accounts issue.
When choosing a centre, test whether the closing time genuinely works with your employment and travel.
Consider:
Peak-hour traffic
Train delays
School collection
Shift handovers
Parking
Who can collect if you are delayed
The process for adding an authorised collector
A centre that closes at 6.00 pm is not a realistic option when your usual journey reaches the suburb at 6.05 pm on a good day.
It is better to recognise that before enrolment.
Fee Increases Should Not Be a Surprise
Childcare fees may increase because the cost of providing the service changes.
Families should ask how the centre communicates increases and how much notice the enrolment agreement provides.
Before signing, check:
Whether fees are reviewed annually or at another interval
How notice is delivered
Whether the increase changes automatically in the payment system
Whether the family must sign a new agreement
Whether session structures can also change
What notice you must give if the new fee is unaffordable
A fee rise may also alter the gap by more than expected when the centre’s hourly rate moves further above the government cap.
Do not assume your CCS percentage will increase just because the provider’s fee does.
Fees Are Usually Charged for Booked Care, Not Attendance Time
Parents sometimes expect to pay only for the hours their child was physically present.
Most long-day care fees relate to the booked session.
If you book a full session and collect early, the fee usually remains the same.
This is because:
Staffing is planned around booked attendance
The place is unavailable to another family
The educational and care program operates across the whole session
CCS is reported using the booked session
Ask whether the centre offers:
Different session lengths
Casual days
Half days
Additional days
Swapped days
Holiday arrangements
Flexible bookings
Flexibility can help, but it may also come with different rates or availability conditions.
Three Days of Care Does Not Always Mean Three Identical Weekly Bills
Childcare statements may vary from one fortnight to the next because of:
Public holidays
Absences
Extra days
Fee adjustments
CCS changes
Withholding
Backdated entitlement
Session-report corrections
A child starting or leaving mid-period
Changes to a sibling’s entitlement
Do not look only at the amount withdrawn from your bank account.
Read the statement lines.
Check:
Each session date
Full fee
Session hours
CCS amount
Withholding
Absence status
Adjustments
Outstanding balance
Payments received
When something appears wrong, identify whether the question is for:
The centre
Services Australia
Your bank
Your own income estimate or enrolment confirmation
A centre can correct an incorrectly reported attendance or session.
It cannot independently change the percentage Services Australia has assigned to your family.
Confirm the Enrolment Through Centrelink
After arranging care, families may need to confirm enrolment information through their Centrelink online account.
Check that the details match what you agreed with the service, including:
The child
The provider
The arrangement type
The start date
The usual fees or sessions
An unconfirmed or incorrect enrolment can delay CCS and temporarily leave the family paying a larger amount.
Do not ignore government notifications because your child has already started attending.
Speak with the service quickly when the information does not match.
Additional Child Care Subsidy May Help Some Families
Some families may be eligible for an Additional Child Care Subsidy in addition to standard CCS.
Services Australia identifies categories including:
Eligible grandparents
Families transitioning to work from certain income-support payments
Families experiencing temporary financial hardship
Child-wellbeing circumstances where childcare supports the child’s safety and wellbeing
Different applications and evidence requirements apply.
A family should never feel embarrassed about asking whether extra support may be available.
Circumstances can change quickly through:
Job loss
Family separation
Illness
Housing disruption
Family violence
Bereavement
Another serious financial event
Speak with Services Australia about entitlement.
Where child wellbeing may be involved, the childcare service may also have a role in the relevant process.
Compare the Cost of Care With the Cost of Not Having Care
This is not an argument that every family should enrol or that a high childcare fee is automatically affordable.
It is a reminder to compare the whole household picture.
Reliable childcare may affect:
A parent’s ability to return to work
The number of shifts they can accept
Study or training
Superannuation
Career continuity
Travel
Reliance on relatives
Emergency babysitting
Meal preparation
Family stress
A child’s access to a preschool program
For some families, the immediate gap fee may feel close to the income earned during those hours.
There may still be longer-term employment, career or family reasons that the arrangement matters.
For another household, the numbers may show that fewer days, different working hours or another care arrangement is more realistic.
I would not tell a parent that there is a single answer that is financially correct for every family.
Write down the full picture.
Include:
Take-home income
Transport and tolls
Parking
Work clothing
Meals bought away from home
Childcare gap fees
Supplies not included
Backup care
The value of continued employment benefits
The family’s well-being and capacity
Money is not the only consideration, but it deserves an honest calculation.
Questions to Ask Every Western Sydney Childcare Centre
About the standard fee
What is the current full daily fee?
How many hours are in the session?
Are there different session options?
Is the fee different by age?
When are fees reviewed?
How much notice is given before an increase?
About inclusions
Are all meals supplied?
Are nappies and wipes included?
Is linen supplied?
Is sunscreen supplied?
Are preschool and school-readiness programs included?
Do incursions or excursions cost extra?
What must families pack each day?
About CCS
Is the service approved for CCS?
How is the enrolment submitted?
When should I confirm it?
How are sessions reported?
Can you provide an estimate using my current percentage and hours?
Who should I contact about a statement error?
About absences
Are fees charged when my child is sick?
Are fees charged during holidays?
Are public holidays charged?
Does the service offer holiday discounts?
How do I report an absence?
What happens after allowable absence days are used?
Are closure days charged?
About other charges
Is there an enrolment fee?
Is there a deposit?
Is it refundable?
Are there late collection fees?
Are failed payment fees charged?
Do optional programs cost extra?
What notice is required before leaving?
About payment
How frequently are fees charged?
Are fees paid in advance?
Which electronic payment methods are accepted?
When will I receive a statement?
How are credits and corrections processed?
What happens while CCS is pending?
A service may answer some of these questions through an information pack.
Read it carefully rather than assuming the conditions are standard across the sector.
A Useful Way to Compare Two Centres
Create a simple comparison for the same number of booked days.
Centre A
Record:
Daily fee
Session hours
Estimated weekly full fee
Estimated CCS
Estimated gap
Meals supplied
Nappies and wipes
Linen
Sunscreen
Extra charges
Travel cost
Public holiday policy
Holiday policy
Centre B
Use the same headings.
Then add the non-financial factors:
Quality rating
Educator relationships
Qualifications
Ratios
Safety
Inclusion
Communication
Indoor and outdoor environments
Orientation
Practical location
The cheapest gap should not automatically win.
The highest fee should not be mistaken for the highest quality, either.
You need a service that is financially sustainable and suitable for your child.
Common Questions About Childcare Costs
Why can two families at the same centre pay different gap fees?
They may have different CCS percentages, subsidised hours, family incomes, numbers of eligible children, session arrangements or account adjustments.
Does a 90 per cent subsidy mean I pay only 10 per cent of the daily fee?
Not necessarily.
The percentage applies to the lower of the service’s hourly fee and the government's hourly cap. Available subsidised hours and withholding also affect the amount paid.
What is the 2026 hourly cap for long-day care?
For centre-based day care, including long day care and occasional care, the current cap shown by Services Australia is $15.19 per hour. Families should check the official page because rate caps are reviewed.
How many subsidised hours can I receive?
Eligible families can receive at least 72 hours per fortnight from 5 January 2026. Some families can receive 100 hours depending on recognised participation and circumstances.
Why is 5% of my CCS withheld?
Services Australia generally withholds five per cent to reduce the risk of an overpayment when the subsidy is balanced after the financial year.
Will CCS cover a day when my child is sick?
It may apply as an allowable absence when the day is normally booked, and the relevant conditions are met. There are currently 42 standard allowable absence days per child per financial year, with additional absences possible for approved reasons.
Will I pay for public holidays?
That depends on the centre’s enrolment agreement. Services may charge for a public holiday that is booked. CCS can apply as an allowable absence under the applicable rules.
Can CCS be applied for before my child’s first day?
It generally does not apply to absences before the child first physically attends unless an approved exception applies. Ask about any fee charged to hold a place before commencement.
Can siblings receive different CCS percentages?
Yes.
A younger eligible child may receive a higher rate when the family meets the multiple-child conditions, while the eldest eligible child aged five or younger usually receives the standard rate.
Does Kids Central publish its daily fee online?
The current website publishes the fee inclusions but not the daily fee amount. Families should contact Kids Central for the current rate and available sessions.
What I Want Parents to Take From This Guide
Childcare fees should not feel like a number you are expected to accept without explanation.
You are entitled to know:
What the service charges
How long the booked session is
What is included
What CCS information the centre reports
What remains your responsibility
What happens when your child is absent
How increases and extra charges work
At the same time, the lowest daily fee is not automatically the best value for your child.
A childcare day includes educators, meals, care routines, learning, safety, communication and access to indoor and outdoor environments. Those parts need to be considered alongside affordability.
At Kids Central, our published inclusions are intended to make the family day simpler while supporting children’s health, care and learning.
We still expect you to ask about the price.
Contact our team for the current Kids Central Edensor Park fee, session information and availability. Families interested in the future Colyton centre should request Colyton-specific pricing once it has been released.
Bring your current CCS percentage and subsidised hours if you have them.
We can explain the centre fee and provide an estimate, but I will always encourage you to confirm your personal entitlement with Services Australia.
The goal is not to make childcare costs sound simple when they are not.
It is to make each part clear enough for your family to make a decision with open eyes.