Avoiding ambiguity in your Will
Discover the implications of double gifting in Wills. Learn how intentional clarity can avoid inheritance conflicts.
Should executors be paid or receive gifts?
Who you appoint as the executors of your Will is an important decision. After all, these are the people responsible for carrying out your wishes after you pass away. However, you may wonder whether your executors should be paid or receive a gift in recognition of their efforts in administering your estate.
What Happens When a Beneficiary Dies Before You?
Imagine this: You’ve carefully made your Will, making sure your loved ones will be taken care of when you’re gone. You’ve left a generous gift to your son, Jake. But then, something unexpected happens—Jake passes away before you do.
Navigating the future: key changes in South Australia’s Succession Act 2023
Does your Will need an update following the changes to the Succession Act 2023 (South Australia) commenced operation in South Australia on 1 January 2025?
Do I need to carry out a ‘reading of the Will’?
We are often asked by clients who are appointed as an executor of an Estate whether they need to gather the family around and ‘read the Will’ out loud. While this is often the kick off point for an Agatha Christie murder mystery, this formality is not required in Australia. So, how do you find […]
What happens if someone has lost capacity, but their Will does not reflect their wishes?
If you have a loved one who does not currently have capacity to make a new Will, you may be concerned that their Estate will not be distributed according to what they would have wanted. You may be thinking it is what it is and there is nothing you can do to, but does it really have to be this way?
What happens in South Australia to jointly held assets if you and your spouse die at the same time?
Do you remember the scene in Titanic where an elderly husband and wife choose to perish together rather than be separated? The couple were Ida Straus and her husband Isador Straus, Macy’s department store co-owner. Hankies aside, this story is interesting from an inheritance law perspective because it raises the question of what happens to […]
Getting your estate planning up-to-date. Part 1: Ownership of Assets
One of the reasons you accumulate assets and savings is to ensure your loved ones are adequately looked after when you die. Your accountant is likely to have put in place strategies to save you tax and protect your assets. But without proper planning, this can mean that your assets don’t end up in the hands of the people you intend. FInd out more.
Powers of Attorney – Which one do I need?
Your Power of Attorney is a legal document which appoints one or more persons to look after your financial affairs on your behalf while you are still alive. There are several different types of Powers of Attorney, and it is important that you get the right one.
Find out what you can do with a ‘testamentary trust’ in your Will
‘Testamentary Trusts’ come in all shapes and sizes. From the very simple, to the super sophisticated. This article discusses some of the more common options you may wish to consider for your Testamentary Trusts.