Courts are often required to consider the construction of the terms of a Will. An interesting case arose out of the following: a. Lajos purchased a lotto ticket; b. Lajos was the first division winner of almost $2 million; c. sadly, Lajos died the day after the draw....Read More
Divorce can have a significant financial and emotional impact. It also revokes: your Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) to the extent it gives power to your ex-spouse; and your Will to the extent it gives a gift to your ex-spouse or appoints them as executor (unless...Read More
In a recent case the Supreme Court had to determine if a handwritten note constituted the Will of the Deceased. Broadly, the background was: The Deceased died, survived only by one child – her daughter; The Deceased and her daughter were very close for many years but...Read More
When Sally’s husband Mike died unexpectedly, Sally’s world was instantly turned upside down. Apart from the devastating personal loss, Sally was confronted with dealing with Mike’s estate – which included the family home and some bank accounts. Mike also had a...Read More
Discretionary family trusts aren’t just for the super wealthy. They are a common asset protection and tax minimisation tool for thousands of Australian families. They often include a long list of potential beneficiaries. It’s probably fair to say, over the years...Read More
I recently did some DIY at home, painting my daughter’s bedroom. The result was okay (as long as you don’t look too closely). Unfortunately, when it comes to DIY Wills, people do look closely. A Queensland Case from late 2023, Re Chambers, is yet another example of...Read More
With the aging population, it is more common to assist clients in their 80’s or 90’s with a new Will. It is not uncommon to receive instructions from older clients to skip their children as beneficiaries and make the grandchildren beneficiaries instead. Recently, the...Read More
Have you accepted the role of Executor of a deceased person’s estate? Depending on the nature, size and value of the assets within the estate, you might quickly learn the role can be quite complex. It can involve a significant amount of time and effort in: Identifying...Read More
What do these have in common? They were all key ingredients in a recent case before the Queensland Supreme Court. Robert thought his estate planning was in place. After all, Robert had: A Will; A Death Benefit Nomination to deal with his Self Managed Super Fund; and...Read More
It’s time to get that task of updating your estate plan off your “to do” list! Chances are it’s something you’ve been intending to do but haven’t quite “got around to it”. Your Will and estate plan is something you should regularly review to ensure it is up to date....Read More
