As of 1 January 2023, an eligible person could choose to end their life under newly introduced Voluntary Assisted Dying (“VAD”) laws in Queensland. A recent Government report revealed, in the first six months of operation of the laws: 591 people (comprising 331 males...Read More
The fear of missing out on a deal and concerns about ‘timing’ the market may result in a Seller rushing to sign a Contract without considering the consequences. The right of a Buyer to change their mind and terminate a Contract under the Cooling Off...Read More
To battle the rise in cost of living, interest when you separate rates and property prices, we are seeing an increase in parents, siblings and friends pooling their funds together to purchase their dream home. Sounds like a perfect solution on face value. It is...Read More
One of the various roles of an Executor is to make sure that all estate debts are paid. In particular, an Executor needs to make sure any tax liability of the deceased during their lifetime or of their estate is accounted for. Keeping records of everything that might...Read More
We look at whether you need an ATO Clearance Certificate when selling property. The answer is yes, if: you are selling real estate over $750,000; and you don’t want 12.5% of the sale price to be paid to the ATO. The ATO requires the Certificate to be obtained before...Read More
If you are appointed as the executor of an estate, you have a number of duties cast upon you. They include: maximising the size of the estate for the beneficiaries; and preparing any necessary tax return or obtaining Income Tax Clearances. Estate administration...Read More
The preparation of your estate plan involves a number of matters, especially the payment of your superannuation death benefit. From 1 July 2017 a “Transfer Balance Cap” was introduced. In broad terms, the effect of the Cap is to limit the total amount of...Read More
I often write about the importance of having a valid Will. You might have been as surprised as I was to learn that Aretha Franklin, “the Queen of Soul”, died without a formal Will. By not making a formal Will, the famous singer sparked more than four years of bitter...Read More
I have written previously about the pitfalls of home-made Wills. Although it may sound like I’m trying to drum up business in recommending your Will be prepared by a solicitor, there is some support from Master Sanderson in a recent Supreme Court of Western Australia...Read More
You may know of this famous and controversial line from the character “Dick the Butcher” in William Shakespeare’s Henry VI. Some recent “developments” in technology have had me thinking whether Dick’s wish that society be free of lawyers might come true! The...Read More
