Wills and Estates
Wills and Estates
Wills
A Will is one of the most important documents that any person can have. This document governs how your possessions are to be dealt with after you have passed away. Many people fail to recognise the significance of a Will, and never make the time to create one. Failing to leave a Will can create untold stress and heartache for your family and friends. We are highly experienced in the creation of simple and straightforward Wills through to complex Wills involving trusts. If you don't have a Will, or need to update your Will, please call our team.
Estate Administration
After the passing away of a loved one, dealing with banks and government departments can often be the last thing an executor wants to deal with. We are experienced in estate administration. We routinely help executors administer estates. We can take the hassle and stress out of administering an estate. If you have been appointed as an executor pursuant to a Will please call our team.
Estate Litigation
Sometimes people can be wrongly excluded from receiving a benefit under a Will. The Succession Act provides for people to make a claim against an estate if they feel that they have been wrongly excluded. There are certain conditions that must be met in order for that application to be successful. We are experienced in bringing, and defending such applications. If you feel as though you have been wrongfully excluded from an estate please contact our team.
If you don’t have a will, or need
to update your will please call
our team on 07 5482 1244
Estate Planning
Essentially, estate planning is a plan to maximise your assets, whilst minimising any liabilities, so you can enjoy those assets now, and so any beneficiaries can obtain most out of those assets. Often, people overlook the significance of proper estate planning. It is important to remember that some assets that you may have the benefit of cannot be disposed of by a will. Those assets include superannuation, any asset owned jointly with another person, assets owned by a company, or by a family trust and any life insurance policy proceeds.
If you have not recently considered your assets, and how to maximise any benefit you receive from them, please contact our team.
Powers of Attorney
Along with a Will, and advance health directive, a power of attorney is one of the three most important documents a person can sign in their life. A power of attorney document authorises another person to do things, or make decisions on your behalf. It is important to ensure that a power of attorney document is correctly phrased and executed so as to avoid that document either being ineffective or giving too much power to the attorney. If you do not have a power of attorney, or have not recently considered your power of attorney please contact our experienced team.
Advance health directives
This is a document that can govern your healthcare wishes should you be unable to do so. Should you have specific wishes for your healthcare, this document will ensure that your healthcare professionals are informed of those decisions, even if you are unable to convey those decisions. This document is often read in conjunction with a power of attorney document. We regularly assist people in properly drafting advance health directives.