Most people over 18 years of age should consider having a Power of Attorney in place. A Power of Attorney is a legal document made by a person (known as the principal) that authorises one or more others, on behalf of the principal, to do anything the principal can...
There are various ‘Will Kits’ available on-line – most are cheap or ‘free’ and all you need to do is download them and fill in the blanks. Many websites boast that you can prepare your Will ‘without spending hundreds of dollars on legal fees’. Simple, right? Not...
When making estate plans, many people under-estimate the importance of appointing an enduring guardian. An enduring guardian can make lifestyle, health and medical decisions on your behalf if you lack the capacity to make those decisions yourself. A guardian acts as a...
In Australia, a person is ‘technically’ free to choose who should benefit from his or her estate. Testamentary freedom is a well-founded principle. This principle however may be subject to community expectations of moral obligations. Consequently, in some...
Wills for blended families are particularly important. A blended family is a family in which one or both partners have a child or children from a previous relationship. Careful estate planning now should ensure that all of your intended beneficiaries are provided for...
Once upon a time you were happily living together with your de facto partner. Roses were bought, dinners were cooked, finances were shared, and Wills were signed leaving all your assets to the other partner in the event of what you then thought of as the far away time...
