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Co-ownership property disputes
A co-owner is a person who owns land with one or more other owners. Co-owners may hold land as joint tenants or tenants in common. The way land is held is important in property law as it impacts on the way it can be dealt with generally, and what happens after the...
Why everyone needs a Power of Attorney
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...
Review your discretionary trust to avoid foreign surcharges on land acquisitions and holdings
A feature of a discretionary trust is its flexibility to distribute income and capital to a range (or class) of beneficiaries. To achieve these goals, trust deeds have traditionally been drafted to include a wide range of beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries. In...
Subdividing your land – process and considerations
Subdividing your land (subdivision) involves the partition of a parcel of land into smaller portions. Once land is subdivided, a ‘title’ is created for each new portion which can be separately sold and transferred. A subdivision may range from the creation of separate...
Can you claim compensation for sporting and recreational injuries?
Sport – we play it, watch it, bet on it and argue about it. Most Australians love sport and not many weekends go by without participating, spectating or having some involvement in a sporting activity, whether at the amateur or professional level. The same might be...
Mortgage stress – when you can’t pay your home loan
Life throws us obstacles now and then and it’s not uncommon for some of these to challenge our financial security. Mortgage stress - when we struggle to meet our home loan repayments, probably affects more people than you think. A mortgage is essentially a ‘statutory...
Important considerations when planning a Granny Flat
A granny flat is a secondary self-contained dwelling established on the same parcel of residential land as a principal dwelling. The granny flat may be a conversion forming part of the main residence, an extension of the existing dwelling or be free standing. Granny...
How to keep your legal costs down – our top tips
If your business is involved in a commercial dispute, your biggest concerns are likely to be the financial losses that your organisation and its officers could suffer, and the size of your legal bill. Commercial disputes can be disruptive, emotional and exhaust...
Compensation for a work injury damages claim
Workers compensation law is aimed at supporting workers who are injured, aggravate a pre-existing injury or condition, or become ill as a consequence of: performing their usual work duties on or off work premises; an incident arising out of their employment travelling...
Common misconceptions about estate planning
An estate plan involves more than signing a Will and leaving it in a safe place. An effective estate plan requires consideration of several matters and ongoing review to ensure it reflects your testamentary wishes and covers unexpected events. In this article, we look...