Wills, Estate Planning and Estate Disputes
Having worked hard all your life, you will want to ensure that you have properly planned your estate and that your assets are distributed to your nominated beneficiaries.
Therefore, it is essential that you take the time to plan your estate and make a Will to ensure that your assets are distributed to your beneficiaries in accordance with your wishes.
If you are appointed as an Executor of a Will, it is important to understand your duties and obligations to ensure that you properly distribute the assets in a deceased estate to avoid claims being made against you. The same duties and obligations similarly apply if you are an Administrator of an Estate in circumstances where there is no Will.
If you have been left out of a Will, you can contest or challenge a Will in certain circumstances.
Estate planning does not only involve the making of a Will, it can also involve appointing a Power of Attorney to manage your legal and financial affairs or appointing an Enduring Guardian to manage your lifestyle and medical affairs.
We can provide you with tailored legal advice to ensure that your interests are protected and your rights are pursued in a timely and cost-effective manner.
- Advise you about and prepare your Will to ensure that your assets are distributed the way you want them to.
- If you are the Executor of a Will, apply for a Grant of Probate to allow you to administer and distribute assets in a deceased estate, including helping you to identify the assets and beneficiaries of an estate.
- If there is no Will, and subject to your eligibility, apply for Letters of Administration to allow you to administer and distribute assets in a deceased estate, including helping you to identify the assets and beneficiaries of an estate.
- If you have been left out of a Will, apply for a share of the assets from a deceased estate.
- If you have not been left as much assets as you expected from a Will, apply for a greater share of the assets.
- Assist you in disputing the validity of a Will and interpreting a Will.
- Assist you in a dispute with other executors of a Will.
- Advise you about, and prepare, a Power of Attorney, which formally gives the person that you appoint the authority to manage your legal and financial affairs.
- Advise you about, and prepare, an Enduring Guardianship, which formally gives the person that you appoint the authority to make lifestyle and medical decisions on your behalf.
- Advise you about the various trust structures available to you to ensure that your assets are protected.
- Provide you with advice about distributions from your superannuation accounts.