Wills & Estate Planning

Estate planning is essential to ensure that there is an orderly distribution of your assets after death, so as to limit or avoid legal and financial complications, excessive fees and expenses, and taxes.

Key elements of estate planning are:

• Maintaining an up-to-date will so that after your death your assets are distributed according to your wishes, and in the most financially efficient and tax effective way possible for you and your family. This is especially important if your circumstances have changed, for example if you have married, divorced, had children, or entered into a de facto relationship and would like to provide for your de facto partner.
  
• Considering powers of attorney to deal with the possibility of you becoming incapable of managing your own legal and financial affairs.
  
• Ensuring that you have the best strategy in place to protect your assets and investments from volatile family relationships and financial circumstances, including the effect of bankruptcy.
  
• The firm has extensive experience in advising on a range of estate planning services including:
  • preparing wills and powers of attorney
  • the use of trusts (and preparing trust deeds)
  • preparing financial agreements (that is agreements between married or de facto couples to regulate their financial arrangements in the event of separation)
  • planning for business succession (and preparing business succession agreements)