It is well known that a Will is a legal document which sets out how a person wants their assets to be distributed once they die. If you are over the age of 18 you can make a Will – provided you have capacity. In general terms a person will have the...

Most of us appreciate the importance of making a Will and having an estate plan that sets out how we would like to provide for our loved ones when we die. If, like many Australians, you belong to a blended family, there are additional considerations when...

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?...

A trust is a vehicle through which property is legally held by a trustee for the benefit of others. It separates the beneficial and legal ownership of property. The parties to a trust are the settlor (person creating the trust), the trustee (the legal owner...

Not surprisingly people talk about buying their first home as being a life changing event and it is. However, in the past it has been rare for people to talk so excitedly about moving into some form of retirement living. Given that sooner or later a lot of...

Testamentary trusts can be very effective estate planning tools to assist in providing for spouses, children and grandchildren, and are becoming increasingly popular as more people become aware of their advantages. A Testamentary Trust is any trust...