The recent case of In the Estate of Jansen [2020] ACTSC 130 (26 May 2020) underscores the importance of obtaining legal advice in relation to the proper execution of Wills. In this case, a document in the conventional form of a Will did not meet the formal requirements of the Wills Act 1968 (ACT) (Wills …
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A new Will may not be the first thing on your new year’s resolution list, however, it is very important to consider. If you do not have a Will or your circumstances substantially changed in 2019, the fresh new year is a good time to organise your estate planning. An outdated Will can be as …
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A new Will may not be the first thing on your new year’s resolution list, however it is very important to consider. If you do not have a Will or your circumstances substantially changed in 2016, the fresh new year is a good time to organise your estate planning. An outdated Will can be as …
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On 1 September 2016 the Powers of Attorney Act 2006 (the Act) was amended to allow a person (the Principal) to authorise their nominated attorney to make decisions about medical research matters involving ethically approved research when the Principal becomes a person with impaired decision making capacity. This authority is in addition to the existing …
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It is now becoming more common for people who live in Australia to have assets overseas. If you own assets overseas it is important to be aware that each jurisdiction has its own legal system and tax laws. You should not assume that the succession laws and tax regimes you are familiar with in Australia …
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A Power of Attorney is a formal deed governed by the Power of Attorney Act 2006 (ACT). A Power of Attorney is a binding legal document which gives one or more people the legal authority to make decisions, and do certain things on your behalf, but it does not remove your rights to do these …
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The way in which you own your assets has a significant impact on how you treat these assets under your will and how they are distributed after your death. The important thing to remember is that you can “own” assets in different ways. Ways of controlling assets Examples of ways you might own or control …
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A person may leave their assets to whoever they wish. However, the law recognises that there are those who may have relied upon the deceased for support, who are sometimes left out of the Will. If you feel this is you or someone you know, please continue to read. What is a family provision claim? …
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This is a question often presented to the estate planning lawyers in our office. The most obvious answer is that, if there is no will, your estate will be distributed in accordance with the method set out in the Administration and Probate Act 1929 (ACT) (the Act) or the equivalent legislation in the relevant State …
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An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document which allows you to appoint a trusted person or persons to make decisions about financial, property and personal matters on your behalf. An Enduring Power of Attorney is the only way to ensure that you have control over who will make decisions on your behalf if …
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