Appointing a Solicitor as Executor of your Will
Appointing a Solicitor as Executor of your Will An executor is a person who will carry out the terms of your Will once you have passed away. You can appoint more than one executor. In South Australia there is no limit to the number of executors you can appoint. We are...
Was it a loan or a gift? – Big difference!
Housing affordability is a big issue for young Australians. When discussing that issue once, a former Prime Minister infamously remarked that the solution was for parents to “shell out” to help their children buy a home. For those lucky enough to have parents able to...
Marriage, divorce and your Will – What you need to know
About half of all Australians do not have a valid Will. Of those who do, many put their Will away in the bottom drawer of their filing cabinet and never think of it again. But making a Will is not a once in a lifetime task. Rather, it’s something that needs to be...
Fact or fiction – top 5 myths about family law property settlements
Most people know someone who has been affected by a family breakup. It is usually a very stressful and emotional time where people are anxious about divorce, the property settlement and the emotional wellbeing and care arrangements for children. Unfortunately this is...
The importance of financial advice in a family law property settlement
Most family law property settlements are reached through negotiation, without the need to attend Court. Negotiations can be formally documented through a binding financial agreement or consent orders filed with the Courts. As a last resort, the parties may need to...
Do you have a business partner? Then you need a Partnership Agreement!
A Partnership Agreement is a contract between all of the partners in a business which outlines each partner’s duties and responsibilities, governs important matters that arise from the business, and details processes for making business decisions and for resolving...
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 numerous matters and ongoing review to ensure it reflects your testamentary wishes and covers unexpected events. In this article we look...
Windfalls and family law property settlements
The steps involved in determining how property is divided after the breakdown of a relationship generally include: identifying the assets, liabilities and financial resources of the parties; assessing the parties' financial and non-financial contributions to those...
Making a Will if capacity is in question
It is well known that a Will is a legal document which sets out how a person would like their assets to be distributed once they die. Generally if you are over the age of 18 years, you can make a Will - provided you have the necessary legal capacity to know and...
Death and superannuation benefits
It is important to understand the interplay of the laws governing superannuation, tax and succession laws when considering your estate planning. Appreciating how these laws interact can help avoid some common pitfalls in estate planning and may have significant impact...