Wills & Estate Planning

Planning for your family’s future is a really important legal task.

Estate planning goes beyond drafting a will – it can include:

• The assessment of assets
• Advice regarding the possibility of claims against the estate by third parties
• The protection of assets
• The appointment of an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA)

Estate planning is an active process of re-evaluating the estate when circumstances in life change, such as:

• Newly married couples or those divorcing
• The birth of children and grandchildren
• A change to the family’s asset position
• A change in working conditions such as the buying or selling of a business
• Changes to superannuation, insurance policies or taxation levels
• The establishment of discretionary trusts

At the same time as considering your Will we may recommend that you also put in place plans for any future incapacity through Power of Attorney and Guardianship documents. This will ensure that if you somehow become unable to make decisions about your finances, your medical treatment or living arrangements then the person or persons who you trust to make these decisions can do so.

An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document which allows you to appoint a person of your choice to make financial and/or property decisions on your behalf. You can authorise your attorney to act on your behalf from the date of the appointment or from the time that you lose legal capacity to make such decisions for yourself.

An Enduring Power of Guardianship is a document authorising a person of your choice to make personal, lifestyle and treatment decisions on your behalf, should you become incapable of making such decisions for yourself. This person is known as an Enduring Guardian. They can make decisions such as where you live and about the support services and medical treatment you receive. They cannot make property or financial decisions on your behalf.

Contact us directly on (08) 9445 2686.