Solution Brief: Why you need to think about Estate Planning 

Solution Brief: Why you need to think about Estate Planning

Your Estate Planning is not something to be taken lightly.

Take a few minutes out to ask yourself the following important questions: 

  • Do you want to choose who benefits from your wealth, and when? 
  • Do you want to protect the wealth you give your children from unjust claims? 
  • Do you want to make sure your children only receive wealth as and when they 
  • are mature enough to handle it constructively? 
  • Do you want to ensure your family’s wealth remains available to support your 
  • children, even if your spouse re‑partners? 
  • Do you want to minimise taxes on the assets that you leave your partner and 
  • children? 
  • Do you want to smoothly pass control of your business and investment structures to the next generation (such as superannuation, family trusts and private companies)? 
  • Do you want to minimise the costs of administering your wealth when you die? 

Estate Planning is the process of ensuring that: 

  • You have a clear understanding of the legal structures through which you hold and control your wealth; 
  • You have appropriate strategies in place to ensure your wealth is there to support your family when you die; 
  • Your children are adequately provided and cared for by people they know and trust; and 
  • There is a smooth transition of control over your legal structures. 

We follow a simple and logical process: 

  • First, we identify your objectives (through our comprehensive ‘ʹFact Find’ʹ); 
  • Then we provide you with clear recommendations as to how to achieve your objectives, together with a fixed quote of what we will charge; 
  • Next, we promptly implement our recommendations; and 
  • Finally, we keep in touch and offer a periodic review. 

What next?

If you would like to speak to someone about your Estate Planning, call us on 1300 654 590 or email us. 

To download a PDF of our solution brief, enter your email below.

 

The information contained in this post is current at the date of editing – 5 March 2024.

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We want to be part of your team over the long term. We'll achieve this by sticking closely to the following principles:

  • We'll listen carefully to understand what you want to achieve. Then we'll thoroughly explain our advice and step you through the documents. You can be sure you'll know the full consequences.
  • Our lawyers work as a team, so someone will always be available to answer your questions, or point you in the right direction. You will also benefit from a range of perspectives and experience.
  • One of our key goals is to pass on as much knowledge as we can, so you can make your own informed decisions. We want to make you truly independent.
  • We only do what we're good at. You can be confident that we know what we're doing and won't pass on the cost of our learning.
  • For advice and documents, we provide a fixed or capped quote so you don’t take price risk. If you're in a dispute, we'll map out the process and costs so you know what to expect.
  • We're not in this game for our egos. We're in it for a front row seat to witness your success.

We measure our success on how efficiently we have facilitated your objectives, enhanced your relationships, and reduced the level of stress for all involved.

If we sound like people you can work with, call us now and speak directly with a great lawyer.

Advising under an EPOA: Know your duties and risks

Advising under an EPOA: Know your duties and risks

As a professional adviser, you may have been instructed to manage personal wealth matters for clients in a way that benefits not only your client but also their families.  Your client, like Mary, may have routinely provided regular financial support to their family – adult children, grandchildren, spouses, or even elderly parents. This support can be informal but deeply entrenched, often continuing for years. 

But what happens when your client loses capacity, and their Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) takes effect? 

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