Guaranteeing a child’s loan: an obligation that can outlive you
As property prices and borrowing challenges persist in Australia, more families are turning to guarantor loans – commonly referred to in the media as the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ – with brokers reporting significant growth in parents providing guarantees to...
Digital assets, cryptocurrency, and probate: don’t let your wealth disappear
Digital assets such as cryptocurrency and online accounts are easily lost after death without planning. Here’s what families and family businesses need to know about probate in the digital age.
Director loan repayments and solvency: what makes them ‘reasonable’
It is not unusual for companies, particularly newer, capital-constrained ones, to accept loans from, or make repayments to directors (or their associates). This might be for working capital, bridging shortfalls, or to enable new business initiatives. However,...
What happens when co-executors can’t agree? Lessons for will-makers and executors
Appointing two executors might sound like a sensible way to share responsibility, indeed, it is something we often recommend, but what if those executors can’t agree, or worse, one refuses to act? The Supreme Court of New South Wales case Wise v Barry; The Estate of...
Protecting your trust: planning for trustee incapacity before it happens
If you are creating a testamentary or discretionary trust, you want to know it will operate smoothly long after you are gone. But what happens if the trustee you appoint loses the capacity to make decisions? Without the right safeguards, the trust you designed to...
Bucket vs Banker: How the right company structure can supercharge your family wealth strategy
Two strategic tools, the ‘bucket company’ and the ‘banker company’. Both strategies offer high-net-worth families a way to cap tax exposure, preserve capital, and support long-term intergenerational planning.
Probate delays: why it takes so long to finalise an estate
Probate can take months, sometimes years, to complete. Here’s why delays happen and how families and family businesses can prepare.
Should I involve my children in the control of my family trust?
Family trusts are one of the most common structures used by Australian families to hold investments, run businesses, and protect wealth. They are flexible, tax-effective, and – when managed carefully – provide a mechanism for long-term succession...