Two weeks ago, John Goodman was found guilty of DUI, manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the USA. The charges related to an incident that occurred on 10 February 2010 when…

I have been following with interest the news reports over the family dispute between Gina Rinehart and three of her children, in relation to a dispute over a trust formed…

I read with interest a recent article in the Australian Newspaper in relation to a Victorian Supreme Court decision where a stepdaughter was awarded a large payment by the Court…

I am receiving increasing interest and enquiry from clients about abuse, or perceived abuse, of an Enduring Power of Attorney. Often I am approached by one family member who is…

I often get queried by clients as to what amounts to a “de facto spouse” in the context of claims being made against an Estate. It is very important to…

I recently spoke at an educational seminar run by the Institute of Public Accountants. An interesting discussion evolved about estate planning for blended families and what controls can be implemented…

A question that will undoubtedly be asked more and more frequently in the preparation of estate planning documents is what will happen to the online identity of a person when…

I was recently involved in a dispute regarding the payment of a Deceased member’s death benefit from a superannuation fund. It highlighted to me the importance of considering your Superannuation…

Is an Electronic Will a Will? I recently read an interesting case from the Supreme Court of Queensland called Mahlo v Hehir. In that case the Deceased had typed on…

I recently was invited to speak at the Business and Estate Planning Specialists annual conference in Cairns. One issue raised, was whether there was any way to limit exposure to Capital…

I recently had a meeting with Trevor Benson from InfocusMoney Management. Trevor asked me a question on behalf of a client of his about making a claim against an Estate of…

The last thing anybody wants is to leave valuable possessions to particular people only to have somebody else go to court to stake a claim on the estate. When you…