It was in the context of preparing for the delivery of my recent presentation for The Tax Institute’s Death…and Taxes Symposium on the Gold Coast recently that I come to read a recent case of solicitor negligence in the context of estate planning. In the appeal decision of McFee v Reilly [2018] NSWCA 322, a…
Tag: estate planning
Renewable Power: Court permits Attorney to renew superannuation nomination (QLD)
For a while now, it’s been a hazy question asked by succession lawyers alike about whether an attorney can make or renew a binding death benefit nomination for their principal’s superannuation policy proceeds. On 24 August 2018, Justice Bowskill of the Supreme Court of Queensland delivered a decision on this very topic. The case of…
The Unsent Text Message Will: Is it really that simple? No – it’s really not! (QLD)
It’s likely been in your news feed recently that an unsent text message was held by a Queensland Court to be a valid Will. It may seem quite unbelievable to some that this would even happen! On the other hand, maybe it doesn’t? Reviewing the comments that appear in many of the media articles online…
No Will, no way?: Court refuses application for statutory Will in large estate (Qld)
Admittedly, it’s not something that one regularly thinks about, but the issue of incapacitated people making Wills is a topic that achieves much discussion nowadays. Where a person doesn’t have a Will, whether by choice or otherwise, the law provides what I like to call a “back-up plan” or formula, if you will, of how…
Leaving a “note” for mum successfully appealed; “Note” = Will
Not all that long ago, I wrote an article on a case involving a gentleman who had passed away in China. He was Australian Citizen who was resident in China for many years and he had left a note for his mum regarding his wishes to distribute some of his property which gave rise to…
Australian Citizen resident in China leaves a “note” for mum
Update! This case was successfully appealed in June 2017. Read my article on the appeal here. Documenting your wishes is simple in theory, but quite a different story in real world. The Supreme Court of Victoria had quite the job recently in deciphering whether a note a man left behind was considered to be his “Will” and…
Worldy Wisdom: Why a pro forma will still ends up in Court
I’m always curious as to any judgement dealing with will kits or proforma wills. I have every suspicion we will see more of these as the years go on. Recently the Court had to determine what a testator meant in the matter of Rhodes v Rhodes (as Executor of the Estate of Cecil Ronald Rhodes) & Ors…
Family Ties: Former wife successful in FPA where financial settlement finalised 25 years prior
I read, with interest, the recent case of Lodin v Lodin; Estate of Dr Mohammad Masoud Lodin [2017] NSWSC 10, which dealt with a family provision claim by a former spouse of the deceased where a financial property settlement had been reached some 25 years prior to the deceased’s date of death. In New South Wales, a claim for family…
Computer Will upheld
In the Estate of Robin Michael (Deceased) [2016] SASC 164, the Supreme Court of South Australia held that a computer document was to be admitted to probate as the last will and testatment of the deceased. The Court itemised the following main issues to be determined were: Was the will on the deceased’s hard drive of…
Child of defacto spouse = step-child in family provision claim
In today’s society, it’s not uncommon for someone to refer to their defacto partner’s child as their own. They are often just as close to them, if not even closer, than their own, biological children. The Supreme Court of Victoria today handed down a decision finding that a child of a defacto spouse was a step-child of the deceased…
Court Made Will to protect assets from passing to children until 25 years
Court-made will to protect assets from passing to children until 25 years. Being a fairly new and novel area of the succession practice space, I’m always curious and therefore read the cases that hit my news feed on court-made wills and the reason behind them. The legislation sets out a clear formula for determining whether…
A Research Study – “Having the last word: Will making and Contestation in Australia”
I had the great pleasure of reading a very interesting report entitled “Having the last word: Will Making and Contestation in Australia”.
For those that want to skip to the good bits, you can access the report here.
In summary, the study was conducted over 4 years and is the bouncing baby booklet of the Public Trustees and the University of Queensland under an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant.
Elder abuse – it even has a name
Elder Abuse is alive and well.. unfortunately. It has become such a problem it now has a name? How did this happen?… That’s a rhetorical question. I’ve been reading more and more of Actor Mickey Rooney’s struggle and despite his original wealth and celebrity status, he was still just a gentleman, taken advantage of by…
Aged Care reforms, SMSF and Centrelink Schedules
With aged care reforms on their way, practitioners should be aware of the changes that result in considerations around affordability particularly for self-funded retirees or part-pensioners. As an SMSF trustee, there are some additional considerations that a trustee will need to consider. Check out a useful article by Anna Lawton, Senior Manager of Aged Care Services at Equity Trustees Limited via…
