Most of us don’t want to think about or plan for death, even though we know it’s one of life’s only real certainties. It doesn’t matter that it’s an experience we will all share – the reality remains that the death of a loved one will inevitably be one of your family’s most momentous and difficult times.

Unfortunately though, if you haven’t made sure that your affairs are precisely in order, the difficulties for your loved ones can be immeasurable.

Whether you are drafting a will for the first time or need to update an existing will, Frichot Lawyers can help .

Our introductory consultation delivers a wealth of knowledge and information to you in relation to:

• Estate planning
• The likelihood of a challenge to your Will under the Family Provision Act
• Mutual Wills or agreements not to revoke your Will
• Leaving property with conditions attached, such as rights to purchase or life estate interests
• Testamentary trusts
• Insurance and asset protection
• Business structures and liability
• Long lists of gifts and gifts to charity
• Interests in a family company, trust, business or partnership
• Self-managed superannuation funds
• Assets outside of Australia

Need to get your affairs in order? Call us for a consultation today.

Why should I have an estate plan?

There are extremely valuable and wide-ranging benefits to having an estate plan. By having an estate plan, you can ensure that your beneficiaries are not burdened with complications and disagreements, because you are able to:

• Specify the measure of control or ownership that each beneficiary has over your assets
• Reduce the tax obligations your beneficiaries will have on income and capital gains earned on assets
• Safeguard your assets if a beneficiary later faces legal issues that can implicate the assets

Need an estate plan?
Call us to arrange an appointment with a specialist today

Having a properly drafted Will is an important step in ensuring not only that your estate is transferred in accordance with your wishes, but also that it is done in the most cost-efficient way, reducing the likelihood of claims against your estate, minimising your estate’s tax obligations, and reducing the prospect of disputes between beneficiaries.

Although making sure you have a valid Will is very important, where your affairs are more complex, either in relation to assets, business interests or family arrangements, you will also need to think about estate planning.

Estate planning enables you to take care of a wide range of other issues that relate to how your assets are transferred after you pass away. Family trusts, powers of guardianship, powers of attorney and your beneficiaries tax implications can all be dealt with in a quality estate plan. If, like many people, you have a blended family, an estate plan can also help you to manage this far more complex family structure.