Wills & Estates.

A valid Will determines who should benefit from your estate when you die and who will be responsible for administering it – those chosen as your executors / trustees. A Will can be simple or complex and can also appoint guardians for minor children and provide directions for funeral arrangements.

A testamentary trust is a more complex Will that creates a trust or trusts after the testator dies. The trust assists in safeguarding assets from third-party creditors, protects at-risk beneficiaries and provides potential tax advantages.

Business structures are an important consideration with any venture. The structure through which your business operates is chosen with regard to your personal and financial circumstances, your goals and future plans for the business.

For a small enterprise it may be appropriate to operate as a sole trader or partnership.

A formal partnership agreement assists in governing the parties’ relationship and sets out agreed processes for matters such as termination, retirement, sale of partnership shares and business succession.

The business may operate through a corporate structure by registering a limited liability company which provides a certain level of protection for its officers and shareholders for liability for the company’s debts.

Similarly, a trust structure may be appropriate, providing asset protection and favourable taxation benefits, however these are complex and must be properly set up and administered to ensure the benefits outweigh the costs and ongoing fees.

A power of attorney appoints a trusted family member or friend to look after your legal and financial affairs should you be unable to do so yourself. The power of attorney can specify the extent of powers an attorney is authorised to exercise. It can operate for a limited time, such as while you are travelling overseas, for a one-off transaction or take effect indefinitely from the time you lose mental capacity. This is known as an enduring power of attorney.

Probate is a grant made by a Court that proves the Will of a deceased person, vests title to estate assets in the executor and authorises the executor to deal with the estate. The executor is responsible to pay estate liabilities, distribute gifts, sell and transfer property, arrange estate returns and generally finalise the estate in accordance with the Will.

There is no legal requirement to obtain probate and applying for a grant may not be necessary for small estates or where property was held jointly with a sole beneficiary. In such cases, the deceased’s share of jointly held property can be transferred to the surviving owner by completing the required documents with the relevant authority or institution.

Dying without a Will is referred to as dying intestate. In such cases the deceased person’s estate is distributed in accordance with a statutory formula. The rules of intestacy provide for a specific order of distribution to the deceased person’s next of kin designed to reflect society’s expectations as to who should benefit from the estate. However, they may not consider the real wishes of the deceased nor his or her unique circumstances. This can result in undesired consequences such as:

• family members or friends missing out from an inheritance;

• a disproportionate distribution of assets between family members or leaving out more needy beneficiaries;

• a distribution to a family member with whom the deceased shared no significant or meaningful relationship.

An application for Letters of Administration is made by an interested person when a person dies intestate or the executors named in a valid Will are no longer alive or are unable to fulfil the role.

A grant of Letters of Administration will appoint the applicant as administrator of the estate, allowing him or her to deal with the estate assets and liabilities in the same manner as an executor.

Dealing with a deceased estate can be distressing and often involves complex issues at a time of grief and loss. Executors and administrators may need to liaise with a range of stakeholders to ensure the terms of the Will are upheld.