A question I get asked in almost every client meeting is whether there is any central registry for storing or locating Wills? The answer is no…well, sort of. Prior to the recent introduction of the Law Society of South Australia’s Will Register (a little more on that in a minute) there was no central registry to store or record the fact that someone has completed a Will in South … [Read more...]
Celebrity Wills Blog Series : Osama bin Laden
Ok, so if my last blog about Wills (Nostradamus) was a bit of a stretch on celebrity, this one will surely break that string. To be fair, even I feel bad calling this person a celebrity will, but hey, like I say, everyone needs a Will!! A few weeks back my interest was piqued when I read a news headline suggesting that, according to a recently released Will, “Osama bin Laden left millions of … [Read more...]
Deceased Estate Without a Body?
When dealing with the administration of a deceased estate it seems obvious that you need an actual deceased person! The ordinary course of events would run as follows; Make a will naming an executor; Die; Executor obtains a Grant of Probate; Executor administers deceased estate. Simple right? As a lawyer, experienced in a great variety of Estate matters (many straightforward and … [Read more...]
How my Dog Made me Think About Wills and Funeral Arrangements
Our beloved Maltese terrier, Cooper, died a month ago. Despite the fact that he was an old man of 14 years, it was still a fairly traumatic experience for the whole family. Having made the difficult decision to euthanize him, we were next asked, “What would you like to do with his remains?” Not having experienced, discussed or even considered this before, we had little idea of the options … [Read more...]
“Help! I’m an Executor”
A close friend approached me last week concerned that she had been nominated executor in her grandmother’s Will, she was uncertain exactly as to what this would entail. It is a familiar scenario. Every day executors are nominated in Wills. Usually the nominated person is aware of this, sometimes they are not (in which case they are not alerted to this fact until the estate is enacted). … [Read more...]
“The Law Society South Australia Pass Motion Condemning Outrageous Hike in Probate Fees”
Recently I wrote in relation to impending changes announced to Probate fees. These fees are as as described in the article "... so exorbitant there can be no other way to classify it other than the reintroduction of a death tax." You can read the article here. On 4th March 2016, The Law Society of South Australia passed a motion to the Members of the Legislative Council condemning these fees. … [Read more...]
Celebrity Wills Blog Series (6) – Nostradamus
Perhaps not exactly a celebrity, Michel Nostradamus is perhaps more extensively known throughout the world, than some “so-called” modern day celebrities. His reputation as a seer and author of a collection of prophecies has guaranteed continued interest in his life and work to the present day. Nostradamus was born in 1503 and died on 2 July 1566 at the age of 66 years. Since becoming aware … [Read more...]
Death Tax for Government: Blatant Revenue Raising
The Supreme Court (Probate Fees) Variation Regulations 2016 came into operation today, 4 February 2016, with effect from 28 February 2016. These fees have significantly increased the government fee payable by those admitting Wills to Probate. The fees are so exorbitant there can be no other way to classify it other than the reintroduction of a death tax. Probate: When someone dies with a … [Read more...]
Welden & Coluccio Lawyers Quoted in ‘The Australian Financial Review”
I’ve been ‘on about’ the dangers of DIY Wills for a long time, so it is awesome to have our hard work at Welden & Coluccio Lawyers acknowledged by a publication as esteemed as the Australian Financial Review. A week ago Jason and I were interviewed by a journalist from the AFR. In today’s edition of the publication, 3rd June 2015, we were quoted for our opinions relating to DIY Wills in … [Read more...]
A New Directive: Changes to Medical Decision Making After July 1
Most people are probably somewhat familiar with the role of Enduring Powers of Guardianship, Medical Powers of Attorney and, to a lesser extent, Anticipatory Directions. These various documents are the means by which an individual can express his or her medical wishes, future health care and other personal matters. There are subtle differences between each of the documents and determining which … [Read more...]
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