Plan for the best

10 MOST-ASKED QUESTIONS

Q At the very minimum, what should an estate plan include?

It requires a solicitor who has expertise in estate planning. The reason you need an expert is demonstrated in some of these estate issues I’ve encountered:

• Individuals seeking to cut children out of wills following a falling-out over a new life partner they’ve met;

• Clients who’ve discovered their parent’s new partner has cut them out of the will;

• People who’ve told me about family members kicked out of their lifelong home due to the estate claims from the children of their (now deceased) second wife – it’s frightening (and completely avoidable);

• Expensive legal fights among families following the death of a beloved; and

• Coming into a large sum of money.

A basic estate plan should include a will, enduring power of attorney, power of guardianship and death nominations for your super. More structured estate plans will include consideration for testamentary trusts.

Your state’s local law society can assist you to identify a suitable