Estate Administration Lawyers
We understand how painful it can be to go through the difficulty of losing a loved one and having to go through the estate administration process alone. We are here to guide and assist you throughout the process and answer any questions you may have.
What you need to Know About Probate
What is Probate?
Probate is an order from Court that validates a deceased person’s Will.
Who Applies For Probate?
A person can only apply for probate if they have been named the executor in a person’s Will.
If you have been named the “alternate” executor, you can apply for probate if the primary executor is unable or unwilling to act.
Why is Probate Required?
Without a grant of probate, the executor is prevented from accessing and managing the assets of the estate under the deceased persons Will.
What If There Is No Will, Can I Still Apply for Probate?
If there is no Will (intestate), it is still possible to apply to the Court for authority to deal with the deceased person’s assets. In this case, rather than applying for probate, we apply for “Letters of Administration” – which is slightly more complex, however, the process operates in a similar way.
If you require assistance with the process for Probate or Letters of Administration, contact our estate administration team today.
Our Estate Planning Blogs and Podcasts
An enduring power of attorney (EPOA) is an important legal document that appoints another person or persons to make crucial life decisions for someone if and when they lose capacity to make such decisions for themselves. While making an EPOA is particularly relevant for those of advancing years who may become vulnerable to conditions such… Read More »Understanding the Benefits of Creating an Enduring Power of Attorney
In the context of estate planning, you may have heard of the term testamentary trust. In this podcast, PD Law Senior Associate, Elizabeth Smith, explains what testamentary trust is and the circumstances it is often used. Transcript Dan: Welcome to this edition of the PD Law podcast. In the context of estate planning, you may… Read More »What is a Testamentary Trust & Why You May Need One?
I recently caught a shuttle from the airport to home. Business was obviously good for the bus company – the seats were all full and I found myself in the front passenger seat next to the driver. We chatted easily for the trip. She got to asking me what I did. I told her. Possibly out… Read More »The Value Proposition – What’s a Will really worth to you?
We recently covered about 2500 kilometres on a family driving holiday. It was a long, long way, but we broke the trip up with a few sleep overs, the obligatory travelling games, and we took turns at playing DJ on Spotify. Complaints about my music were drowned out by volume. We also listened to a… Read More »There are lives at stake – stop being a fence sitter
You’ve made your will, got it done, signed, safely stored in your lawyer’s strong room. What now? Although there’s no set time frame, we recommend an annual check up, and here’s why: marriage and divorce – both can make an impact on your will re-marriage and further children including step children the birth of children… Read More »Lessons from the Death Star – When should I review my Will?
“I went into business with your spouse, not you!” You’ve been in business with your good friend and close ally Mark for almost a decade, building a strong business together. You’ve survived the GFC, massive competition, and a couple of bad business decisions you’d rather forget. But you’ve both come through, and your business is… Read More »Business Wills – managing the silent partner !
In today’s digital society, treasured memories and valuable assets are being stored, uploaded and shared as part of everyday life. Along with the photos we upload, our status updates, tweets, blog posts and emails, this wealth of personal information has combined to form what is now referred to as our “digital legacy”. It is becoming… Read More »Online Assets – Deciding who controls your digital legacy
