Is It The End Or Just The Beginning…
Divorce, ending a de facto relationship or ending a civil partnership can be emotionally difficult but have you ever thought what happens to your Will if these events occur? Under the Succession Act 1981 (Qld), if any of the above events occur, your Will is revoked to...
Changes to Home Guarantee Scheme – what this means for you.
The Australian Government has announced that it intends to expand the eligibility criteria of the Home Guarantee scheme. The scheme was initially introduced to support the affordability of first home ownership by allowing a prospective homeowner to have a 5% deposit...
Buyer (no longer) Beware?!
Major changes are coming relating to the sale of property in Queensland. One significant change is that the old principle of “Buyer Beware” will largely no longer apply. There will soon be obligations on a Seller to make comprehensive disclosure to a Buyer of matters...
A Matter of Trust
Many clients who we assist with their estate planning have involvement in a Trust. When the Trust is established, it comes with a ‘rule book’ known as the Trust Deed. The rule book sets out important matters such as the Trustee, the Beneficiaries, distribution of...
Smoke alarm compliance and electrical safety
All residential properties being sold in Queensland need to have compliant smoke alarms installed by settlement. The compliance standard is contained in regulations. Smoke alarms must be interconnected, in every bedroom and hallway in the property. Failure to install...
E-Conveyancing Mandate – what you need to know…
On 20 February 2023, the use of e-Conveyancing was mandated in Queensland. This means that all sales and purchases of residential land (and certain other matters) must occur online. Apart from limited exceptions, the days of meeting in person and passing documents and...
DO YOU REALLY WANT THE GRANDCHILDREN TO INHERIT?
Consider this scenario: You have 2 children. Child A and Child B. Child A has one child (your grandchild). You give your estate equally to Child A and Child B in your Will. If Child A dies before you, your grandchild will automatically receive Child A's half of your...
THE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT SEVERING….
I often advise clients a change in their marital circumstances is a definite “trigger” to update their estate planning - particularly if there has been a relationship breakdown. In Queensland, land can be owned either as “tenants in common” or “joint tenants”. This is...
Changes To Residential Contracts In Queensland – What Buyers And Sellers Need To Know
Amendments to the conditions of standard Residential Contracts in Queensland mean that all Sellers and Buyers have the choice to extend the Settlement Date for up to 5 business days. To trigger this right, the notice must be given in the approved form, in writing and...
IN ONE YEAR AND OUT THE OTHER…
For a lot of people, a New Year’s Resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other…. The start of the new year is the ideal time for you to review and update your estate planning. As your life changes, so should your plan. Have you: Purchased a...