Wills and Estates

Making your Will is never an easy topic to confront. Rest assured that we take a sensitive approach to every matter.

We never know when the inevitable will happen. That’s why getting your estate planning in order is one of the most important and urgent decisions for you and your family. 

You need to ensure that your affairs are structured in the most practical and tax effective way to ensure the financial well-being of your beneficiaries and to enable your wishes to be honoured after you’re gone. This is where our Wills and Estate lawyers help.

Wills

You’ve no doubt heard the old saying: “You never know what’s around the corner.”  Obtaining expert advice about your estate planning is crucial to ensure that your estate is distributed the way you want it to be in the most tax effective manner. The legal formalities associated with making a valid Will, the changing nature of family relationships and modern asset diversity means that very careful consideration should be given to the way in which your will is drafted.

In the absence of a Will, your estate may be distributed in accordance with the statutory trusts created under the Succession Act 2006 which will not recognise your personal wishes. In some cases this may mean that your estate is distributed to distant relatives or the government.

If a Will is poorly drafted or doesn’t comply with the formal legal rules of validity, much of your estate may be wasted in legal fees to overcome or rectify the Will, not to mention the stress left for your loved ones.

At The Law Office of Conrad Curry, our Wills and Estate lawyers will ensure that you have expert legal advice to make fully informed decisions about how your Will should be drafted. We will advise in relation to the incidence of taxation for your estate and beneficiaries and where possible ensure the protection of your assets from claims by disgruntled family members.

Your Will is one of the most important documents you will ever make.

Powers of Attorney and Appointment of Enduring Guardian

There is nothing more important than knowing that your affairs will be handled in the way that you want and by the person who you want in the event that you temporarily or permanently lose the capacity to do so.  It is important that your loved ones or trusted friends are empowered to act on your behalf and in your interests, but also to ensure that checks and balances are implemented to prevent the abuse of those powers.

By making a Power of Attorney and an Appointment of Enduring Guardian (sometimes called ‘living Wills’) you can decide on who is appointed to make the important legal and health decisions for you in the event that you are unable, and to give express guidance in the way that those decisions are made.

The law is particularly complex when a person becomes disabled from making their own decisions and personal circumstances are so diverse that one size does not fit all. You need advice from a competent practitioner who can tailor their advice and draft your documents to meet your personal circumstances. Such issues of end of life care, non-resuscitation, Advanced Care Directives and wishes with respect to the donation of bodily organs are all matters on which direction can be given and made binding ensuring that your wishes are honoured while you are alive.

You should be comfortable that you have advice from a professional who has expert knowledge in this complex area of law. Here at The Law Office of Conrad Curry Conrad our Wills and Estate lawyers are experts in advising and drafting documents which meet your personal circumstances and give you peace of mind.

This Service Includes

To help you understand how best to set out your Will, we assist with:

• Expert legal advice to ensure you make fully informed decisions
• Information on protection of assets
• Protection for minors
• Guidance as to how to appoint the best executor(s)
• Advice on appropriate powers and restrictions
• Advice to avoid any potential challenges to your will
• Will disputes regarding estate distribution and family provision
• Making decisions regarding end of life care