Wills and Estates Related Services in Australia

Looking after your loved ones in your lifetime, and after

You’ve worked hard for what you have, so make sure your assets are protected and end up in the right hands.

Sometimes inheritance is straightforward – your estates may automatically go to your spouse or children, but increasingly family structures are becoming more complex and we have to think ahead. We are also generally living longer, but may not be mentally able to make financial decisions in our later years.

Where will your estate fall if certain beneficiaries die, or are there people you want to look after, such as a step child, that are not automatically provided for? You need expert Will and Estate Lawyers for administering your estates.

A marriage revokes a Will, but a separation doesn’t. If you are separated or divorced, make sure you seek advice and update your Will to protect your children or a new partner.

At Clive Mills & Associates, our will and estate lawyers help you through the sensitive and sometimes traumatic areas of making Wills, contesting Wills, administering estates, and assigning enduring powers of attorney and guardianship to make sure your wishes are followed.

Preparing Wills

No matter what your personal and financial circumstances, our will and estate lawyers ensure the interests of your beneficiaries are protected and your Will is carefully drafted to best represent your wishes in any event. We make sure your family will not experience the expense and distress that can be caused by a badly drafted Will. We’ll also advise you to consider appropriate executors for your Will.

Our prices start from $250 to ensure your lifetime assets are available to look after your loved ones as you wish.

Estate Planning

For more complicated estates, we prepare complex Wills that create testamentary trusts on your death. These can help to minimise the tax liability of your beneficiaries and the estate.

Contesting Wills, administering estates

When families are grieving it is difficult to face the reality of dividing the estate, and even where there is a clearly written Will, executors need support in making sure the wishes of the deceased are carried out and the appropriate paperwork completed. We are experienced in administering estates and are here to support you through this difficult time.

If you or a family member are contesting the Will of a loved one, we will guide you through the probate process to reach a fair and satisfactory outcome for all parties.

Enduring Powers of Attorney Looking after your financial interests in the event of mental incapacity

An Enduring Power of Attorney allows an Attorney to act on your behalf in relation to your financial and business affairs in the event that you lose your mental capacity.

Having an existing and valid Enduring Power of Attorney may save costs in the long run. In the event that you were to lose, or suffer diminished, mental capacity, your family, and/or friends may otherwise have to apply to the Guardian Tribunal for permission to look after your financial affairs. Being prepared for this event means that you choose an appropriate person you trust, and instruct them of your wishes while your mental capacity is intact.

This service costs $100 plus GST and disbursements to give you peace of mind that your affairs are looked after appropriately.

Enduring Guardianship Looking after your best interests in times of ill health

Have you ever considered where you might need to live or what medical treatment you should receive if you were unable to make these decisions yourself?

An Enduring Guardianship appointment is a document that enables you to appoint a person to look after your personal, health and lifestyle affairs in the event that you lose the capacity to make those decisions because of illness or disability.

Being prepared for this event means that you choose an appropriate person you trust, and instruct them of your wishes while you have the legal capacity to do so.

This service costs $100 plus GST and disbursements to give you peace of mind that a loved one is looking after your best interests if you can no longer look after yourself (and is discounted if bundled with a Will).

Testimonial

I want to thank Clive Mills & Associates for preparing my will.

Clive took the time to listen to my needs and then advised (and also educated) me on how best to proceed. He and his team’s service was very prompt and professional in every way.

I’m very pleased I’ve sorted out my will and feel confident that things will be looked after in the future, so thanks again.

Georgette Hall.

For more information on any of these services call Clive Mills & Associates on (02) 9906 8188.