Wills, Powers of Attorney & possibly Advance Health Directives are important documents and need to be drafted and executed correctly to ensure they are valid and your wishes about what should happen with you and your estate are carried out.

A Will can be anything from simple (transfer of property and cash assets) to complex (involving companies, trusts, self-managed super funds). Couples can also have what is referred to as Mutual Wills which is effectively a contract with the surviving partner to distribute the estate in an agreed-upon manner and can’t be changed after their death. These types of Wills are ideal for those with blended families. The more complex Wills might also include establishing a Testamentary Trust under the Will for asset protection and tax benefits. We can take you through the different types of Wills and make sure you have the one that best suits your wishes and situation.

A Power of Attorney is document that allows you to appoint a person or persons to make decisions for your during your lifetime. Those decisions can be personal including health decisions and financial and can be either a General POA or an Enduring POA. The distinction between the two is when they are effective and centers around your capacity to make decisions. For those who own and operate businesses, a Company POA might also be required to ensure the business can continue to operate on your behalf.

An Advance Health Directive allows you to give directions about your future health care and makes your wishes known and give health professionals direction about the treatment you want.

All three documents should be in place as you never know when they will be relied upon. These documents create the foundations of your estate planning.

Whether this is your first time getting these documents completed, or if you already have them in place but need to update them, use our free online questionnaire to get started.