Superannuation death benefits are a minefield and arguably in need of simplification and reform

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It’s a fair question to ask: What happens to a family if there is not an estate plan in place and change/tragedy occurs? Who has control? Quite simply, your family’s

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What happens to a testator’s Will after divorce?

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Going through a divorce may upset the best laid out estate plans by partially or completely revoking a couple’s Wills. Jennifer and Thomas were married for 5 years before Jennifer

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When gifting your estate, why stop at grandchildren?

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Just how many generations of your descendants should you consider in your Will and is there an easy way to do it? No one has ever said that to me

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Work test exempt contributions (aka ‘last drinks contributions’) details now released

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In the 2018 May Budget, the Government announced the proposal to allow individuals who are recent retirees and who have attained age 65, to make last chance voluntary contributions by

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Over $5m in super released for first home buyers scheme

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In the period from 1 July 2018 to 6 August 2018 taxpayers have made 1,449 requests to the ATO under the first home super saver scheme, FHSS. These are called

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Can an email serve as a good notice under a contract?

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Electronic communication is certainly the dominant method of communication nowadays and it is tempting to believe that in today’s modern society sending a simple email as opposed to a formal

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Can an SMSF lease residential property to a related party?

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“No” is probably the first answer that comes to mind but it is actually “maybe”, if we are to believe the full Federal Court in the judgement it handed down

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No joy in pulling the ATO’s tail

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An SMSF trustee who objected to an ATO determination about a breach of a trustee’s covenant found himself disqualified as a trustee. George Hart was a trustee of the Hart

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Can you really disentitle a person from your Will?

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Does violence towards the deceased end the relative’s chances of a successful claim against the Will? It doesn’t matter what sort of ‘family’ unit you have – nuclear, blended or

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Limited capacity clients and their estate plans

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Advisers can face many challenges when working with clients who they believe may have limited capacity. What does it mean to be mentally/legally incapable? What is the test that is

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