Page 17 - Tropic Magazine Issue 30

TROPIC • LEGAL ADVICE

Writing a Will
Estate planning Informal Wills can range from something has never

as simple as a handwritten note or a list been easier
WRITING A WILL typed into a phone, to a DIY Will kit that
Arabella Kullack from Maurice hasn’t been filled in properly. People think Many lawyers now offer video
and phone consultations, and
Blackburn Cairns advises on the they are saving money by not getting some also provide online services
professional advice, but if you draft a
dos and don’ts of drawing up Will yourself, you’re more likely to forget where Wills can be completed
your last legal document. things or get something wrong. from home.
If a lawyer or a court needs to be called in
Over the past year, since the COVID-19 to interpret a Will, it can add extra time The key to choosing an online
pandemic began, lawyers like myself have and cost to the process of sorting out the provider is to look for those
noticed an increase in people wanting to estate. It can also lead to disputes that where lawyers are involved in the
get their affairs in order and write a Will. could have been avoided if the Will had drafting process. This ensures a
This includes those in their 20s and 30s, been prepared properly in the first place. professional has written a Will
not just the elderly. A Will is one of the most important legal that is tailored to your personal
Maurice Blackburn research shows more documents a person will make in their circumstances.
than half of Australians don’t have a Will, lifetime, so it’s essential to make sure
so it’s a positive step that more people you do it right. It takes just half an hour Remember, a Will is not just a
are planning for their future. However, to submit your instructions via tick-the-box exercise – it involves
what’s of concern is that some people, in Maurice Blackburn’s online Will service, careful planning of your estate.
the rush to get things organised, will end MyLife Wills®.
up making an informal Will. You may also at some point be asked For expert assistance to
to help administer an estate after the apply for probate or letters
passing of a friend or family member. of administration, including
If the deceased had an informal applying online, contact Maurice
Will, or no Will at all, this can be an Blackburn on 4051 3233.
overwhelming task to take on while
52% processing the loss of your loved one. If your loved one died with a Will, and
Without a formal Will, there are no clear
you are the executor, you need to apply
do with their estate.
The percentage of instructions to help you work out what to to the court for a Grant of Probate to
confirm the Will is valid and you have the
Australians who don’t If your loved one has passed without a authority as the executor to deal with the
have a Will Will, an application needs to be made to estate’s assets.
the court to appoint someone to act as
Source: Finder, 2019 administrator of the estate. This is called MORE: mauriceblackburn.com.au
a Grant of Letters of Administration.

17 • tropicnow.com.au