You'd be forgiven for thinking estate disputes are something that only happens in families with strained relationships and modest assets. After all, the wealthy can surely afford all the legal advice in the world and have more than enough to spread around.
You'd be forgiven but you'd be wrong.
If recent headlines are anything to go by, it's people with significant assets who are most often caught out by bad estate planning, or worse, no planning at all.
Let's take a look at three high-profile cases from the Australian media that highlight just how messy things can get - even when millions are on the line - and what you can learn from their (very public) mistakes.
Millionaire Dies, Family Feuds Over His Ashes
In early June 2025 a headline appeared in news.com.au that sounded more soap opera than legal battle. Following the sudden death of a Sydney millionaire, he'd made the news because his widow and other family members were in a bitter fight about what to do with the man's ashes.
His final wishes weren't made clear enough. Inadequate instructions in his will led to emotional conflict, court intervention, and unnecessary distress at an already painful time.
Lesson: Wills aren't just about money. They're also about making sure your loved ones don't end up in a tug-of-war over things you probably thought were too personal to require legal attention.
A $5.8 Million Estate - and Only $50k Left to the Stepson?
On May 6th 2025, the Herald Sun reported details of a very public inadequate family provision claim is unfolding over a $5.8 million estate.
Tim Baillieu, grandson of former Myer director Reginald Baillieu, is suing the estate of his late step-mother for inadequate provision, believing the $50,000 inheritance he received is grossly inadequate and fails to recognise his long-standing contribution to the family.
Of course, to the average Joe $50,000 seems like a decent amount of money, but in light of the overall total of the estate is actually only .86%. If you'd significantly contributed to your step-mother's more realistically average estate of $900,000, you'd probably be slightly disgruntled if you received an inheritance of a smidge over $7,700.
In this case, a poorly considered family provision has escalated into full-blown legal proceedings. The dispute raises important questions: Did the stepmother intend to leave him so little? Was it a conscious decision, or was the will never updated after family dynamics changed? The article is locked behind a paywall but if you're a subscriber, you can check it out here.
Lesson: If you think your family will "just understand" your decisions or "figure out what you meant" after you're gone, think again. When your decisions don't line up with reality, people end up in court trying to figure things out.
If you plan to leave someone out of your will (or give them a token to keep them quiet) you set your beneficiaries up for the long, drawn-out process of an inadequate family provision claim against your estate.
Philanthropist's Millions Delayed by Legal Complexity
In 2019, the estate of Millie Phillips, once the richest woman in Australia, made the news with reports that she had refused to sign a will covering her $62 million estate before suffering a stroke which rendered her incapable of doing so.
After her death in 2021 it was disclosed that millions was to be used to set up a Jewish foundation. In 2025 it was reported by the Associated Press that due to a range of legal complexities including delays setting up appropriate instructions, the nuances of succession law, and work to unlock the estate for charitable use the foundation still wasn't operational.
Lesson: it's not just families that get caught out. Charities can be left waiting in limbo when estate plans are ambiguous or poorly executed.
You May Not be a Millionaire but Here's What it Means for You
If millionaires, philanthropists, and public figures - with all their access to resources and advisors, still find themselves embroiled in estate drama, chances are you might too.
Here's the truth about estate planning: it's not about how much money you have. The number one reason people end up in court is not because people are greedy, but because the instructions left behind are vague, outdated, or simply don't reflect the complexity of the instructions they're trying to give or the realities of modern family structures.
As Your Estate Lawyer, I help everyday people create estate plans that actually work. No matter how big or small their estate is.
I will help you:
- Draft a watertight will (and update it when necessary)
- Provide clarity for blended families
- Set up charitable trusts and foundations properly so the people you want to benefit get the money, not the lawyers.
- Minimise the risk of disputes with thoughtful planning.
If you want your estate to be a legacy, not a news story, you need more than a basic will kit and good intentions.