Talking About Death

Questions About Changes To South Australian Succession Act

Death Chats, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Stories

Since I put together my first article I’ve received a lot of questions about changes to the South Australian Succession Act due to come into effect from 1st January 2025. As each question rolls in I’m finding my answers becoming more and more like a politician’s response “On the face of it the new law says…. but I need to know more about your personal situation…. I suspect the answer is…. but honestly, nobody really […]

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Free wills can cost more than you think.

Death Chats, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Stories

The concept of a “free” will can sound very appealing but choosing the cost free option might end up being more expensive than you think. Free wills are often offered by charities and online platforms as a marketing incentive or way to encourage donations or new clients but often come with hidden obligations, hidden costs, inadequate legal protection and high risk for potential errors that could invalidate your will or end up costing much more

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Changes To The South Australian Succession Act

Estate Administration, Estate Planning

Major changes to the South Australian Succession Act will come into effect on 1st January 2025 with reforms designed to simplify estate matters, reflect modern family dynamics and bring South Australia in line with other states such as New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Now is the time to review your existing estate plan, or complete your estate planning, as the legislative changes will impact willmakers, those who benefit through a will, and those who

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10 Things To Do Before You Die

Death Chats, Dream Dead Person Project, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Stories

As a young adult, I once opened a fortune cookie telling me “There will never be enough time to finish everything on the list”. I took it as a dare to prove Confucious wrong and set about making lists entitled “Things To Do Before You Die” with a well held belief and dogged determination that I would tick. Every. Last. Thing. Off. That. List. At first these lists were filled with grand, adventurous plans; hang

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Information For A Death Certificate

Dream Dead Person Project, Estate Administration, Stories

When completing the paperwork for a death certificate an innocent mistake, oversight, or incorrect information can have bigger consequences than you may think. When someone dies in South Australia, the funeral director will normally register their death with Births, Deaths and Marriages on behalf of the person’s family or friends. Deaths need to be registered within seven days of burial or cremation. Applications can take up to eight weeks to be processed. As a lawyer

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Estate Planning For Companies

Business Estate Planning, Estate Planning

As a business owner it’s vital you adequately plan for the future of your business and that means making sure your assets and operations are looked after if you become unwell, have an accident or die. Estate planning isn’t a nice to have for business owners. It’s an essential piece of equipment in your business tool chest. Let me tell you a story that’s true. On the 2nd January 2020 the unimaginable happened to the

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Leaving A Death Letter Isn’t Brave

Death Chats, Dream Dead Person Project, Estate Planning

Using your will to name, shame or punish people who haven’t lived up to your expectations during your lifetime is cruel, heartless, and more often than not punishes the people you’re trying to reward as much as those you’re trying to write out. Even if you write a letter explaining why. There aren’t many people who manage to slide through life without receiving at least one Dear John letter (if your name is actually John

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Talking To Your Family About Your Estate Plan

Estate Planning

Whether you want to start talking to your family about your estate plan or will. Or you want to encourage a conversation with your parents or adult children to get their own estate planning ducks in a row, having a round table conversation about death can be a tricky subject to navigate. Here’s our top tips for how you can make edge your way towards having the hard chats or launch right in. We’ve been

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Understand The Roles In Your Will

Death Chats, Estate Planning

It probably all made sense during your estate plan – until you get home and someone asks you about their role in your will. We’ve put together this handy glossary of estate planning roles and responsibilities so you fully understand who’s doing what if you die or become incapacitated.  When it comes to your death team its important to understand which job is going to go to which person, so you can be sure you’ve

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Writing a Great Eulogy

Death Chats, Dream Dead Person Project, Estate Planning, Stories

Writing a great eulogy or memorial speech can feel overwhelming and full of pressure. But before you launch into a CV that covers birth to death and everything in between we got together with a professional writer to share a few tips on writing a big hearted, memorable speech or eulogy. “Stories are the most powerful way to share values, connections and the personality of your person…” There’s nothing quite like the feeling of leaving

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