7 things you must consider about problem children in your will

7 Things You Must Consider About Problem Children In Your Will

Wills and Estate Planning
7 things you must consider about problem children in your will

… an interview* with refreshingly honest observations from a specialist lawyer …

After 35 years in legal practice, there isn’t much that still surprises Rod Genders. He’s pretty much seen it all.

I have made my Will with him, and I am glad to have his strength and knowledge on my side. Standing at 6’4” Genders is a big man, and he has an imposing presence. I wouldn’t like to confront him in Court – or in a dark alley, for that matter!

seven surprising reasons why australians are challenging wills and estates more than ever

Seven surprising reasons why Australians are challenging Wills and Estates more than ever

Wills and Estate Planning
seven surprising reasons why australians are challenging wills and estates more than ever

You only have to look at the newsfeeds and internet chat forums to see that people are talking about the increasing numbers of challenges to Wills and deceased estates nowadays.

Here are the seven main reasons why:

No Will

Recent research reveals 52 per cent of adult Australians don’t have a Will.

The majority of Australians are letting their families down in one key area — more than half of Australian adults don’t have a Will, even though it could mean their families are left out in the cold in the event of their death.

people behaving badly

People behaving badly part – 4

Wills and Estate Planning
people behaving badly

In my profession we have an expression: “You never know anyone until you share an inheritance with them”.

It is a true revealer of character. In my work as a lawyer specialising in Wills and estates, I am witness to some appalling human behaviour.

Due to the popularity of this series of articles, here are some more examples as cautionary tales:

An old man lies dying in a hospital bed. His Will was made less than a year earlier, leaving everything equally between his 3 kids.

people behaving badly

People behaving badly – part 3

Wills and Estate Planning
people behaving badly

In my work as a lawyer specialising in Wills and estates, I am witness to some appalling human behaviour.

Due to the popularity of this series of articles, here are some more examples as cautionary tales:

In my 35+ year career I have frequently had to try to deal with joint executors in a deceased estate, some of whom could not agree on the colour of an orange.

people behaving badly

People behaving badly part 2

Wills and Estate Planning
people behaving badly

In my work as a lawyer specialising in Wills and estates, I am witness to some appalling human behaviour.

Due to the popularity of this series of articles, here are some more examples as cautionary tales:

Probate fraud can take many forms and, like many other types of fraud, it has steadily increased in recent years, more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

people behaving badly

People behaving badly – part 1

Wills and Estate Planning
people behaving badly

Coercive Control, Granny Napping and Predatory Marriages are all occurring with increasing frequency.

There have been 2 Royal Commissions already exploring some of these issues, with more to come. The common theme is the financial exploitation of vulnerable older people in western society.

Financial exploitation disproportionately affects older people in Australia, UK and USA.

marriage or de facto some legal issues to consider

Marriage or De Facto – Some Legal Issues to Consider

Estate Planning, Wills and Estate Planning
marriage or de facto some legal issues to consider

You may have thought the hardest decisions associated with formalising your relationship related to organising the party and keeping uncle Fred away from cousin Merle, but here are a few other considerations…

Change of Name

Traditionally, when a woman married, she took the last name of her husband. However this is not as common as it once was, and there is no legal compulsion to do so.

know somebody who is losing control of their own affairs

Know somebody who is losing control of their own affairs?

Estate Planning, Wills, Wills and Estate Planning
know somebody who is losing control of their own affairs

You’re not alone. Every Australian family will be affected by dementia. As we get older, we need to have in place some important legal documents to protect ourselves, our family and our assets. If you wait too long, it could be too late.

In 2021 dementia affects almost 50 million people worldwide, which is predicted to increase to 131.5 million people by 2050.

Every three seconds another person somewhere in the world develops dementia.

who needs a lawyer to write a will

Who needs a lawyer to write a Will?

Wills and Estate Planning
who needs a lawyer to write a will

Have you ever suspected that there might be a disconnect between social media on the one hand, and real life on the other? Yeah, me too.

And, have you noticed that the (generally anonymous) people who shout the loudest, often are bitter and judgmental about everyone that doesn’t conform to their particular bias?

So I probably shouldn’t be surprised that some people who hate lawyers are very loud on social media about making their own Wills.