Putting your affairs in order is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for the people you love. We help you set down your wishes clearly and spare your family uncertainty — with advice that is careful, plain-spoken and entirely personal.
Whether you are preparing your first Will, updating an existing estate plan, applying for probate, or working through a dispute, Michael handles every matter himself, from the first conversation to resolution.
Most of our estate planning clients come to us from across the Hills District — Castle Hill, Kellyville, Baulkham Hills, Bella Vista, Rouse Hill and the surrounding suburbs — though we regularly help families throughout Sydney and New South Wales, in person or by phone and video.
Because every matter stays with Michael personally, nothing is handed off and nothing is missed. You deal with one solicitor who knows your circumstances, explains your options in plain English, and makes sure the documents you sign do exactly what you intend.
It starts with a free 15-minute phone call. Michael listens — to your family circumstances, what you own, and what you want to happen — before any paperwork enters the picture.
If we can assist, the next step is a proper initial consultation: Michael works through what your estate plan needs — and what it doesn't — and provides a written costs agreement before any work begins. No jargon, no surprises.
Michael drafts your Will and supporting documents himself and sees the matter through — from signing to probate or resolving a dispute — without handing you off to anyone else.
You are said to die intestate, and a legal formula — not you — decides who receives your estate. Your assets pass to relatives in a set order, which may not reflect your wishes or your family's circumstances, and sorting it out often means extra cost, delay and stress for the people you leave behind. A properly drafted will keeps those decisions in your hands.
Whenever life changes in a meaningful way. Marriage generally revokes an existing will, and divorce affects gifts to a former spouse, so both call for a fresh look. The arrival of children or grandchildren, buying or selling property, starting a business or losing an executor or beneficiary are all good prompts too. As a general habit, it is worth reviewing your will every few years.
In NSW, certain people — including spouses, de facto partners, children and some dependants — can apply to the court for provision from an estate under a family provision claim. Such a claim must generally be made within 12 months of the date of death. Careful drafting cannot remove that right entirely, but it can significantly reduce the risk of a successful challenge.
Every estate is different. Once the paperwork is in order, a straightforward, uncontested application to the Supreme Court of NSW usually takes a few weeks to prepare and file, and the grant often issues within weeks of filing. Administering the estate afterwards — gathering assets, paying debts and distributing to beneficiaries — commonly takes several months. Michael keeps you informed at every stage.
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Read article →The first conversation is a free 15-minute phone call — no cost, no obligation.