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Wills and Estate Planning
We provide practical, personalised advice to help you protect your family, your assets and your wishes for the future. From preparing your first Will to more comprehensive estate planning, Goulburn Legal can help.
Protect What Matters.
Plan with Confidence.
Planning for the future is one of the most important things you can do for the people you care about. A professionally prepared Will provides certainty, helps protect your loved ones and ensures your wishes are clearly documented.
At Goulburn Legal, we provide personalised Wills and estate planning advice based on your family, assets and individual circumstances. Whether you are preparing your first Will, updating an existing Will or require more comprehensive estate planning advice, we will explain your options clearly and help you put the right arrangements in place.
Personalised Wills and Estate Planning
Every family is different. Your relationships, assets, business interests and personal circumstances are unique, and your estate plan should reflect that.
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to estate planning. We take the time to understand what matters to you, explain the legal and practical considerations in plain English and prepare documents tailored to your circumstances and wishes.
Your estate planning needs may also change throughout your life. Marriage, separation, children, grandchildren, property, business interests and retirement can all affect the arrangements you have in place. Our aim is to help you make informed decisions now while ensuring your estate plan can continue to protect you and your family into the future.
Why Having a Will Matters
A Will is a legally binding document that records your wishes for your estate after your death. It allows you to decide who will administer your estate, who will inherit your assets and how particular gifts or property should be distributed.
For parents of young children, a Will can also record your wishes about guardianship and establish arrangements for managing an inheritance until your children reach an appropriate age. For more complex families and estates, careful planning can help protect vulnerable beneficiaries, manage particular assets and reduce the potential for uncertainty or disputes.
Without a valid Will, you die “intestate”. Rather than your estate being distributed according to your personal wishes, legislation determines who may administer your estate and how eligible family members inherit. The outcome may be very different from what you intended. A professionally prepared Will gives you greater control and certainty while making the administration of your estate clearer for the people you leave behind.
Choosing the Right Executor
Your executor is responsible for administering your estate and carrying out the wishes contained in your Will. Their role may include protecting and collecting assets, paying debts and liabilities, obtaining Probate where required and distributing your estate to your beneficiaries.
Choosing the right person is important. Your executor should be someone you trust to act responsibly, fairly and in accordance with your wishes. You may appoint one executor, two or more people to act together, and substitute executors in case your first choice is unable to act.
Goulburn Legal can explain the responsibilities involved and help you consider the most appropriate executor arrangements for your circumstances.
Deciding Who Will be a Beneficiary of your Estate
A beneficiary is a person or organisation who receives part of your estate. Your Will allows you to determine who benefits from your estate and how your assets and particular gifts are to be distributed.
Depending on your wishes, this may include property, money, investments, business interests, personal belongings, family heirlooms or charitable gifts. You may also choose to divide your estate equally or make different provisions for particular beneficiaries.
We take the time to understand what you want to achieve and can advise you about any legal considerations that may affect the way you provide for your beneficiaries.
Estate Planning Is More Than Just a Will
A Will is an important part of estate planning, but it is not always the complete picture. Effective estate planning considers your broader personal, family and financial circumstances and how different assets and arrangements may operate both during your lifetime and after your death.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include Enduring Powers of Attorney, Appointments of Enduring Guardian in NSW, Advance Care Directives, superannuation death benefit nominations and testamentary trusts. More complex estates may also require consideration of family trusts, companies, self-managed superannuation funds, asset protection and business succession.
At Goulburn Legal, we can help identify the areas relevant to your circumstances and develop an estate plan that works together rather than treating each document or asset in isolation.
Wills & Estate Planning You Can Rely On
Every family and every estate is different. Goulburn Legal provides personalised advice to help you prepare a Will and estate plan that reflects your circumstances, protects the people important to you and clearly documents your wishes for the future. Flexible in-person and online appointments are available to make planning your estate easier.
Wills & Estate Planning You Can Rely On
Every family and every estate is different. Goulburn Legal provides personalised advice to help you prepare a Will and estate plan that reflects your circumstances, protects the people important to you and clearly documents your wishes for the future. Flexible in-person and online appointments are available to make planning your estate easier.
Estate Planning for Your Family and Circumstances
Estate planning becomes particularly important where your family or financial circumstances are more complex. This may include blended families, children from previous relationships, second marriages, de facto relationships, vulnerable beneficiaries or family members with disabilities.
If you have young children, your Will can nominate who you would like to care for them if both parents die before they reach adulthood. You can also determine when children receive their inheritance, who manages it in the meantime and whether funds can be used for matters such as their education, health and maintenance.
Business owners and people with family trusts, companies, investment properties, SMSFs or rural property may require additional planning. These assets do not always operate in the same way as personally owned property, making it important to consider how they fit within your broader estate plan.
Whatever your circumstances, our role is to understand your family dynamics, assets and objectives before recommending an appropriate estate planning strategy.
When Should You Review Your Will?
Preparing a Will isn’t something you should do once and then forget about. As your life changes, your Will and broader estate plan should be reviewed to ensure they continue to reflect your circumstances and wishes.
You should consider reviewing your Will following significant events such as marriage, separation or divorce, starting or ending a de facto relationship, the birth of a child or grandchild, buying or selling property, establishing or selling a business, receiving an inheritance, retirement or a significant change in your financial circumstances.
A review may also be appropriate if an executor or beneficiary dies, your relationship with someone named in your existing Will changes, or changes in legislation may affect your estate planning. Even where there has been no major life event, Goulburn Legal generally recommends reviewing your estate planning every three to five years.
Need to Update an Existing Will?
Not every change to your circumstances necessarily means starting again.
For relatively minor amendments, a Codicil may sometimes be used to amend an existing Will without replacing the original document. This may be appropriate for straightforward changes such as replacing an executor, changing a particular gift, updating a beneficiary or making another relatively minor amendment.
Where several changes are required, your family circumstances have changed significantly or your existing Will is outdated, preparing a new Will may provide greater clarity and reduce the potential for conflicting provisions or confusion when your estate is administered.
Like a Will, a Codicil must be properly prepared, signed and witnessed to ensure it is legally effective. Goulburn Legal can review your existing Will and advise whether a Codicil is appropriate or whether preparing a new Will would better protect your wishes and interests.
WHY CHOOSE GOULBURN LEGAL
Trusted Advice.
Delivered with Care.
Estate planning involves important decisions about your family, assets and future wishes. At Goulburn Legal, we take the time to understand your circumstances, explain your options clearly and provide practical, personalised advice to help you put the right arrangements in place.
Fixed Fees
Know your estate planning costs upfront with clear, fixed fee pricing for most services, providing certainty before we prepare your documents.
Tailored Planning
Your Will and estate plan are tailored to your family, assets and individual circumstances, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Practical Advice
We explain your estate planning options in plain English, helping you understand your choices and make informed decisions about your future.
Ongoing Support
As your family, assets and circumstances change, we can review and update your estate planning to ensure it continues to reflect your wishes.
More Than Wills
Your estate planning needs may extend beyond preparing or updating a Will. Depending on your circumstances, Goulburn Legal can also assist with a range of related estate planning and administration services.
- Enduring Powers of Attorney
- Appointments of Enduring Guardian (NSW)
- Advance Care Directives
- Testamentary Trusts
- SMSF Estate Planning
- Probate Applications
- Letters of Administration
- Deceased Estate Administration
- Business Succession Planning
- Notarial Services
WILLS & ESTATE PLANNING FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Wills and estate planning
Do I need a lawyer to prepare my Will?
While DIY Will kits and online templates are available, they cannot provide legal advice about your particular circumstances. A poorly drafted or incorrectly executed Will can create uncertainty, additional costs and potential disputes. Professional legal advice can help ensure your Will properly records your wishes and is prepared and executed correctly.
What happens if I die without a Will?
If you die without a valid Will, you are considered to have died intestate. Legislation determines who may administer your estate and how your assets are distributed between eligible family members. This may result in an outcome that differs significantly from what you would have chosen.
Can I appoint more than one executor?
Yes. You may appoint more than one executor and can also nominate substitute executors if your first choice is unable to act. Goulburn Legal can discuss the advantages and practical considerations of the different arrangements with you.
Can I leave someone out of my Will?
Generally, you can decide who you wish to include in your Will. However, certain eligible people may have rights to bring a Family Provision Claim against your estate. If you are considering excluding someone who may be eligible to make a claim, legal advice should be obtained before finalising your Will.
Can I include funeral wishes in my Will?
Yes. Your Will can include wishes regarding matters such as burial or cremation, funeral arrangements, organ donation, memorial services and the location of your ashes.
However, because funeral arrangements are often made before a Will is located, we also recommend discussing your wishes with your executor and close family members during your lifetime.
Where appropriate, Goulburn Legal can also assist with an Estate Planning Information Guide containing practical information your family may require following your death.
Can I change my Will after it has been signed?
Yes. Provided you have legal capacity, your Will can be updated. Depending on the nature and extent of the changes, a Codicil may be appropriate or it may be preferable to prepare a completely new Will.
What is a Codicil?
A Codicil is a legal document that amends an existing Will without replacing it entirely. It is read together with the original Will. Whether a Codicil or a new Will is preferable will depend on the nature and extent of the changes you wish to make.
What's the difference between a Codicil and a new Will?
A Codicil amends specific provisions of your existing Will, while a new Will replaces your previous Will entirely. The most appropriate option will depend on the number and nature of the changes you wish to make.
Does a Codicil need to be signed and witnessed?
Yes. A Codicil must be signed and witnessed with the same legal formalities as a Will. Failure to properly execute a Codicil may affect its validity.
Can I write changes on my existing Will?
No. Writing on your original Will, crossing out clauses or making handwritten changes may create uncertainty and, in some circumstances, affect the validity of the document. If you wish to update your Will, seek legal advice before making any alterations.
How often should I review my Will?
Local Roots. National Reach.
Plan Today. Protect Tomorrow.
Whether you need to prepare your first Will, update an existing Will or put more comprehensive estate planning arrangements in place, Goulburn Legal can provide practical advice tailored to your circumstances.
Plan Today. Protect Tomorrow.
Whether you need to prepare your first Will, update an existing Will or put more comprehensive estate planning arrangements in place, Goulburn Legal can provide practical advice tailored to your circumstances.