Plan for their future with confidence

The Olivetree Legal team are industry experts in estate planning and succession of wealth. We foster client relationships for the long term, helping you to find and maintain the best succession plan for your family and your needs.

Whatever your circumstances or objectives, we work with you to help you pass the legacy you desire.

We are passionate about estate planning, and collaborate with your nominated advisers to achieve your goals.  We spend time discussing what is important to you, and liaise with your accountant and financial advisers to ensure we have a clear understanding of your circumstances so that we can provide you with options and specific advice.

Being proactive in estate planning protects your family and your interests

Writing your Will and managing your estate can feel daunting. It can involve balancing the needs of beneficiaries, weighing up different strategies, and safeguarding your wishes, your provisions, and your family’s financial future.

All of these considerations are complex. In reality, they are some of the most important decisions you will make in your life.  At Olivetree Legal, we aim to make this process as easy as possible for you, so that you can rest assured that the plan in place is right for you.

Choose the right succession plan for you

There are many kinds of succession plans. A Will details how you’d like to distribute your assets after your death, but it can be so much more than this. It is your last chance to “have your say” and the Will can be as personal as you choose.  Some of our clients have chosen to use the opportunity to include personal messages to their loved ones, or pass down a secret family recipe!

Balancing interests for blended families

Blended families are now a very common family structure, and getting the balance between provision for your current spouse and children from a previous relationship can be a challenge.  At Olivetree Legal, we have assisted hundreds of blended families – many of whom have very different desired outcomes.  We can provide you with options and potential solutions, and help you decide which is right for you.

An Estate Plan vs a Will

In some cases, a Will alone is not sufficient to administer your affairs.  You may also need to consider Powers of Attorney, superannuation death benefit nominations, business succession and trust provisions.

A Will is limited to passing assets that you hold in your sole personal name after your death.  It does not necessarily address assets held in a trust or superannuation, the succession of a business, or assets owned by a business, and has no impact on assets owned jointly with another person.

We work with you to ensure that the plan you have for the future works within the structure of ownership.  Where relevant, we review structures (such as trusts, companies, and superannuation fund provisions), and liaise with you and your financial advisers to provide recommendations for the most effective manner to pass your intended legacy.

Powers of Attorney

While a Will is a crucial document to outline what happens after your passing, equally important is the preparation of Powers of Attorney to ensure that your preferred person/people can make financial, lifestyle and/or medical decisions on your behalf during your lifetime.  If you lose decision making capacity, even if you have a spouse or domestic partner, there is no automatic power to make financial decisions.  They may be placed in the situation of having to apply to the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) simply to be able to refinance or sell a jointly owned home to help pay your medical expenses.  Talking through the practical implications of a loss of capacity is part of the estate planning process, and making sure you have identified the most appropriate person or people have the power to make important decisions on your behalf can give you peace of mind for your future, and theirs.

Care for your family in the long term

Leaving your affairs in order helps your family navigate this difficult time. Without a correctly drafted Will or estate plan, the law dictates what happens with your estate, and this could be quite different to your intentions.

Our Principal Lawyer has practiced exclusively in Wills and Estates since 2006. We are committed to excellence in both the advice we offer and our documentation of Wills and estate plans. We’re passionate about helping you provide for your loved ones into the future.

We help you achieve generational succession of wealth your way

Our expertise makes Wills and estate planning more manageable. We help you maximise your inheritance and minimise the risk of Will challenges. We approach complex issues with sensitivity and an empathetic ear to ensure you’re supported throughout the process.
We explain the value of different succession strategies

At Olivetree Legal, we provide you with advice regarding different strategies, so you feel confident to make the right decisions for you and your family. We talk through the practicalities in plain language, and help you understand different options, including asset structuring, trusts, superannuation solutions, Wills and Powers of Attorney.

 
We’re collaborative to ensure you receive holistic advice

We consult with your accountant and financial advisors to ensure your succession planning is holistic. And we adapt our approach to suit your objectives, whether that’s providing for your blended family, for vulnerable beneficiaries, or managing complex financial affairs and overseas connections.

We understand the intricacies of providing solutions for vulnerable beneficiaries

Our team have extensive experience in managing provisions for vulnerable people, including people living with disability, mental illness, addictions and other dependencies, as well as providing for minor beneficiaries.

Find the succession solution to accommodate their needs

We have worked closely with carers, special development schools, mental health services, and other support agencies since 2006, and can provide advice on acting as a trustee or administrator to assist with financial decisions and care for vulnerable beneficiaries, as well as creating both inter vivos (during lifetime) and testamentary (after death) trusts.  We have been assisting our clients with the establishment and administration of Special Disability Trusts, and other bespoke protective trusts for over 15 years.