Dhanya Panikkar

You were chosen by the will maker to be the Executor  of their Will.  You have collected all the assets, paid all the liabilities and the estate is ready to distribute.  You have properly carried out your duties and the job is nearly done.  Note however that once the estate is fully distributed, the reality is that you lose access to the estate fund with which to defend your actions as Executor should a claim be made by an unhappy beneficiary. In more complex or valuable estates, upon...

Losing a loved one is a very difficult time.  The sadness and stress of your loss can often leave family members feeling overwhelmed when trying to deal with their loved one’s  Estate . Asset holders such as banks, share registries and nursing homes each have their own requirements which must be satisfied before they will release the assets of a deceased person, with many asset holders requiring a certified copy of Letters of Administration or a Grant of Probate.  So, what does that all mean?...

When most people think of a de facto partnership, they think of a couple who live together and are not married.   While that is correct, in the eyes of the law, that is not entirely the case.   In fact, sharing a house or even a room (with your partner) does not necessarily mean that you will be considered a de facto partner should one of you pass away, and therefore entitled to the deceased’s Estate.   When assessing if you were or were not a de facto partner, the court takes into...