Szabo & Associates News & Updates

It may come as a surprise but, despite possibly being one of your most valuable assets, superannuation benefits do not automatically form part of your estate. As such, the benefits may not be automatically distributed in accordance with your wishes.

More people than ever before appear to be prepared to dispute some aspect of a Will. There are many popular theories why this might be the case. One is the increased complexity of family life, such as blended families. People may marry more than once, cohabit outside marriage and, then you might add children, adopted children and stepchildren into the mix.

The Family Law Act 1975 allows the parties to a marriage or de facto relationship to enter a binding legal agreement about the financial arrangements should the relationship break down. Financial agreements can be executed at any time before, during or following the breakdown of a relationship. If made before marriage, the agreements are sometimes known colloquially as a prenuptial agreement or just prenup. These agreements are becoming increasingly popular and no longer just for celebrities or the mega rich intent on protecting their wealth in the event of a relationship breakdown.

Australia has always been an attractive destination for foreign investment. As we looked at previously, Australia has welcomed this interest from foreign investors as an important factor in its economic development. Notwithstanding this, certain types of foreign investments have always been subject to governmental notification or review. In this article, we look at the changes that have been made and the consequences of these.

A property settlement is the formal division of a couple’s assets following separation. It is important to be aware that time limits apply to getting these arrangements completed. Having a time limit on the process provides a degree of certainty that a former partner will not be pursuing claims some time later.