This Month
‘Feels like the commissioner is sitting at the kitchen table’
What was once a relatively simple formula has become a maze of complex decisions with potentially severe tax consequences.
How can I add a downsizer contribution and inheritance to super?
There is the potential to contribute a combined $1.32 million to your super fund and that of your spouse.
Don’t repeat this estate planning mistake by Robert Holmes a Court
Australia’s first billionaire died of a heart attack in 1990 at the age of 53. The problem was he didn’t leave a valid will.
The average sum Australians will inherit and what to do with it
Inheritances can be life-changing – so long as the money is spent wisely. Here are four options.
What a beach house and dog called Trouble teach us about succession
Estate planning is where wealth collides with family politics, and nowhere does that hit harder than with lifestyle assets.
March
How super funds treat your money when you die is shameful
What we have is a returns-focused industry that makes it very easy to put money in, but much harder for your next of kin to get it out.
How three siblings increased their inheritance by $278,000
Renovating may be a lucrative option if you’ve inherited an outdated property with dowdy features.
Baby boomers are adding to the ‘inheritocracy’. And that’s a problem
Inheriting is becoming nearly as important as working. That is dangerous for capitalism and society.
There is a third option for helping your kids buy a home
Parents considering helping their kids into the property market must weigh up the risks and problems of each method of assistance.
February
What’s the fairest way to give my kids money for a house deposit?
Gifting equally is likely to reduce the risk of resentment and family conflict.
The reason so many adult children are challenging wills
Soaring property prices have increased the size of the prize in inheritance disputes. And the bigger the estate, the better your chances.
January
ATO to crack down on Baby Boomer wealth transfer ‘risks’
The Australian Taxation Office says it will zero in on Baby Boomers restructuring private companies to pass billions onto their heirs.
The billionaire, the mine, the minority stake and her lover
It’s 14 years since Gina Rinehart transferred ownership of a company to her late lover. The company controls a stake in her next big mine, but who controls it?
December 2024
Sibling rivalry: what to do when inheritance goes horribly wrong
Millions of Australians will jointly inherit the family home with siblings. We explore four common scenarios, what can go wrong and how to resolve disputes.
Inheritance planning is hard with step kids. How this couple did it
The O’Connells are mum, dad, three boys and a lost baby girl. They put estate planning in the too-hard basket for years but eventually found the strength for tough conversations.
November 2024
I work with wealthy families. This is the ideal inheritance size
We have a moment in time to seize the significant wealth transfer while benefiting society and creating the kind of people we want our kids to be.
Death tech a safe bet as investors see value in digitising last requests
The inevitability of the end of life, and the administrative burdens that come with it, convinced high-profile investors to back a $17 million funding round.
‘Hurt badly’: When Dad leaves everything to his new wife
Two women share their heartbreak at being overlooked in their fathers’ wills and 10 strategies for safeguarding inheritances.
Tapping super to help your kids buy a home? Read this first
While accessing your super to help the kids buy property may seem like a good idea, there are a few things to understand first.
October 2024
How your kids could help you avoid this super death benefits catch
The transfer balance cap also applies to pensions received on death and this is where it may catch you out.