This Month
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?
- Peter Ker
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.
- Joanna Mather
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.
- Alexandra Cain
November 2024
- Opinion
- Opinion
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.
- Peter Winneke
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.
- Paul Smith
‘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.
- Nina Hendy and Joanna Mather
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.
- Ben Smythe
October 2024
- Opinion
- Superannuation
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.
- Colin Lewis
How will the ATO view an inheritance from New Zealand?
Estate planning can be difficult for those with family ties on both sides of the Tasman.
- Penny Wise
Would your family trust survive a black sheep attack?
Trusts are the go-to structure for asset protection and inheritance planning but as more wealthy families are discovering, they’re not bulletproof. Experts weigh in on how to prevent costly showdowns.
- Duncan Hughes
September 2024
Disputes over the remains of loved ones are on the rise
Fights over funeral arrangements and ashes are increasingly ending up in courts. What to know about your rights and responsibilities.
- Duncan Hughes
Why this Baby Boomer is leaving everything to her grandkids - not kids
Grandchildren are emerging as winners of the $4.9 trillion generational wealth transfer as the bank of nan and pop funds home deposits, cars and tuition fees.
- Duncan Hughes and Lucy Dean
Grandparent economy: Bank of nan and pop funds homes, school, holidays
Dick Kirby is helping his children and grandchildren establish themselves financially as surveys indicate grandparents are easing cost-of-living pressures for cash-strapped families.
- Michelle Bowes and Lucy Dean
Why the family farm has become a huge inheritance challenge
Succession planning can be extremely difficult, but it doesn’t have to be if you start talking early and come up with a workable strategy.
- Larry Schlesinger
July 2024
New $3m super tax is ‘stealing my children’s inheritance’
Family enterprises face hard questions about whether to abandon their succession and retirement plans by selling their shops, farms and factories,
- Duncan Hughes
How to beat the ‘death tax’ set to increase cost of dying by 650pc
The cash-strapped Victorian government wants to increase probate fees. Here’s how much you might have to pay – and strategies for avoiding the hit.
- Duncan Hughes
We inherited dad’s house in the UK – where to pay capital gains tax?
Sisters who moved countries find tax and administration penalties could eat into their inheritance.
Court denies deathbed wish to award $1.2m to estranged lover
A bitter family fight over a super inheritance highlights the role of binding death nominations, how they work and why it is necessary to regularly review them.
- Duncan Hughes
June 2024
How to take the tax sting out of inheriting shares
Nearly $5 trillion will be passed on over the next decade. But advisers warn it’s easy to fumble a pricey portfolio if you’re not careful.
- Lucy Dean
What to do with $400,000 inheritance when you have no super
A windfall could give a woman living in her daughter’s granny flat access to three income streams.
- John Wasiliev