What a Will Kit doesn’t do
There are various ‘Will Kits’ available on-line or at the post office – most are cheap or ‘free’ and all you need to do is download them and fill in…
Why EVERYONE needs a Power of Attorney
Most people over 18 years of age should consider having a Power of Attorney in place. It is estimated that only 15% of Australians currently have a Power of Attorney…
Affordable break-ups – the sensible approach to dividing property
If you have recently separated, one of the concerns you will probably have is the size of your legal bill after your property matters are sorted. Below are our top…
A guide to buying commercial premises
Buying a commercial property (such as a warehouse, office building or retail space) is more complicated than buying a residential property. There are complex contract terms, detailed planning information and…
Mortgages made easy: obtaining finance to buy a home
Most people buy a home with a combination of their savings, proceeds from the sale of an existing home and a loan from a bank. Securing finance to purchase a…
Interview questions you can’t ask
An employer’s potential liability for workplace discrimination arises before the first interview and exists whether or not a decision is made to hire a person. A job interview is integral…
The importance of financial advice in a family law property settlement
Most property settlements are reached through negotiation, without the need to attend Court. Negotiations can be formally documented through a binding financial agreement or consent orders. As a last resort,…
Unfair Contracts Update – are you complying with the law?
The Unfair Contract Terms Regime (UCT Regime) was extended to cover standard form contracts entered into with ‘small business’ in November 2016. The Regime is fully operational and has a…
Estate planning for blended families
Most of us appreciate the importance of making a Will and having an estate plan that sets out how we would like to provide for our loved ones when we…
GST and residential property transactions
The responsibility for remitting Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) generally falls on the party making a ‘taxable supply’. In a property transaction, this has…