Estate Planning Specialists
We make estate planning easy. We have many years of combined experience in this area and are dedicated to guiding you through every step of the process with expert legal counsel.
Comprehensive Range of Services
Whether you’re making a Will or changing one, executing a Will or disputing one, Kells is your cornerstone. Let our expert estate planning lawyers assist you.
Readily Accessible
With strategically located offices across Wollongong and the Illawarra region, we offer the benefit of convenience and accessibility to our clients in NSW.
Tailored Legal Solutions
We do not make you fit into a “one size fits all” for your estate planning requirements. Instead, we tailor our solutions to meet your unique needs and goals.
Here to help
Who will make crucial decisions on your behalf when you can no longer do so? At Kells, we offer expert guidance and support in establishing an Enduring Power of Attorney to ensure your future and your wishes are protected.
How Can Our Estate Planning Lawyers Help?
Are you prepared for the unexpected twists life can throw your way? With an Enduring Power of Attorney, you can protect your assets and financial affairs in the event of an unforeseen accident or incapacity.
The team at Kells can provide you with the advice you need to create an Enduring Power of Attorney in Wollongong or anywhere in the Illawarra. We will discuss all available options and provide clear, straightforward advice on which type of power of attorney best suits your needs. With our sound legal knowledge and comprehensive experience in estate planning, we can help you make an informed decision that safeguards your future.
Case Study
Jess’s husband Tom has impaired mental capacity and is cared for in an aged care facility. Tom has money in a bank account. The bank will not allow Jess to access Tom’s bank account unless she has the legal authority to do so. As Tom does not have an Enduring Power of Attorney, Jess has to apply to NCAT to grant her power over Tom’s financial affairs to enable her to sign documents on Tom’s behalf. This could have been avoided if Tom had appointed an attorney whilst he still had capacity.
Get Expert Estate Planning Advice
Do you have any questions or are you looking for the right professional advice? Call us today and let our expert estate planning lawyers assist you.
Area of Expertise
Blended Families and Mutual Will Agreements
Business Succession Planning
Complex Advice
Deceased Estate Probate
Disputing Wills and Family Provision Claims
Enduring Guardian / Advanced Health Care Directives
Enduring Power of Attorney
Residential Aged Care
Self Managed Superannuation Funds
Testamentary Trust Wills
Wills
Frequently Asked Questions
An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document that authorises your ‘attorney’ (this may be your spouse, trusted family member, friend or professional adviser) to manage your financial affairs, in the event of an unforeseen accident or severe incapacity. It is an important part of your estate planning and helps ensure your financial future is looked after.
An attorney can usually access bank accounts to withdraw and deposit funds, pay bills from your account, deal with other assets such as shares, property and other investments. A key responsibility of your attorney is they act in your best interest.
A Power of Attorney is not to be mistaken for your Will, which only operates upon your death. An Enduring Power of Attorney ensures you have someone to assist in the management of your financial affairs during your lifetime if the need arises.
Kells can advise you who to appoint and how to secure that appointment.
At Kells, we advise all our clients to have an Enduring Power of Attorney.
It is impossible to anticipate when there may be an accident, so it is important that everybody, no matter their age or stage of life, has appointed an attorney that can legally act on their behalf if the need arises.
An Enduring Power of Attorney is essential in the event of severe incapacity:
- Crippling accident
- Stroke
- Dementia / Alzheimer’s diagnoses.
Remember – the unforeseen can happen! It is too late once you lose capacity. Every adult should have an Enduring Power of Attorney.
Yes, you can have a Power of Attorney even when you are travelling out of the country. It’s advisable to consult with Kells to create a Power of Attorney document that suits your specific needs and ensures your affairs are properly managed while you’re abroad.
If you have lost capacity and you do not have a Power of Attorney, someone in your family will need to apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to be granted power over your legal and financial affairs. NCAT has a process to determine the most appropriate person to manage your affairs, which can be an expensive and time-consuming process for your family.
Alternatively, with no Power of Attorney, your assets may need to be managed by a New South Wales State Government office such as the NSW Trustee Guardian or by recourse to NSW State Courts and Tribunals. The cost of government administration is significant.
Speak to a Wills & Estates Lawyer
From drafting your Will to managing probate and complex estate matters, our team offers clear, compassionate legal support tailored to your circumstances.