Where estates and separations go wrong: homemade wills, lapsed super nominations, missed deadlines and misused powers of attorney, plus free legal help and official sources.
The same failures appear again and again in Australian estate and family-law disputes: a will signed with only one witness, a binding super nomination that lapsed a year before death, a property claim filed 13 months after the divorce took effect, an attorney who treated a parent's bank account as their own. These guides describe each failure pattern, what it costs to fix, and what to do instead.
Start with estate and family-law mistakes that cost money. Then read why homemade wills fail, what happens when a binding nomination lapses, missed family-law time limits, misuse of powers of attorney and elder financial abuse, free legal help for family law and estates and the directory of official sources.
Nothing on this site is legal, tax or financial advice. Legal Aid commissions, community legal centres and the Family Relationship Advice Line (1800 050 321) can help you work out where you stand, often at no cost.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
Why binding death benefit nominations lapse or are invalid, how super trustees decide without one, SMSF pitfalls, NSW notional estate, and how to complain to AFCA.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
The most common and costly mistakes with wills, super nominations, probate, family provision deadlines, powers of attorney and property settlements in Australia, and what to do instead.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
Free and low-cost help with separation, property, children, wills and estates in Australia: Legal Aid, community legal centres, advice lines and referrals.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
Illustrative failure cases with will kits, handwritten wills, unsigned drafts and phone notes in Australia, what the court can save under the dispensing power, and what it costs.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
The Family Law Act time limits for property and spousal maintenance after divorce or de facto separation, how to apply for leave out of time, and illustrative failure cases.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
Official Australian sources for wills, probate, family provision, powers of attorney, super death benefits, CGT, divorce and child support, and what to check.
Failure Cases and Official Sources
How enduring powers of attorney are misused in Australia, warning signs of elder financial abuse, illustrative cases, and how tribunals, public advocates and police can respond.
