Wills and Estates
Planning for the future is one of the most important steps you can take to protect the people and assets that matter most to you.
A carefully prepared estate plan provides certainty, minimises the potential for disputes and ensures your wishes are carried out in the way you intend. Whether you are preparing your first Will, managing a complex family or business structure, administering a deceased estate or facing a dispute following the death of a loved one, obtaining experienced legal advice can provide invaluable peace of mind.
Since 1945, Steindls Lawyers has assisted individuals, families and business owners across the Gold Coast and throughout Queensland with practical estate planning and estate administration. We understand that every family and every estate is different. Our role is to provide clear, straightforward advice that simplifies what can often feel like a complex legal process.
From preparing Wills and enduring powers of attorney through to obtaining probate, administering estates and resolving estate disputes, our solicitors provide practical guidance tailored to your personal circumstances and long-term objectives.
Our Approach
Estate planning is about more than preparing legal documents.
It is about understanding your family, your assets and your wishes so that appropriate legal arrangements can be put in place with confidence.
We appreciate that conversations about succession, incapacity and death are not always easy. Our approach is therefore focused on providing clear advice in plain English, taking the time to explain your options and ensuring you understand the practical effect of every decision.
For many of our clients, estate planning also forms part of a broader financial or business strategy. We regularly work alongside accountants, financial advisers and other trusted professionals to ensure our clients' legal arrangements complement their wider objectives.
Preparing Your Will
A professionally prepared Will provides certainty for your loved ones and ensures your estate is distributed according to your wishes. Without a valid Will, your estate will generally be administered in accordance with Queensland succession laws, which may not reflect your intentions.
Our solicitors prepare Wills for individuals, couples, blended families, business owners and clients with more complex asset structures.
We assist with:
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Simple Wills
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Complex Wills
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Testamentary trust Wills
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Wills for blended families
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Business succession planning
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Asset protection considerations
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Guardianship provisions
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Appointment of executors
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Review and updating of existing Wills
As circumstances change throughout life, your estate plan should also be reviewed. Marriage, separation, the birth of children, acquiring significant assets or commencing a business may all justify updating your Will to ensure it continues to reflect your wishes.
Testamentary Trusts
For many clients, a testamentary trust can provide greater flexibility and protection than a traditional Will.
Depending on your circumstances, testamentary trusts may assist with protecting assets, providing for young beneficiaries, supporting vulnerable family members and allowing greater flexibility in the administration of your estate.
Our lawyers take the time to explain whether a testamentary trust is appropriate for your circumstances and prepare estate planning documents that align with your long-term objectives.
Enduring Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Directives
Estate planning extends beyond what happens after death.
Planning for the possibility of illness or loss of decision-making capacity is equally important.
An Enduring Power of Attorney allows you to appoint someone you trust to make financial and personal decisions on your behalf should you become unable to do so.
An Advance Health Directive enables you to document your wishes regarding future medical treatment.
Preparing these documents provides certainty for both you and your family during what can otherwise be an extremely difficult time.
Estate Administration
Losing a loved one is never easy.
Administering an estate can add further stress, particularly where executors are unfamiliar with their legal obligations or the estate is complex.
Our solicitors guide executors and administrators through every stage of the estate administration process, ensuring legal requirements are met while reducing the burden placed upon families during an already difficult period.
We assist with:
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Probate applications
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Letters of Administration
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Advising executors
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Estate administration
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Identifying estate assets
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Distribution of estates
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Estate documentation
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Beneficiary issues
Our objective is to make the administration process as straightforward and efficient as possible while ensuring the deceased's wishes are properly carried out.
Probate and Letters of Administration
Before many estates can be administered, authority must first be obtained from the Supreme Court.
Where a valid Will exists, this generally involves applying for Probate.
If no valid Will exists, an eligible person may need to apply for Letters of Administration before dealing with the deceased's estate.
Our solicitors prepare and manage these applications from beginning to end, ensuring all necessary documentation is completed accurately and efficiently.
Estate Disputes
While many estates are administered without issue, disputes can sometimes arise between beneficiaries, executors or family members.
These matters often involve significant emotional as well as financial considerations.
We regularly advise clients in relation to:
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Family Provision Claims
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Challenging the validity of a Will
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Executor disputes
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Beneficiary disputes
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Estate administration disputes
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Interpretation of Wills
Our first priority is always to explore practical opportunities for resolution wherever appropriate.
Where negotiated outcomes cannot be achieved, our experienced litigation team provides strategic advice and representation throughout the dispute resolution process.
Business Succession Planning
For business owners, succession planning requires careful consideration of both personal and commercial objectives.
Without appropriate planning, the death or incapacity of a business owner can create uncertainty for family members, business partners, employees and other stakeholders.
We assist business owners with succession strategies that integrate estate planning with shareholder arrangements, business structures and ownership transitions.
Working closely with accountants and financial advisers, we help clients develop succession plans that provide certainty while protecting the long-term future of their businesses.
Estate Planning for Complex Asset Structures
Many of our clients have accumulated significant assets over many years, including investment properties, family trusts, companies and other business interests.
These estates require careful planning to ensure legal documents appropriately reflect ownership structures and personal wishes.
While we do not provide taxation or financial advice, we regularly collaborate with our clients' professional advisers to implement legal strategies that complement broader financial planning objectives.
Why Clients Choose Steindls Lawyers
Families across the Gold Coast have trusted Steindls Lawyers with their estate planning for generations.
Established in 1945, our firm combines decades of experience with a new generation of partners who remain personally involved in every matter. Supported by senior consultants with extensive knowledge of succession law, we provide practical legal advice tailored to each client's individual circumstances.
Clients appreciate our approachable manner, clear communication and commitment to making complex legal matters easier to understand.
Whether preparing a simple Will, administering a deceased estate or advising on complex succession arrangements for business owners and investors, our focus remains the same—to provide practical legal advice that delivers certainty and peace of mind.