What Happens to My Assets in Australia If I Die Without a Will?
Die without a Will in Australia and you die “intestate”: a state-set government formula decides who gets your estate, not you. In this video, Kevin explains the consequences: a spouse may receive more than you intended, children may receive less, and former partners or stepchildren may benefit when you never meant them to. As Kevin notes in the video above, intestacy laws were never designed for modern family structures. The rules get even messier for couples who are not married; watch what rights de facto partners have when there is no Will.
Read the video transcript
If you die without a Will in Australia, you’re said to die "intestate". That means that your estate will be distributed under a state-based government set formula. What this means is that your personal wishes may not be carried out. This may mean that your spouse may receive more than you intended. Your children may miss out on a distribution of your estate or receive less than you intended. Former partners, stepchildren, and others may receive when you had no intention for them to benefit. Intestacy laws were never meant to reflect modern family structures. A Will will mean that your wishes are carried out, instead of the government determining where your estate is to be distributed.
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