The 2023 Worldwide Conference hosted by Alliott Global Alliance (AGA) in Athens surpassed expectations, drawing 155 delegates from 49 countries – an unprecedented turnout for our global network of accountants and lawyers.

AGA APAC Chair, Scott Jago, represented Allan Hall Business Advisors at the conference and highlighted the immense value of making international connections with both longstanding and the newest alliance members.

Participants demonstrated a keen readiness to address future challenges by leveraging their memberships and tapping into alliance expertise, business acumen, innovations and resources. Discussions spanned a diverse range of topics, including succession planning, business development, AI, cybersecurity, leadership, pricing and crisis management.

In the CEO’s keynote address, a forward-looking vision was painted, emphasising growth, adaptability and a commitment to a collaborative and innovative spirit within AGA. While acknowledging the importance of heritage and core values, the CEO stressed the necessity for AGA to evolve continually to remain relevant in the ever-changing global landscape.

The shift towards a more proactive, collaborative culture emerged as a recurring theme, with the CEO highlighting five strategic goals: creating more opportunities, maximising human resources, facilitating knowledge transfer, sharing innovations and building a stronger brand identity.

Service excellence also took centre stage, with attendees encouraged to extend a metaphorical red carpet to fellow members and their clients, fostering a culture of generosity and responsiveness. Addressing challenges, members were urged to find solutions for core services outside their expertise but within the AGA network.

Allan Hall’s International Services

We live in an entrepreneurial and globalised market and many businesses are expanding internationally. If you are an international business looking to start up in Australia, or an Australian business looking to expand overseas, Allan Hall has a highly skilled and experienced team in International Services. We collaborate with you to develop strategic solutions tailored to your business so you can respond to global opportunities and take on challenges in your chosen region.

We have a few months left before the busy Christmas and school holiday period is upon us.

As such, now is the time to think about if your financial plan needs to be reviewed in light of any changes to your circumstances this year, and if your Will is up to date and estate planning is in order.

One of the key aspects of estate planning is the preparation of a Will. A Will is a legal document that implements your wishes for the distribution of estate assets upon your death. A Will determines who will be in charge of the administration of your estate (the executor(s)) and provides instructions as to how the assets of your estate are to be distributed to your beneficiaries.

Wills can vary greatly in their degree of complexity and can be used to achieve a wide range of family and tax objectives. There is no set format for a Will but there are preferred ways for a drafter to write clauses into a Will to achieve a clients’ specific objectives.

It’s usually more appropriate for a solicitor to draft a Will, rather than using a Will kit. A solicitor can consider both your legal requirements and your wishes are met when drafting the Will. A solicitor can also better understand your instructions and comprehensively provide for the future, taking into account your personal circumstances.

Whilst a Will is personal to the individual, most Wills include some common elements, these include:

statement that the document is the last Will and testament of the individual
revocation of previous Wills, codicils and other testamentary dispositions
appointment of executor and trustee. An alternative executor and trustee may be nominated in the event the preferred person is unable to fulfil their obligations eg they predecease the person or do not have the mental capacity to administer the estate
gifts
payment of estate debts and expenses from protected (eg life insurance, superannuation and compensation) and non-protected sources
instructions for the division of estate assets when a beneficiary has died. One common method is to pay the deceased beneficiary’s share to other beneficiaries
general and specific powers of the executors and trustees
instructions for the management of the estate, such as selling and/or investing of estate assets.

A Will should be reviewed on a regular basis, particularly if there is a change in your circumstances or any of your intended beneficiaries.

The following list of events may require a review of your Will:

divorce or separation (the impact of this differs according to the State or jurisdiction)
marriage (in most jurisdictions a Will is revoked when a person marries, unless the Will was made in contemplation of marriage and states this)
birth of a child
death of an executor (where only one was chosen)
death of a beneficiary
disposal of specific assets which were intended for certain beneficiaries
financial planning recommendations are implemented, which may then have estate planning implications such as:
- superannuation death benefit nomination
- ownership of life insurance policies
- business succession planning
- disposal or acquisition of assets
changes in the beneficiary’s situation eg beneficiary becomes insolvent or wishes to retain social security income support or has a change in their taxation status.

A well-drafted Will helps to safeguard the assets you have acquired and takes care of the people you want considered, once you have passed away. It gives you the peace of mind that there is a legal document in place that outlines your wishes which can be carried out with regard to cost, tax effectiveness and personal needs of family members. Wills which are inappropriately worded can lead to disputes among beneficiaries or even intestacy, which is not the legacy you want to leave behind!

If you would like to discuss Wills, or any other aspects of your financial plan, we would love to hear from you, so please give us a call in Brookvale on 02 9981 2300.

General Advice Warning

The information contained on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser.

Mark O’Connell, Robin Bell and Allan Hall Financial Planning Pty Ltd are Authorised Representatives of Consultum Financial Advisers Pty Ltd ABN 65 006 373 995 AFSL 230323.

Tag: succession

Alliott Global Alliance Worldwide Conference 2023

The 2023 Worldwide Conference hosted by Alliott Global Alliance (AGA) in Athens surpassed expectations, drawing 155 delegates from 49 countries – an unprecedented turnout for our global network of accountants and lawyers.

AGA APAC Chair, Scott Jago, represented Allan Hall Business Advisors at the conference and highlighted the immense value of making international connections with both longstanding and the newest alliance members.

Allan Hall’s International Services

Is it time to get your Will up to date?

We have a few months left before the busy Christmas and school holiday period is upon us.

As such, now is the time to think about if your financial plan needs to be reviewed in light of any changes to your circumstances this year, and if your Will is up to date and estate planning is in order.