Suffering an illness or injury that renders you unable to work can be a devastating and life altering ordeal for you and your family, particularly if you do not have insurance. However, you may be entitled to make a claim for total and permanent disablement (TPD) or income protection through your superannuation fund. […]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 27 April 2019. Barry has a credit account with his local convenience store. When Barry attends the store to pay part of his account, the store owner, Mr Brown hits Barry with a wooden table leg. Barry suffers injuries to the left side of his head resulting in profuse bleeding. Barry is taken to hospital by ambulance and is diagnosed with facial fractures and the loss of vision in his left eye. The eye does not recover and Barry remains blind in that eye, which still bleeds and causes him pain and headaches. He runs into things [...]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 2 February 2019. Tragically, Scott suffers a fatal heart attack while on holiday in Southeast Asia, at the age of 53. Many years ago, Scott made a will with the Public Trustee of Queensland. The will was “free” on the basis that the will appointed the Public Trustee as executor. After the will was made, Scott’s parents fell into financial difficulties and to protect them, a unit was purchased in his name using funds advanced by his parents. His parents lived in the unit until his death. The old will leaves Scott’s superannuation to his parents and [...]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 26 January 2019. Mary has been in a de facto relationship for two years. She has three children to a previous relationship. Her main asset is the home in which they reside. Her eldest son does not get-on with her new partner and has been estranged from Mary for the last year. Mary has been meaning to make a new will for many years and finally makes an appointment to see a solicitor. The solicitor informs Mary that if she had died without making a will, given that her de facto relationship has been in existence for [...]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 19 January 2019. Ruby makes a will leaving her whole estate to her two children, Jane and Luke. Years later, Ruby sees a new solicitor and provides instructions to draft a new will which includes a clause that gives one of her valuable investment properties to her grandchildren. The solicitor prepares the will and sends it to Ruby, but she is admitted to hospital shortly thereafter. Ruby returns home from hospital but unfortunately, passes-away six years later. […]
As many of you are aware, I write a weekly column in the Saturday Advocate (and yes, I actually write them). I recently notched-up my 200th article and I thought I’d share a few of my favourites. A “greatest hits” if you will… Remember, if someone pinches your paper, or it is overly soggy, the columns are available on the Advocate website and I also upload all of them to the Ticli Blaxland website. […]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood. Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 19 November 2016. Daniel grew up on a farm owned by his parents Geoff and Barbara. Daniel worked full-time on the farm and at the age of 23, Geoff told him “one day this will all be yours”. At the age of 30, Daniel complained to his father that his weekly wage of $400 per week was not enough pay for him and his wife to stay on the farm. […]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood. Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 28 May 2016. This week’s column looks at the extent to which promises regarding property can be enforced. […]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood. Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 21 May 2016. This week’s column looks at an unusual estate claim and also serves as a reminder that often parties to a dispute are better-off resolving the matter without the intervention of the courts. […]
Hypotheticals by Manny Wood. Published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 14 May 2016. Keeping the Property Law theme alive from last week, today’s instalment turns from easements to encroachments. […]