Invercargill

Will my trust protect me from relationship property claims?

Posted on by Hewat Galt Law

No. It is very dangerous to assume that assets held on trust are automatically protected from relationship property claims.

There are many situations in which an ex-partner may succeed in a relationship property claim against your trust assets. Most examples of this include some form of contribution or improvement to the assets made by the partner.

The best way to guarantee that your assets are protected from a relationship property claim is by entering into a property agreement. This provides certainty over which assets each party can claim upon any future relationship break-up.

If you would like further advice regarding relationship property, please make an appointment with Scott Donaldson or Malcolm McKenzie.

I just got married, is my old will still valid?

Posted on by Hewat Galt Law

The general rule is that an old will is automatically revoked upon the marriage (or civil union) of the will-maker. Due to this, in most cases your will is invalid upon entering into a new marriage.

However, there are some exceptions. For instance, when the will has been made in contemplation of the marriage/civil union, it may remain valid. There are further exceptions regarding powers of appointment in relation to wills.

For further information on any potential exceptions, please make an appointment with Malcolm McKenzie or Scott Donaldson.