estate planning

A common misconception is that an estate will automatically pass to a spouse or family.

An important part of the financial planning process is to ensure that the assets accumulated during an investor's lifetime are distributed in accordance with their wishes upon their death.

A common misconception is that an estate will automatically pass to a spouse or family on death. However the following assets, which can be of substantial monetary value, may not necessarily form part of a person's estate

• The family home (if owned as tenants in common).
• An individual's superannuation entitlement (e.g. a person's death benefit).
• The proceeds of life insurance policies (depending on ownership).

Without an appropriate record of how you intend to distribute your assets, there is the risk that intended beneficiaries, may receive little, or none, of your estate. Estate planning is a complex area and appropriate professional advice should therefore be obtained before making any decisions in this area.

Stonebridge Wealth Solutions can advise on some parts of the estate planning process and give you the best possible structure to help protect your assets and therefore your estate. However we have relationships with top class estate planning lawyers who can help complete this process.