When should you review your Will, family trust and Enduring Powers of Attorney?
Life changes, assets change and legal structures age. Learn when it may be time to review your Will, family trust and Enduring Powers of Attorney.
PERSONAL LAW · WILLS
A clear Will gives the people you care about certainty when it matters most.
Your wishes. Properly recorded. Fewer complications for your family.
Canterbury Legal helps Christchurch clients prepare and update Wills that reflect their family, assets and intentions, with practical advice about the wider estate-planning picture.
Talk to us before life changes the plan
A Will is easiest to get right when it is prepared deliberately, not during a crisis. Marriage, separation, children, property, business interests and changes in family circumstances can all affect what your estate plan needs to do.
Good planning now can reduce uncertainty and conflict later.
We can help you…
- prepare a new Will or review an existing one
- choose appropriate executors and beneficiaries
- consider guardianship and family circumstances
- coordinate your Will with trusts, property and business interests
- plan for practical estate administration
Clear planning for the people and things that matter
How we help with Wills.
New Wills
Drafting a Will that clearly records your wishes and reflects your circumstances.
Will reviews
Reviewing an existing Will after family, property or financial changes.
Executors & beneficiaries
Helping you make practical decisions about who administers and benefits from your estate.
Family considerations
Considering children, blended families, relationship property and other family circumstances.
Asset coordination
Aligning your Will with trusts, jointly owned property, business interests and other assets.
Future planning
Connecting your Will with enduring powers of attorney and broader estate planning.
Wills
People who can help
Talk directly with people experienced in Wills, estate planning and private client matters.
Clive Cousins
Director
Olivia O’Brien
Legal Executive
What happens next.
- Tell us what has changed and what you want your Will to achieve.
- We review the wider picture, including family, assets and existing arrangements.
- We prepare the Will and explain the important decisions in plain language.
- You review and confirm that the document reflects your wishes.
- The Will is signed correctly and you know when it should be reviewed again.
Related personal law services
Estate planning & administration
Plan ahead or deal with an estate after a death.
Enduring powers of attorney
Plan who can make decisions if you cannot.
Family trusts & asset protection
Consider how ownership and succession structures fit together.
Useful insights on Wills and estate planning.
Practical guidance on Wills, estate planning and protecting your family’s future.
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Clear wishes. Proper planning. Less uncertainty.
If your Will is out of date, or you do not have one, talk with our team about putting the right plan in place.
Phone: +64 3 377 0792
Send enquiry.
Frequently asked questions.
A Will records how you want your estate dealt with and who should administer it. Without one, the law determines how your estate is distributed.
Review it after significant family, relationship, property or financial changes, and periodically even when circumstances appear stable.
Your executor should be someone capable and trustworthy. The right choice depends on your family, assets and the likely administration required.
Your Will and trust arrangements need to be considered together, but trust assets are not necessarily dealt with in the same way as personally owned assets.
A simple document may not address ownership structures, family claims, trusts or signing requirements. Legal advice helps ensure the Will fits your actual circumstances.