[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":266},["ShallowReactive",2],{"globals":3,"z717C6sbD1vGzA2ov858bi2LOWFKi9xVJAQOa_xFPXk":66,"seo-data-blog-posts-the-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will___au":74,"page-data-blog-posts-the-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will___au-au":164,"_apollo:default":232},{"phoneNumber":4,"contactCtaPanel":5,"address":21,"disclaimer":22,"socialChannels":23,"testimonials":37,"onboardingSection":48,"video":52,"videoThumbnail":57},"1800 10 33 10",{"__typename":6,"body":7,"heading":8,"backgroundImage":9},"ctaPanelBlock_Entry","The best way to contact our Customer Care team is via chat, or you can call us - we are open 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday","We’re here to help",[10],{"__typename":11,"title":12,"filename":13,"kind":14,"original":15,"xs":16,"sm":17,"md":18,"lg":19,"xl":20},"gcs_Asset","Contact bg","contact_bg.jpg","image","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002Fcontact_bg.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_xs\u002Fcontact_bg.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_sm\u002Fcontact_bg.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_md\u002Fcontact_bg.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_lg\u002Fcontact_bg.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_xl\u002Fcontact_bg.jpg","Level 7, 28 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010","Safewill is an online service providing streamlined forms and information. Safewill is not a law firm or a substitute for a lawyer’s advice about complex estate planning issues.",[24,28,31,34],{"__typename":25,"platform":26,"url":27},"socialChannel_Entry","facebook","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FSafewillAus\u002F",{"__typename":25,"platform":29,"url":30},"messenger","https:\u002F\u002Fm.me\u002FSafewillAus\u002F",{"__typename":25,"platform":32,"url":33},"instagram","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fsafewillau\u002F?hl=en",{"__typename":25,"platform":35,"url":36},"linkedin","https:\u002F\u002Fau.linkedin.com\u002Fcompany\u002Fsafewill",[38,42,45],{"__typename":39,"body":40,"customerName":41},"testimonial_Entry","About time something like this existed. Great product.","Oscar H",{"__typename":39,"body":43,"customerName":44},"Awesome, easy process. I'm kicking myself for not doing it years ago.","Blair P",{"__typename":39,"body":46,"customerName":47},"I had this on my to-do list for too long… highly recommend.","Scott M",{"__typename":49,"heading":50,"body":51},"globals_onboardingSectionBlock_Entry","Free until you’re ready to submit","Get started for free to see just how easy we’ve made it to write your own Will online. Pay when you’re ready to submit it to us for review.",{"__typename":11,"title":53,"filename":54,"kind":55,"url":56},"Safewill video","safewill-video.mp4","video","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fvideos\u002Fsafewill-video.mp4",{"__typename":11,"title":58,"filename":59,"kind":14,"original":60,"xs":61,"sm":62,"md":63,"lg":64,"xl":65},"Sw vidthumb alt4","sw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002Fsw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_xs\u002Fsw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_sm\u002Fsw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_md\u002Fsw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_lg\u002Fsw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_xl\u002Fsw-vidthumb-alt4.jpg",{"seomatic":67},{"__typename":68,"metaTitleContainer":69,"metaTagContainer":70,"metaLinkContainer":71,"metaScriptContainer":72,"metaJsonLdContainer":73},"SeomaticType","{\"title\":{\"title\":\"What happens if you die without a valid Will? | Safewill… | Safewill\"}}","{\"generator\":{\"content\":\"SEOmatic\",\"name\":\"generator\"},\"keywords\":[],\"description\":{\"content\":\"Dying without a Will can be loaded with consequences for your loved ones, your estate, and your legacy. 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Known as dying intestate, this outcome kickstarts an expensive and stressful process for your family; it leaves children with no guardian, loved ones with no support, and your estate vulnerable to family disputes.\",\"property\":\"og:image:alt\"},\"og:see_also\":[],\"facebook-site-verification\":[],\"twitter:card\":{\"content\":\"summary_large_image\",\"name\":\"twitter:card\"},\"twitter:site\":[],\"twitter:creator\":{\"content\":\"@\",\"name\":\"twitter:creator\"},\"twitter:title\":{\"content\":\"What happens if you die without a valid Will? | Safewill Answers\",\"name\":\"twitter:title\"},\"twitter:description\":{\"content\":\"Dying without a Will can be loaded with consequences for your loved ones, your estate, and your legacy. 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Write your Will online in minutes.\",\"name\":\"Safewill\",\"url\":\"https:\\\u002F\\\u002Fsafewill.com\"},\"creator\":{\"@context\":\"https:\\\u002F\\\u002Fschema.org\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\u002F\\\u002Fsafewill.com#creator\",\"@type\":\"Corporation\",\"description\":\"Create your own Will online in minutes. 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Learn more about intestacy in Australia at Safewill","description",{"content":84,"name":85},"no-referrer-when-downgrade","referrer",{"content":87,"name":88},"none","robots",{"content":90,"property":91},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FSafewillAus","fb:profile_id",{"content":93,"property":94},"en_AU","og:locale",{"content":96,"property":97},"Safewill","og:site_name",{"content":99,"property":100},"website","og:type",{"content":102,"property":103},"https:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fthe-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will","og:url",{"content":105,"property":106},"What happens if you die without a valid Will? | Safewill Answers","og:title",{"content":81,"property":108},"og:description",{"content":110,"property":111},"https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_1200x630_crop_center-center_82_none\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg?mtime=1647930355","og:image",{"content":113,"property":114},"1200","og:image:width",{"content":116,"property":117},"630","og:image:height",{"content":119,"property":120},"The consequences of dying without a valid Will are farther reaching than just abandoning your estate or giving the courts a bit of a headache. Known as dying intestate, this outcome kickstarts an expensive and stressful process for your family; it leaves children with no guardian, loved ones with no support, and your estate vulnerable to family disputes.","og:image:alt",{"content":122,"name":123},"summary_large_image","twitter:card",{"content":125,"name":126},"@","twitter:creator",{"content":105,"name":128},"twitter:title",{"content":81,"name":130},"twitter:description",{"content":132,"name":133},"https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_800x418_crop_center-center_82_none\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg?mtime=1647930355","twitter:image",{"content":135,"name":136},"800","twitter:image:width",{"content":138,"name":139},"418","twitter:image:height",{"content":119,"name":141},"twitter:image:alt",[143,145,148],{"href":102,"rel":144},"canonical",{"href":146,"rel":147},"https:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com","home",{"href":149,"rel":150,"type":151},"https:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com\u002Fhumans.txt","author","text\u002Fplain",[153,156,158,160],{"type":154,"innerHTML":155},"application\u002Fld+json","{\"@context\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com#identity\"},\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com#identity\"},\"copyrightYear\":\"2024\",\"creator\":{\"@id\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com#creator\"},\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-24T17:00:58+10:00\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-01T17:00:00+10:00\",\"description\":\"Dying without a Will can be loaded with consequences for your loved ones, your estate, and your legacy. Learn more about intestacy in Australia at Safewill\",\"headline\":\"What happens if you die without a valid Will? | Safewill Answers\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_1200x630_crop_center-center_82_none\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg?mtime=1647930355\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-au\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fthe-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will\",\"name\":\"What happens if you die without a valid Will? | Safewill Answers\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com#creator\"},\"url\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fthe-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will\"}",{"type":154,"innerHTML":157},"{\"@context\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org\",\"@id\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com#identity\",\"@type\":\"Corporation\",\"address\":{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"addressCountry\":\"Australia\"},\"description\":\"Australia’s most trusted digital Will-writing platform. Write your Will online in minutes.\",\"name\":\"Safewill\",\"url\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\"}",{"type":154,"innerHTML":159},"{\"@context\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org\",\"@id\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com#creator\",\"@type\":\"Corporation\",\"description\":\"Create your own Will online in minutes. Safewill combines modern design and technology to help every Australian safeguard their life’s work.\",\"name\":\"Safewill\",\"url\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\"}",{"type":154,"innerHTML":161},"{\"@context\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fschema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"description\":\"Breadcrumbs list\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"item\":\"https:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com\u002Fhttps:\u002F\u002Fstaging.safewill.com\",\"name\":\"Homepage\",\"position\":1}],\"name\":\"Breadcrumbs\"}",[163],"script",{"entry":165},{"__typename":166,"textContent":167,"topics":168,"author":179,"date":194,"dateUpdated":195,"headerImage":196,"id":206,"postType":207,"readingTime":212,"slug":213,"summary":119,"title":214,"uri":215,"customStructuredData":181,"isHidden":216,"faqStructuredData":217,"howToStructuredDataName":181,"howToStructuredData":222,"structuredDataType":230},"blogPost_Entry","\u003Ch2>It's \u003Cstrong>much\u003C\u002Fstrong> easier to have a Will than risk dying with an intestate estate. \u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">This leaves surviving relatives with a headache in distributing assets, bank accounts and real property with a lack of financial protections, and your next of kin with overwhelming estate administration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">None of us really have any plans of dying soon, so we think it can wait. But the reality is that life is filled with uncertainty, and it's important to understand that not having a Will risks leaving a pretty horrible situation for your family, surviving partner and beneficiaries left behind if you die, or lose capacity, suddenly. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Below, we cover the consequences for a person's assets and estate administration, of dying without having a Will in place- known as \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fthe-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will\">dying intestate\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Ch2 dir=\"ltr\">What is Intestacy?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Intestacy refers to the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fhow-intestacy-works-in-australia\">situation where a person dies without a Will.\u003C\u002Fa> Whilst most Australians have never heard the word, 50% are currently at risk of the label and its associated consequences for the transfer of assets after death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>What's the impact of dying intestate on the probate process?\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Firstly, passing away interstate generally \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fprobate-what-is-it-and-how-does-the-process-work\">draws out probate proceedings\u003C\u002Fa>. This refers to the court process of appointing and granting an executor authority to access, manage and transfer assets within the deceased's estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">With no Will, the court has to determine and approve who this person will be, as well as who your estate will be distributed amongst. In the case of an intestate estate, this involves a letter of administration by the next of kin to gain authority to distribute assets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">An intestate estate leaves family unable to access, manage, or protect your life's work before \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fletters-of-administration\">a letter of administration is granted\u003C\u002Fa>. This leaves money, property and business affairs vulnerable, and family disputes likely. Drawn out probate from the absence of a valid Will can also generate significant cost in legal fees and time, as the process takes longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Probate with a valid Will\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Whilst a Will does not avoid probate completely, there are huge benefits on the process of how the estate is distributed. Firstly, the probate process of appointing an approved executor to administer your estate and final wishes can begin with no roadblocks when there is a valid Will. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fwhat-is-an-executor-and-how-do-you-choose-one\">The executor will have been named in the legal document,\u003C\u002Fa> and the deceased leaves clear estate wishes to be followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">A valid Will leaves no ambiguity over who and which assets you wanted distributed where. Making it the quickest, smoothest and least stressful way to see your wishes carried out, having a Will has benefits for your beneficiaries, assets in your estate, as well as providing you peace of mind in life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 dir=\"ltr\">What happens when you die intestate?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">One of the main consequences of dying without a Will is that the state government intestacy laws in your specific state or territory will determine how your estate is distributed, rather than you making this choice. Different rules create different lists of priority for people who are eligible to inherit the assets in the deceased estate - ultimately meaning that the government will be determining the beneficiaries receiving the assets which make up your life's work, rather than you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">To find out more about the intestacy laws of your jurisdiction, select your state:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flegalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au\u002Frest-assured-legal-guide-wills-estates-planning-ahead-and-funerals\u002Fif-there-no\">NSW\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Factlawsociety.asn.au\u002Fpublic-information\u002Fmaking-a-will\">ACT\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fliv.asn.au\u002Ffor-the-community\u002Flegal-fact-sheets\u002Fwills-and-estates\">VIC\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhobartlegal.org.au\u002Fhandbook\u002Fwills-estates-and-funerals-and-guardianship\u002Fwills-estates-and-funerals\u002Fintestacy-dying-without-a-will\">TAS\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flawhandbook.sa.gov.au\u002Fch36s02s02s01.php\">SA\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Flegalaid.wa.gov.au\u002Ffind-legal-answers\u002Fmanaging-your-affairs\u002Fwills-and-estates\u002Fdying-without-will\">WA\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffinder.com.au\u002Fwhat-happens-if-i-die-without-a-will-in-nt\">NT\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fpt.qld.gov.au\u002Fdeceased-estates\u002Fintestacies\">QLD\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Generally however, the assets will be distributed in the following order of priority:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Spouse or domestic partner:\u003C\u002Fstrong> If the deceased had a spouse or domestic partner at the time of their death, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fspousal-inheritance-rights-in-australia\">that person will usually receive the entire estate if there are no children\u003C\u002Fa>, or the majority of the estate if there are children.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Children:\u003C\u002Fstrong> If the deceased had children, but no spouse or domestic partner, the children will usually share the estate equally. If a child has already passed away, their share may be distributed to their own children (i.e., the deceased's grandchildren).\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Parents:\u003C\u002Fstrong> If the deceased had no spouse, domestic partner or children, the estate will usually go to the deceased's parents. If the deceased only had one surviving parent, the estate may be shared with siblings.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Siblings:\u003C\u002Fstrong> If the deceased had no spouse, domestic partner, children or parents, the estate may be distributed equally among the deceased's siblings, or their children (i.e., the deceased's nieces and nephews) if a sibling has already passed away.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Fol>\n\u003Ch2>The risks of dying intestate\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The potential your money will go to the government\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fstrong>If there are no surviving family members, the assets in a deceased estate may go to the state or territory government. This means that your wishes are not carried through, and any important people or \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fcharitable-gifts-in-wills\">causes who you would intended to be beneficiaries\u003C\u002Fa> are neglected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>No provisions for friends, community or charity\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fstrong>These laws also rarely make any provisions for distributing assets to important friends, community or a charity which the deceased might otherwise have left assets to. Whilst these people might not be blood relatives or have automatic legal rights to be identified as a beneficiary of the deceased estate, an estate plan provides for these loved ones, and ensures the deceased end of life distribution reflects their life wishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Missed opportunities\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fstrong>More than just a legal document, a Will comes with the added benefit of leaving a lasting legacy with leftover assets. Dying without a Will takes away that final chance to create this legacy, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fhow-to-easily-include-a-charity-in-your-will\">whether that's through setting up a trust fund, donating funds to a charity, or gifting specific property and special family heirlooms to specific family members.\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Sparks family disputes\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fstrong>Intestacy laws can be problematic when the court assigns the person with a 'legal claim' to your estate as the key beneficiary, even if this does not align with who you would have chosen to inherit your assets; this can spark legal conflict, where family members argue over who has the moral and legal claims to an estate. Such family disputes can tear down relationships, cost masses, and generate huge stress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Difficult guardianship decisions\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fstrong>Although in most cases the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fwhat-you-need-to-know-legal-guardianship-australia\">appointment of a guardian\u003C\u002Fa> will only become relevant once both parents have died, writing a Will to appoint guardians for your children or dependents is extremely important. Without expressing your wishes in the form of a Will, this decision could be left entirely in the hands of the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">During this process, anyone is entitled to make a guardianship application to courts about why they believe they would be the correct and proper person to act as guardian; this can be a traumatic scenario for the children and other family members, and can result in a decision that you may not have agreed with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">While the Court will decide who should be appointed as the guardian based on what they believe to benefit the best interest of the child, this can all be avoided by nominating guardians in a Will to begin with. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>No influence over your end-of-life wishes\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fstrong>Dying without a Will risks your end of life wishes getting lost amid the overwhelm of grief. From where or how you'd like to be buried, to who you'd like at the funeral, these small but important details are left vulnerable intestate. Leaving your family to decide all of these things can be a stressful process, which leaves them with substantial doubt and guilt about getting it wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cstrong>Lost capacity without a Will\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">If you're involved in an accident or get ill and lose capacity, a power of attorney can step in to take care of financial and medical decisions, and act in your interest. Not having a Will means losing automatic transfer of authority if the need arises. This absence of a legal representative can create damaging delays, given that your family needs to attend court to apply to have this same authority on making decisions on your behalf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Losing capacity without a Will means assets could go mismanaged, important medical decisions not be made, and your wishes not honoured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 dir=\"ltr\">Why you should write a Will\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Writing a valid Will is the simplest, but most effective way, to secure your family's financial situation and ensure your wishes, and estate, are protected. You'll have peace of mind over where your money is going, the opportunity to outline equal shares, and identify your children's guardians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">What's more, you can even set up a trust fund to take advantage of tax benefits and outline wishes on related end of life matters. As well as outline power of attorney your financial or medical decisions if you lose capacity, and give back to the loved ones who might not be recognised as a beneficiary in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fhow-intestacy-works-in-australia\">law which governs estate administration under intestacy.\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>How Safewill can help\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\">Safewill offers an affordable, flexible and easy way to make your Will online, and prevent family members having to navigate intestacy law if you die intestate. You'll even be supported by legal professionals, and a team of Will experts overseeing the process at each stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cstrong>Get started today\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Call one of our experts for a one-to-one on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fgoogle.com\u002Fsearch?q=safewill+number&oq=safewill+number&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30.1853j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#\">1800 103 310\u003C\u002Fa> , or via live \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsafewill.com\u002F\">chat\u003C\u002Fa> now.\u003C\u002Fp>",[169,173,176],{"__typename":170,"id":171,"title":172},"blogTopics_Category","15463","Wills",{"__typename":170,"id":174,"title":175},"15482","End Of Life",{"__typename":170,"id":177,"title":178},"16010","Australian Law",{"__typename":180,"byline":181,"firstName":182,"fullName":183,"id":184,"photo":185,"role":193},"User",null,"Tali","Tali Weinberg","1630",{"__typename":11,"title":182,"filename":186,"kind":14,"original":187,"xs":188,"sm":189,"md":190,"lg":191,"xl":192},"tali1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fusers\u002Ftali1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fusers\u002F_xs\u002Ftali1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fusers\u002F_sm\u002Ftali1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fusers\u002F_md\u002Ftali1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fusers\u002F_lg\u002Ftali1.jpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fusers\u002F_xl\u002Ftali1.jpeg","Chief of Staff","01 May 2024","01st May 2024",[197],{"__typename":11,"title":198,"filename":199,"kind":14,"original":200,"xs":201,"sm":202,"md":203,"lg":204,"xl":205},"Dead free amongst a deserted landscape","The-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_xs\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_sm\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_md\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_lg\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fstorage.googleapis.com\u002Fcms-safewill-operation-australia-southeast1\u002Fimages\u002F_xl\u002FThe-Consequences-of-Dying-Without-a-Will.jpg","2676",[208],{"__typename":209,"id":210,"title":211},"blogPostType_Category","17430","Article","8 min read","the-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will","What happens if you die without a valid Will?","blog\u002Fposts\u002Fthe-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will",false,[218,221],{"__typename":219,"question":220,"answer":220},"faqStructuredData_TableRow","",{"__typename":219,"question":220,"answer":220},[223,227],{"__typename":224,"name":225,"text":226},"howToStructuredData_TableRow","The government formula that determines your family's future","One of the main consequences of dying without a Will is that the intestacy laws of your state or territory will determine how your estate is distributed, rather than you making this choice. Intestacy laws provide a list of priority for people who are eligible to inherit your estate - this means that the government will be determining who receives the benefits of your life's work, rather than you.\n\nThis can be problematic, as the person with a 'legal claim' to your estate may not have been the person that you would have chosen to inherit your assets. This is one of the leading reasons for intestacy causing legal conflict, as family members argue over who has the moral and legal claims to an estate.",{"__typename":224,"name":228,"text":229},"Difficult guardianship decisions","Although in most cases the appointment of a guardian will only become relevant once both parents have died, writing a Will to appoint guardians for your children is extremely significant. Without expressing your wishes in the form of a Will, this decision could be left entirely in the hands of the court.\n\nDuring this process, anyone is entitled to make a guardianship application to courts about why they believe they would be the correct and proper person to act as guardian. This can be a traumatic scenario for the children and other family members, and can result in a decision that you may not have agreed with.\n\nWhile the Court will decide who should be appointed as the guardian based on what they believe is in the best interests of the child, this can all be avoided by nominating guardians in a Will to begin with.",[231],"howTo",{"ROOT_QUERY":233,"User:1630":238,"blogPostType_Category:17430":240,"blogTopics_Category:15463":241,"blogTopics_Category:15482":242,"blogTopics_Category:16010":243,"blogPost_Entry:2676":244},["null","__typename",234,"seomatic({\"asArray\":true,\"uri\":\"\u002Fblog\u002Fposts\u002Fthe-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will\"})",235,"entry({\"section\":\"blog\",\"slug\":\"the-consequences-of-dying-without-a-will\"})",236],"Query",["null","__typename",68,"metaTitleContainer",69,"metaTagContainer",70,"metaLinkContainer",71,"metaScriptContainer",72,"metaJsonLdContainer",73],{"__ref":237},"blogPost_Entry:2676",["null","__typename",180,"users_byline",181,"firstName",182,"fullName",183,"id",184,"photo",239,"users_role",193],["null","__typename",11,"title",182,"filename",186,"kind",14,"url",187,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"xs\"})",188,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"sm\"})",189,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"md\"})",190,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"lg\"})",191,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"xl\"})",192],["null","__typename",209,"id",210,"title",211],["null","__typename",170,"id",171,"title",172],["null","__typename",170,"id",174,"title",175],["null","__typename",170,"id",177,"title",178],["null","__typename",166,"author",245,"postDate@formatDateTime({\"format\":\"d M Y\"})",194,"postDate@formatDateTime({\"format\":\"dS F Y\"})",195,"headerImage",247,"id",206,"blog_postType",249,"textContent@readingtime",212,"slug",213,"blog_summary",119,"title",214,"uri",215,"customStructuredData",181,"isHidden",216,"faqStructuredData",252,"howToStructuredDataName",181,"howToStructuredData",255,"structuredDataType",258,"textContent",167,"blog_topics",259],{"__ref":246},"User:1630",[248],["null","__typename",11,"title",198,"filename",199,"kind",14,"url",200,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"xs\"})",201,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"sm\"})",202,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"md\"})",203,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"lg\"})",204,"url@transform({\"handle\":\"xl\"})",205],[250],{"__ref":251},"blogPostType_Category:17430",[253,254],["null","__typename",219,"question",220,"answer",220],["null","__typename",219,"question",220,"answer",220],[256,257],["null","__typename",224,"name",225,"text",226],["null","__typename",224,"name",228,"text",229],[231],[260,262,264],{"__ref":261},"blogTopics_Category:15463",{"__ref":263},"blogTopics_Category:15482",{"__ref":265},"blogTopics_Category:16010",1793767609862]