Rest Assured A Legal Guide to Wills, Estates and Funerals

Rest Assured is a straightforward, plain language guide to something that will affect every one of us: the procedures that accompany death. Too often, the first time we find out about wills and funerals is when we are dealing with the death of a loved one. But whether we are dealing with such a death or arranging our own wills, we need clear and level-headed advice on what the issues and problems are. Many questions surround the process of making a will. Do we really need a lawyer? When is a will valid? What does an executor have to do? How do I make sure that my circumstances are addressed in a will? Similarly, the rituals and requirements surrounding funerals are often not fully understood. Is cremation or burial the most appropriate? What documentation is needed? This edition of Rest Assured is fully revised and up to date. Among the issues it addresses are: •changes to the law, including the recent Succession Act •what to consider when drawing up your will •how to change a will •how to make a power of attorney, or leave instructions if you are incapacitated •planning ahead including advance care directives •how to obtain probate •what to do if there is no will •how to arrange a funeral

WillsEstatesPlanning AheadFunerals

Rosemary Long Rosemary Long is an accredited specialist in wills and estates law. Rosemary has worked extensively in the areas of estate planning, wills and estates and elder law for over 35 years, firstly with the NSW Public Trust and then various private law firms. Rosemary is now working for herself. Trudy Coffey Trudy Coffey, a graduate of the University of Sydney, was a social worker for the Repatriation Department before teaching with the Department of Education. Later she set up the social work department at Liverpool Hospital, where she is the Chief Social Work Manager and the Director of Social Work for South Western Sydney Local Health Network.