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Donal Griffin

How a carer inherited an estate

Carers may have a legitimate claim to an estate even if the deceased suffered from dementia when making a subsequent will. The Court seeks to establish whether testamentary capacity was disabled.

Record award in estate of John Hemmes

The success of this claim on John Hemmes' estate and the unexpected amount involved provides a reminder to ensure you have a robust estate plan in place.

10 things to check on your estate planning

Rule changes are causing modifications in expert advice on super beneficiaries and estate planning, and this checklist can guide your decisions or discussions with your chosen adviser.

Careless estate planning: how artists can lose their legal voice

Using the example of an artist's body of work being highly sought-after once the artist dies highlights the importance of appointing the right executors - ones that will handle your affairs the way you intended.

Caveat lender, and consistency in law

When combining family and financial matters, what starts out well can turn ugly. Not only should such dealings be properly documented, but also conducted in strict accordance with those documents.

Don’t leave your estate to clean up a super mess

Superannuation is increasingly attracting the attention of people who expected to be beneficiaries of an estate. Many are dismayed that superannuation is not treated the same as other assets under the will.

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Investment strategies

4 ways to take advantage of the market turmoil

Every crisis throws up opportunities. Here are ideas to capitalise on this one, including ‘overbalancing’ your portfolio in stocks, buying heavily discounted LICs, and cherry picking bombed out sectors like oil and gas.

Shares

Why the ASX needs dual-class shares

The ASX is exploring the introduction of dual class share structures for listed companies. Opposition is building to the plan but the ASX should ignore the naysayers and bring Australia into line with its global peers.

The state of women's wealth in Australia

New research shows the average Australian woman has $428,000 in net wealth, 40% less than the average man. This takes a deep dive into what the gender wealth gap looks like across different life stages.

Investing

The two most dangerous words in investing

Market extremes are where the biggest investment risks and opportunities lie. While events like this are usually only obvious in hindsight, learning to watch out for these two words can alert you to them in real time.

Shares

Investing in the backbone of the digital age

Semiconductors are used to make microchips and are essential to a vast range of technology and devices. This looks at what’s driving demand for chips, how the industry is evolving, and favoured stocks to play the theme.

Gold

Why gold’s record highs in 2025 differ from prior peaks

Gold prices hit new recent highs, driven by a stronger euro, tariff concerns, and steady ETF buying – all while the precious metal’s fundamental backdrop remains solid amid a shifting global economic landscape.

Now might be the best time to switch out of bank hybrids

In this interview, Schroders' Helen Mason discusses investing in corporate and financial credit securities, market impacts of tariffs, opportunities for cash investments, and views on tier two and hybrid bonds.

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