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Will trusts

This category contains 17 posts

Fairness to all beneficiaries

The key facts of Tata v Abrams are set out in [2] of the judgment as follows: … Donna and Reginald’s mother, Violet Tata (Violet), passed away on 19 March 2008. Donna was one of two executors appointed under Violet’s Will. The other executor, Ms Judy Kaka, passed away in 2016. Donna assumed responsibility for … Continue reading

Null and void

The background to Hamilton v Kirwan can be set out as follows: A 58.9450 hectare block of rural land (the Property) was purchased in 1984 In December 1997 the Property owner’s daughter began living on the Property.  In 2000 she built a dwelling on the Property part of which was funded by a $20,000 advance … Continue reading

Fair is a relative concept

  Families are funny old things.  Blood is thicker than water (fact).  But when it comes to who should get the most after Mum and Dad have died, perceptions can become quite  skewed. In Ngui v Ngui the surviving parent left her estate to her four children in equal shares.  So far so fair.  However, one … Continue reading

Disclosure of legal advice

McCallum v McCallum relates to applications for discovery of information including trustee legal fees, trustee resolutions and legal advice received by trustees. The case considers important procedural aspects of when discovery can be sought, the rules that apply to originating applications and the extent of discretion available to the High Court regarding such matters.  Of … Continue reading

Capacity in context

Jellyman v Jellyman is about two children with different views as to what is in their mother’s best interests.  The matter came before the court because Mrs Jellyman was a trustee of a testamentary trust under her late husband’s will.  Her son Maurice was the other trustee. Mrs Jellyman wanted to sell her home in Hastings … Continue reading

Saunders v Vautier 2019

The rule in Saunders v Vautier is generally well understood.  However, the parameters of the rule are less clear.  As noted in the Law Commission’s Third Issues Paper on the Review of the Law of Trusts “Perpetuities and the Revocation and Variation of Trusts”: The scope of the rule has become wider than merely allowing a … Continue reading

Trustee of digital assets

Certainty as to the subject matter of a trust is one of the three fundamental requirements as to a trust.  How digital assets are defined for trust purposes and generally is now an important asset and estate planning consideration. The explosive growth of social media, digital storage and internet passwords means that careful consideration needs to be given as … Continue reading

Jurisdiction failure

Estates can take time to administer and distribute.  Beneficiaries can tire of waiting.  Or they might require funds to sue the executors or other stuff.  The remedies available to beneficiaries depend on part as to whether the estate has transitioned from the administration phase.  See transition from executor to trustee.  This was of relevance in … Continue reading

War of the roses

War of the Roses is a 1989 American film based on the 1981 novel The War of the Roses by Warren Adler. The film, which  co-stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito chronicles the demise of a marriage  against the backdrop of a beautiful home that the couple, literally fight to the death over.  Trust disputes can be … Continue reading

Taxation of Trusts ed 3

  The taxation of trusts is a dynamic and ever-changing landscape. The third edition of Taxation of Trusts published this week (September 2016) has been up-dated to incorporate recent case law developments and legislative amendments.  The text also considers the application of FATCA to trusts and proposed new reforms to the disclosure rules and closely … Continue reading

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