Scarborough & the Redcliffe Peninsula
Wills, enduring powers of attorney and estates in Scarborough
Fixed-fee wills and estate work from our peninsula office at 15 Fortune Street, Scarborough QLD 4020, with home, unit, hospital and aged care visits at no extra charge. Legal Practice Director Michael Klein lives locally, was admitted in 2003 and spent many years as managing partner of GKS Law.
Fixed fees
- Simple will*Per person, incl. GST, free safe custody of the original
- $495
- Will + enduring power of attorney*Per person, incl. GST
- $825
- Couples pack*Two wills and two enduring powers of attorney, incl. GST
- $1,499
*Wills that involve complex estate planning issues — blended families, companies, trusts or a self-managed super fund — are quoted separately, in writing, before we start. Estate administration and probate is quoted on our fixed-fee probate scale.
What actually matters on the peninsula
Unit and over-50s living
Much of Scarborough's retiree population lives in strata units along the esplanade or in over-50s and retirement village communities. Those interests do not all pass the same way. A lifetime lease or licence in a village is not the same asset as a lot on title, exit fees and reinstatement obligations can consume a large share of what the family expects to receive, and the estate needs a will that accounts for that rather than assuming a house will be sold.
Superannuation and life insurance
Super does not automatically pass under a will. Without a valid binding death benefit nomination the trustee decides who receives it, and nominations lapse after three years unless they are non-lapsing. We check the nomination at the same time as the will, because it is frequently the largest single asset and the most common cause of a family dispute.
Blended families and second marriages
Marriage revokes an earlier will in Queensland unless it was made in contemplation of that marriage. Where there are children from a first relationship and a new partner living in the home, mirror wills are usually the wrong answer — a life interest or a testamentary trust protects both sides. This is quoted separately because it is genuine planning work, not a form.
Estate sales of peninsula property
A large share of Scarborough sales are estate sales. Selling as an executor needs the grant of representation and a transmission application on title before settlement can happen, and getting that sequence wrong delays settlement and risks default. We run the estate and the conveyance together rather than referring one out.
Questions people ask
What does a will cost in Scarborough?
A simple will is a fixed $495 including GST per person. A will plus enduring power of attorney is $825, and a couples pack — two wills and two enduring powers of attorney — is $1,499, both including GST. Wills that involve complex estate planning issues such as blended families, companies, trusts or a self-managed super fund are quoted separately in writing before we start.
Can you come to me?
Yes. Michael Klein lives on the peninsula and visits clients at home, in a unit, in hospital or in aged care anywhere from Clontarf to Newport at no extra charge. The office at 15 Fortune Street, Scarborough QLD 4020 is available by appointment, including evenings and weekends.
Do I need a new will if I have downsized into a unit?
Usually yes, or at least a review. Downsizing changes what the estate actually holds: the family home may be gone, there may be a large cash balance, a lifetime lease or over-50s contract, and gifts in the old will may now fail because the asset named no longer exists. A will that gifts "my house at ..." leaves nothing if that house has been sold.
What happens if I lose capacity without an enduring power of attorney?
Nobody can sell your unit, deal with your bank or make health decisions for you automatically — not even your spouse or children. An application to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal is needed to appoint an administrator or guardian, which takes months and costs far more than the document would have. This is the single most common problem we see on the peninsula.
Where is my original will kept?
In our fireproof safe custody at no charge, with a copy provided to you and a note of where the original is held. We can also collect an original held by a firm you no longer deal with.
Someone has died — what do we do first?
Do not damage, unstaple or write on the original will. Locate it, get several certified copies of the death certificate, and call us before dealing with any asset. We handle probate and property transmissions on fixed fees agreed up front.
Prefer to talk it through first? Michael Klein's direct line is 0419 000 884.
Administering an estate after a death? The executor intake form captures what we need to tell you whether a grant is required and quote a fixed fee.
Talk to a local lawyer today
Call us, or send an enquiry and we'll come back to you with a fixed fee and clear next steps.