Sydney Wills and Estate Lawyers

There are a few ways to contest a Will in NSW:

You can submit a Family Provision Claim if you have received inadequate provision. 

If the court finds in your favour, it can vary the provisions or order the redistribution of the Estate. 

You may also contest the Will if the person died without making a Will. A person who dies without a Will is said to have died “intestate”.

A Will can also be challenged if it is found to be invalid.

The average cost to contest a Will is $0 if you hire Heckenberg Lawyers or Northern Beaches Lawyers. This is because we offer “No Win No Fee” for contested Wills. Our fees/costs are taken from the Estate.

Costs may vary depending on the nature of your claim. Please contact us for a free case assessment.

In NSW, the average cost to contest a will is about $5,000 to $10,000 if the matter stays out of court.

If the matter goes to court, the average cost to contest a will is about $20,000 – $100,000.

Most lawyers charge $300 to $850 per hour.

The average cost for a family provision claim in NSW that is finalised is about $30,000.

But, if you go to court, the cost can be more than $50,000.

Please contact us to learn more about the cost of contesting a Will in NSW.

Full article: Who can contest a Will in NSW

The following people are usually eligible to contest a Will in NSW:

• Spouse
• Defacto
• Child
• Former spouse
• A person who was wholly or partly dependent on the deceased person and was a grandchild or a member of the household.
• A person who was living in a close personal relationship with the deceased.

Did you know?

If you are a parent, sibling, step-child or former de-facto spouse, you are not considered to be an eligible person unless you are eligible under the category where you lived with the deceased and were dependent on the deceased.

We try to resolve each matter WITHOUT going to court by using alternative methods (e.g. negotiation and mediation). This can reduce your costs and stress.

However, we’ll advise you if going to court is a preferable option.

We offer No Win No Fee for contesting, challenging or disputing Wills.

Other services include a fee. Please contact us to learn more.

Our Sydney law firm are experts in:

• Estate Planning and Wills
• Will Disputes
• Probate

Do you have any of the following problems?

• I don’t have a Will and I want to protect my assets by making sure they are fairly distributed when I die.
• I have a Will and I would like to discuss an estate plan to make sure the value of my assets are protected.
• I have found out that I am an Executor to a Will. I’m not sure what to do.
• I am an executor to a Will and someone is disputing the Will. I need specialist help.
• Someone close to me has passed away and I have been left out of a Will. What can I do?

We have offices in Sydney and have recently moved our offices from Mona Val to Avalon Beach (Northern Beaches).

Find our office addresses here.

Our commitment to you is that we will:

• Listen to you.
• Advise and explain the relevant law.
• Keep you informed of significant issues in your case.
• Provide you with cost-effective, practical advice in plain English.
• Act in your best interests at all times. 
• Keep your affairs strictly confidential.
• We will not over-charge you, or waste your time or money.

You aren’t legally required to hire a lawyer to contest a Will in NSW.

But it can help you achieve a more favourable outcome. In other words, a larger share of the estate.

Hiring a lawyer can also save time, money and stress.

We prefer settling disputed estates out of court. This is usually better for our clients.

Please book a free case assessment here. We also offer No Win No Fee.

Graeme Heckenberg is a very experienced lawyer at contesting Wills in NSW.

Seeking the assistance of a specialist Probate Lawyer can help you navigate the process more efficiently.

Probate fees are regulated and we only charge in accordance with the scaled fees for obtaining the Grant of Probate.

You don’t need a lawyer to make a Will. But, it could be in your best interests to hire a lawyer for this service.

Why?

Many people look for the cheap option when it comes to making a Will.

They think their estate will be passed on according to their wishes as laid out in the Will.

The laws around Wills and Estates have changed and people are disputing Wills more frequently.

Obtaining the advice of an experienced Wills and Estate Planning lawyer can provide you the legal framework that ensures your estate is passed to your beneficiaries in the way you want.

It can also help avoid potential disputes and can transfer wealth between generations in a financially efficient and tax effective way.

Heckenberg Lawyers is a team of experienced lawyers who are focused on Wills, Estate Planning, Will Disputes and Probate. 

When you become a client you’re accessing the combined resources of all our lawyers without the cost of a big city law firm. 

You deal with a senior lawyer each time you speak with us about your matter. 

Our approach to your matter allows us to collaborate and determine the most effective strategy.