Question 1

Are you an insured business and do you guarantee your work?

Accepted Answer

We are a member of NSW Law Society, our liability is limited by the Professional Standards Scheme and we are fully insured. We guarantee the quality of our work.

Question 2

How did you decide to get into your line of work?

Accepted Answer

I am passionate about helping people plan and structure their affairs through their Wills, Power of Attorney and Enduring Guardianships to make sure finances and lifestyle decisions can be settled without additional unnecessary trauma. Planning can be the greatest gift to your family – what can be very simple measures can make sure you and your family are protected if the unfortunate or unexpected happens.  When a family member passes away it can feel like a rug has been pulled out from under you. Life as you know it changes and grief can be a huge burden to deal with. I can help ease part of the weight by giving comfort in knowledge and guidance of what needs to be done and the how, why, where, when and who. It can be a scary time, especially if you have never had to deal with loss. The satisfaction I get from helping families get through to the other side is why I do what I do.

Question 3

What do you like most about your job?

Accepted Answer

My favourite part of my job is knowing that I have genuinely helped people and that I have made the experience a good one.

Question 4

What questions do customers commonly ask and how would you answer them?

Accepted Answer

Probate FAQ  Do I have to use the lawyer holding the Will in their safe custody? The executor gets to decide which lawyer (if any) they use to look after their loved one’s estate. We can assist you with arranging for the original last Will to be released. You don’t have to use the services of any lawyer, even if the Will names a particular lawyer to use.  How long does Probate take? Generally, from the time we receive your formal instructions to act in your loved one’s estate, we will be ready to have Probate documents for you to sign within about 6 weeks. Once signed, the Court’s turnaround time can be anywhere between 3 to 8 weeks depending on workloads. Rule of thumb, we’ll have obtained a Grant of Probate for you within 3 to 4 months of receiving instructions.  Where can I find my loved one’s last Will? Looking through your loved one’s paperwork and all the usual places they may have kept it in their home is a good starting point. Some banks have safe custody and it may be helpful to contact them to see if they may have used this service. If you think your loved one may have used NSW Trustee to prepare their Will, it’s a good idea to contact them. Lastly, doing a ring-around of law firms you suspect your loved one may have used or law firms in the local area to where your loved one lived may uncover the Will. We can help you with this.  I can’t find the original Will. What do I do? We may be able to help you find the original. If it can’t be located and we’ve exhausted all avenues, we can help you apply for a Grant of Probate of a copy of the Will. This is not a straightforward application but we’ll look after you.  Does an executor get paid? If the executor is also a beneficiary in the Will, the gift from the estate is taken to be their remuneration for services rendered. If an executor is a financial or legal professional and the Will says so, they can charge their usual fees for their services. If neither of the above is true, you can apply to the Court for an executor’s commission or seek the consent of all beneficiaries for a commission from the estate.  Who pays for legal fees to get Probate and look after a deceased estate? The estate itself. All legal fees and costs are paid or reimbursed from the estate before it is distributed. It is only in rare cases that you would need to pay for any fees from your own pocket.  How do I pay for the funeral? Funerals are a “priority” cost which banks will pay using monies from your loved one’s account, even when those accounts are frozen. You will need to take the funeral invoice and the Medical Cause of Death Certificate (the informal doctor’s certificate) to your loved one’s bank when requesting they arrange payment. We can help you with this. Quick tip: banks will rarely reimburse you for paying for funeral or estate expenses so it is best to ask for the bank to make direct payment.  How do I pay for the Probate filing fee? Most banks will release monies to pay for the filing fee in applying for Probate or Letters of Administration. We can assist you in arranging release of funds from your loved one’s bank for this purpose.  How do I sign Probate papers? If you are local, we will travel to your home or office and arrange signature. If not local, we will send documents to you by registered mail with clear guides of where to sign. You will need to arrange for a Justice of the Peace (JP) to witness your signature. JPs in NSW in your local area can be found here: https://www.jp.nsw.gov.au/findajp  I have paid bills for the estate, can I get reimbursed? Yes, estate expenses can get reimbursed once monies are available after Probate is granted. Make sure to hold on to the tax invoices and receipts of payment.

Question 5

Why should a customer hire you over another service provider?

Accepted Answer

I founded Copeland Estates Legal to provide client-focused legal assistance where client satisfaction comes first. I believe clear communication of practical and effective legal solutions is of utmost important. I ensure that clients come away with a clear understanding of what steps need to be taken and what options are available to satisfy their goals.  We also provide fixed fee transparent pricing with an estimate of legal cost provided at the outset. Our website has blackboard pricing confirming how much we charge for our most popular legal offerings: https://copelandlegal.com.au/wills-and-estates-costs/

Question 6

What are the typical things that you need to know before you can provide a quote to a customer?

Accepted Answer

If you need assistance with a deceased estate, providing a copy of your loved one's Will and a list of all assets (e.g. accounts/investments/insurances/property/mortality benefits/etc) along with the estimated value of each asset will give us enough information to provide you a fixed fee estimate of cost.  If you would like a quote for Wills and estate planning, have a look at our blackboard pricing: https://copelandlegal.com.au/nsw-estate-planning-costs/

Question 7

Are there any special offers you would like to offer to Oneflare customers?

Accepted Answer

We offer 15% discounts on basic Wills if you have a Seniors Card or if you benefit a registered charity in your Will.

Question 8

What makes your pricing competitive?

Accepted Answer

We are an online firm and don't carry the overhead costs of traditional brick and mortar law firms so we can offer competitively priced legals without compromising on the quality and the value received by clients.

Question 9

How do you normally charge for your service?

Accepted Answer

We offer fixed fee costs with transparent blackboard pricing available on our website for our most popular offerings: https://copelandlegal.com.au/wills-and-estates-costs/ You will know what costs you will be up for before taking the first step getting your legals sorted. We don't believe in nasty surprises.

Question 10

Is there a particular aspect of your trade or industry that you specialise in?

Accepted Answer

We are experts in all aspects of Deceased Estates, Succession Planning, Estate Planning and Elder Law. While many traditional law firms offer these areas as an additional service, this is our area of expertise and we provide the benefit of our years of experience, skill and practical know-how to best protect you and your family in making sure your unique family dynamics, assets and circumstances are all taken into consideration in getting the right documents in place.

Question 11

What experience, skills, qualifications or training do you have to make you the right person for the job?

Accepted Answer

2008 - Admission to Supreme Court of NSW 2008 - Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (College of Law) 2008 - Bachelor of Laws (UNE) 2008 - Bachelor of Economics (UNE) 2008 - Recipient of NSW Bar Association Ethics Prize 2009 - Admission to High Court of Australia 2011 - Australian Financial Services License accreditation  I have practised almost exclusively in Deceased Estate and Estate Planning law for the entirety of my legal career and have helped hundreds of clients achieve their goals in succession planning, protecting against claims, defending claims against deceased estates and looking after the deceased estates of loved ones after their passing including applying for and obtaining Probate and administering and distributing estates effectively and efficiently.

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Browse wills, probate and estate law experts by suburb

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How did you decide to get into your line of work?

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Copeland Estates Legal