Why do I need a lawyer to make my will?

An experienced will lawyer can help you draw a will that is valid and reduces the risk of family conflict following your death. Without the right legal guidance, home-made wills may be incomplete, open to challenge, or fail to meet legal requirements—often leading to costly complications later.

When writing a will, here’s why you should choose a will lawyer over making your own:

  • Wills are complex
    On paper, many wills appear straightforward. In reality, careful planning is needed behind the scenes to ensure everything is properly in place. We take into account asset structures—such as superannuation and jointly held property—which often fall outside the estate. We also review your family circumstances to identify any potential risks, including claims from eligible disappointed beneficiaries. Our team guides you through the key questions and helps you consider important matters you may not have thought about.

  • Asset protection

    If you seek a greater degree of asset protection, are concerned about a particular beneficiary’s ability to manage their inheritance or would like to tax effectively pass on the inheritance left to your heirs, we can discuss whether a testamentary trust is right for you.

  • We’ll get it done
    Let’s face it, you might never get around to writing your own will. It’s not easy to decide who get what or who should look after your kids if the worst happens. We’ll help you tackle the difficult decisions and get the all-important document done and dusted.

How much will it cost to have you help us with my estate planning?

This depends on your needs. At McManus & Co Lawyers, we offer fixed fees wherever possible. Before we begin any work, you’ll receive a tailored fixed fee proposal designed to provide value well beyond the cost. We prioritise transparency, so you’ll always know what to expect—no surprises at the end. Learn more about our fees.

How can I meet with your lawyers?

We believe in making it as easy as possible for you to meet with our team. For most matters, we can organise a video meeting, phone call or face-to-face meeting – whatever works for you. Sometimes, we will need to meet with you in person (for example, we may need to get some documents signed).

Who do you help?

We work with professionals and families at all stages of life, with a particular focus on those planning for the future or managing more complex personal and financial affairs. Many of our clients are approaching retirement or have established assets such as family trusts, SMSFs, and property portfolios. Others are busy professionals with young families looking to put essential legal protections in place.

Given our focus on wills, estates, and conveyancing, we provide clear, practical advice across these areas—whether the situation is simple or involves more sophisticated structures. Our goal is to make the legal process as straightforward as possible, applying our collective experience to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.

Why use conveyancing lawyers, not conveyancers for our house transfer?

The process of buying or selling a home isn’t always smooth sailing. Legal issues can, and do, arise – and what should have been a straightforward process suddenly isn’t. If you just went with a conveyancer, you might find yourself in a sticky situation. By law, conveyancers cannot give legal advice outside their scope of conveyancing.

Our conveyancing process is supervised by some pretty amazing lawyers. So if there’s ever a problem, you’ve got the right people on hand to get things back on track, fast.