What happens if I don’t have a will?

What happens if you die without a will in Australia?

If you die without a will, you die intestate. Being intestate means that the laws of the state or territory you live in will decide how your assets are managed and distributed. Your assets are your property including belongings that have value like a house, car and bank accounts.

Not having a Will means

• You don’t have a say about who will benefit from your estate. This can mean your assets are shared with relatives you don’t want to benefit.
• You don’t have a say about who manages and makes final decisions about your estate.
• Your estate may take longer to settle (more than 12 months)
• The cost to settle your estate may be higher than if you had a will