Deceased Estate Property Advice & Insights for Australian Families

After a death, the family home usually has to be cleared before it can be sold. For executors it is often the first practical task and a common flashpoint between beneficiaries. Advisers are asked the same questions again and again: what happens to everything in the house, how much will it cost, and how long will it take? This article sets out what to tell executors: what to do first, the main options, what drives cost, and how to reduce the risk of dispute. It is general inf

It is one of the first questions executors ask their solicitor, accountant or financial planner, and one of the hardest to answer with a number. The honest answer is that it depends on a handful of stages. Some run in parallel and some sit outside anyone's control. This article sets out those stages for advisers supporting executors in NSW, where time is typically lost, and what can be done in parallel to keep an estate moving. It is general information, not legal or tax advi

Capital gains tax on inherited property has never been simple. A draft ATO determination, TD 2026/D1, released in January 2026, takes a narrow view of one part of the main residence exemption for deceased estates. For accountants, solicitors and financial planners acting for executors and beneficiaries, it is worth understanding before the next client conversation about an inherited home. This article explains what the draft addresses, what it may mean in practice, and how ti

A bequest in a will is one of the most significant gifts a donor can make. But when that bequest involves real property such as a family home, a unit, a block of land, the path from receiving the gift to receiving the funds is rarely straightforward. Recent research from Gilbert + Tobin's Social Sector Spotlight (August 2026) estimates that approximately $40 million in charitable bequests are going unrealised or unclaimed each year in Australia. For organisations that depend

When a parent moves into aged care, it rarely feels like a planned event. More often, it follows a fall, a health scare, or the slow realisation that the house they've lived in for 30 years has quietly become too much to manage alone. Suddenly, you're making decisions you weren't prepared for. About their belongings, their finances, their home, all while also trying to support someone you love through one of the hardest transitions of their life. In my time working with famil

The first time I heard the phrase "Swedish death cleaning," I did the same thing most people do - I flinched! But after eleven years working with Australian families through some of the most emotionally complex property transitions imaginable. From deceased estates, executor responsibilities, parents moving to aged care, I've come to think it's one of the more honest and generous ideas I've encountered. Not morbid at all, as it turns out. Almost the opposite. This post is th

Selling a home or investment property is rarely ever straightforward. The process can take up a lot of your time, and add to your stress levels. If not done well, it can also end up costing you more money than it should. Vendors' advocates help people successfully sell their properties, offering an expert eye and the knowledge to guide you through the process. Here's what’s involved in selling a property, and how vendor advocacy can make it so much easier. The vendor process

Acting as an executor of a deceased estate is a significant responsibility. It involves legal, financial, and administrative duties, often during an emotionally difficult time.