Your will, made properly and kept safe.
Wills and estates on Summer Street, Orange. And when someone has died, a quieter way in.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Home, hospital and aged-care visits by arrangement.
Making a will, and what it costs
Most wills we write are standard: one person, a clear idea of who gets what, and an executor or two. That has a fixed fee.
Standard single will
$550including GST, for one person’s standard will
- A meeting with Peter or Ruth, here, by phone or by video
- A draft to read at home, and one round of changes
- Signing with us, so it’s done properly
- Your original kept in safe custody here at no charge, with a copy and a receipt for you
More than a standard will? We send a written quote before any work starts.
More involved? A written quote first.
Some plans need more time. We’ll tell you why and send a written quote before any work starts. For example:
- A blended family
- A business or a farm
- A testamentary trust
- Wills for a couple, with documents to match
Usually alongside a will
In NSW these are two separate documents, and neither is part of your will. We can prepare them with your will, as a package quoted in writing.
Enduring power of attorneySomeone you trust to look after your money and property if you can’t.
Appointment of enduring guardianSomeone you trust to make health and lifestyle decisions for you if you can’t.
Your super doesn’t automatically follow your willSuper isn’t automatically part of your estate. Your fund pays it, and any nomination you’ve made with them matters. Bring your fund’s details and we’ll go through it with you.
Updating the will you have
Worth a look when life changes. Bring your current will, or tell us if we already hold the original and we’ll have it ready.
- A marriage or a separation
- A new grandchild
- Selling a business or the farm
- An executor who has died or moved away
A new standard will is $550 including GST. If your changes need more than that, we’ll quote first.
Booking for Mum or Dad?
You’re welcome to. Plenty of first calls come from a son, a daughter or a neighbour.
Family can make the booking. Peter talks with the will-maker on their own.
The instructions for a will have to come from the person making it, so for that part of the meeting it’s just the two of them. Family are welcome to come along, wait in the front room and help with the paperwork afterwards.
- Home, hospital and aged-care visitsBy arrangement in Orange and nearby towns, including Millthorpe, Blayney, Molong, Canowindra and Manildra. We confirm any visit fee when you book.
- An interpreter, if it helpsWe book a professional interpreter rather than ask a relative to interpret. Tell us the language when you call.
- Phone and video appointmentsGood for a first talk or for family further away. Signing is done in person, here or on a visit.
Your first appointment
About an hour, at our table on Summer Street or wherever suits you. You don’t need to have it all worked out.
What to bring
- Your current will, if you have one
- A rough list of what you own and owe. No exact figures needed
- Names of the people you’d like to include, and who you’d trust as executor
- Your super fund’s details
- Photo ID
Forgot something? It can come later. Nothing about your family or money needs to go in a web form.
You call or book
Joan checks we can act for you. She only needs names for that.
The meeting
Peter or Ruth asks about your family, your property and your wishes, then explains your options.
A draft to read at home
Take your time with it. One round of changes is included.
Signing, then safe custody
You sign with us. The original goes into its packet in our strongroom and you take home a copy and a receipt.
When someone has died
You don’t need to do everything at once, and you don’t need to read all of this now. These are the first things, roughly in order. Call when you’re ready.
When you’d like our help, we read the will and look at the estate first, then quote in writing.
- First
Find the original will
If we made the will, we very likely hold the original. There’s no public register of wills in NSW, so otherwise look through their papers and ask the solicitor they used. How to ask us for an original
- Then
Work out whether a grant is needed
A grant of probate isn’t needed in every estate. If everything was owned jointly as joint tenants, it usually passes to the survivor without one. Real estate in the person’s sole name, or held as tenants in common, usually needs one. The Supreme Court of NSW explains this, and lists its current processing times.
- Alongside
Contact their super fund separately
Super isn’t automatically part of the estate. The fund decides who it’s paid to, so it’s a conversation of its own.
- When you’re ready
Talk it through with Peter
Getting a grant and administering the estate (collecting assets, paying debts, sharing out what’s left) are different jobs. If there’s no will, or no executor able to act, it’s letters of administration instead. We read the will and look at the estate first, then send a written quote. Court and other outside costs are listed separately.
A first conversation about an estate costs nothing. Up to 30 minutes, by phone or here, with no obligation to go further.
Bring the will, or tell us where it is, and a copy of the death certificate when you have it.
The original will
When we make your will, the signed original stays with us in safe custody: a sealed packet in our strongroom, under your name. You keep a copy and a receipt.
- If you made the willCall or come in with photo ID and we’ll take it out for you. Updating it? We bring it to the appointment.
- If you’re an executorCall Joan. We’ll ask for a copy of the death certificate and your ID, check you’re named as executor, then arrange to release the original to you.
- If you’re not sure who holds itNSW has no public register of wills. Ask us, look through the person’s papers, and ask any solicitor they used.
When there’s a disagreement about a will
We act for people making a claim on an estate, and for executors responding to one. Every family and estate is different, so we won’t guess at an outcome.
Time limits apply, so ask early. In NSW, family provision claims are generally made within 12 months of the death. The court can extend that, but don’t rely on it.
Who you’ll see
Peter Hollis
Principal Solicitor
Peter runs the firm and sees most will clients himself, including the home and hospital visits. He also handles probate and estate administration for executors.
Peter and Ruth hold current practising certificates. Check us on the Law Society of NSW register.
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Ruth Ferrier
Solicitor
Ruth prepares wills, powers of attorney and enduring guardian appointments, and works on estate disputes with Peter. She takes many of the video appointments.
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Joan Pettit
Client Services Coordinator
Joan answers the phone, books appointments and visits, and looks after the strongroom. She isn’t a lawyer, so she won’t give legal advice, but she’ll find you someone who can.
Questions people ask
Do I need more than a will?
A will only works after you die. An enduring power of attorney and an appointment of enduring guardian cover the time before that, if you can’t make decisions yourself. In NSW they’re separate documents, and we’ll tell you whether they make sense for you.
What if there’s no will?
The estate is still dealt with, usually through letters of administration rather than probate. Who can apply and who receives what depends on the family. Call us and we’ll explain how it applies to yours.
Can I change my will later?
Yes, as often as you need to. Please don’t write on the original. Bring it in, or let us take it out of safe custody, and we’ll make the change properly.
Will legal aid pay for this?
Legal Aid NSW generally doesn’t fund wills or probate. NSW Trustee and Guardian makes wills at no charge for some people on a full Age Pension, so it’s worth checking if that’s you. We work on the private fees on this page.
Finding us
- Address
- 112 Summer Street
Orange NSW 2800 - Phone
- (02) 5550 0647
- Hours
- Monday9am to 5pmTuesday9am to 5pmWednesday9am to 5pmThursday9am to 5pmFriday9am to 5pmSaturdayClosedSundayClosed