Written by Christopher Hall, AdvDipFP | Authorised Representative, AFSL 526688 | May 2026 A disability trust is a legal structure that holds and manages assets for the benefit of a person with a qualifying disability, intellectual impairment, or — in some circumstances — a substance addiction. The structure allows an inheritance or insurance payout to be transferred to a vulnerable beneficiary without immediately reducing their eligibility for government support, including ND

Written by Christopher Hall, AdvDipFP | Authorised Representative, AFSL 526688 | May 2026 Succession planning and estate planning are not the same conversation — though most Australians treat them as one. Estate planning covers the legal instruments that govern how assets are distributed after death: the will, powers of attorney, and guardianship arrangements. Succession planning is broader, and begins while people are still alive: how wealth is structured, who owns what, how

Written by Christopher Hall, AdvDipFP | Authorised Representative, AFSL 526688 | May 2026 The reason approximately 70% of widows leave their financial adviser within 12 months of their spouse's death (Holmes, 2026) is structural rather than personal: most adviser relationships are built primarily around the husband as the primary financial decision-maker, leaving the surviving spouse without an established relationship to fall back on at the moment it matters most. Investment