Why Do You Need a Will as a Permanent Resident, Citizen or Foreign Investor in Australia?

June 27, 2025

Why Do You Need a Will as a Permanent Resident, Citizen or Foreign Investor in Australia? If you are a permanent resident, new Australian citizen or foreign investor living in Australia, chances are you have built wealth, acquired property and established family or business ties here. However, without a valid and well-structured Will in place, […]

Why Do You Need a Will as a Permanent Resident, Citizen or Foreign Investor in Australia?

If you are a permanent resident, new Australian citizen or foreign investor living in Australia, chances are you have built wealth, acquired property and established family or business ties here. However, without a valid and well-structured Will in place, your assets could face significant risks upon your passing.

5 Key Risks of Not Having a Proper Will

1. You Lose Control Over Who Inherits Your Assets

If you pass away without a valid Will:

Your children or family members cannot simply access or manage your assets after your passing — they must apply for Letters of Administration to the Supreme Court of South Australia which could be more complex, time-consuming, and costly than it needs to be.
Your Australian assets — including your home, bank accounts, superannuation, or business interests — will be distributed according to South Australian intestacy laws, which may not reflect your wishes.
People you care about, such as an unmarried partner or stepchildren could be left with nothing — while others you didn’t intend to benefit may receive a share from your estate.

2. DIY or Off-the-Shelf Wills (Online/Post Office Will Kits) Can Create Serious Gaps

Homemade Wills or Will Kits from the internet or post office often fail to consider key estate planning issues, particularly for:

Foreign-held assets, beneficiaries overseas and contingency planning.
Tax and superannuation strategies.
Your business interests.
Minor children, people with disabilities or financially vulnerable dependents.
Blended families or international family structures.

A poorly drafted Will can be as bad as no will, which can lead to an endless list of problems, such as:

Unexpected Tax Consequences or other liabilities.
Family disputes & expensive Court proceedings, claims against the estate by excluded or disappointed beneficiaries.
Significant delays in finalising the estate, as your beneficiaries may be unable to access their entitlements until disputes are resolved — a process that can potentially take years.

3. Unexpected Tax, Legal and Other Costs Can Erode What Your Beneficiaries Receive

As a permanent resident, dual-national or a foreigner, your estate may have complex tax implications after your passing, especially if you own assets in multiple countries. In general, your estate assets may be exposed to:

Unexpected Capital Gains Tax (CGT) liabilities, including loss of access to available exemptions.
Taxes on superannuation death benefits.
Stamp duty and other property transfer costs.
Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) related fees, where Australian property is inherited by foreign beneficiaries. For instance, a foreign beneficiary inheriting a $1 million Australian real property may be required to pay FIRB application fees starting from $44,100, significantly reducing the value of their inheritance — a cost that could have been planned for and appropriately advised upon during the estate planning process.

4. Business Disruption Without a Succession Plan

If you run or own a business:

Your death without a proper succession plan may disrupt operations, affect staff and clients, or result in a forced sale.
Your beneficiaries may inherit a business they cannot manage, or one entangled in legal or financial uncertainty.

A Will that works alongside your shareholder agreements, partnership deeds or trust arrangements helps keep the business running and protects its value.

5. Failure to Consider International Assets, Cross-Border Planning and Compliance with Australian Law

If you hold assets in multiple countries, it’s essential that your Australian Will:

Coordinates with Wills or estate plans in other jurisdictions.
Complies with Australian legal formalities.
Is structured to allow smooth administration across borders.

Whereas:

Poorly coordinated estate plans could result in delays, conflicts between jurisdictions, double taxation or assets being frozen due to administrative inconsistencies.
An overseas Will may not be valid or effective in Australia. Without a locally compliant Will, your estate and your beneficiaries could face legal uncertainty. A properly drafted Australian Will reduces legal and administrative risks for your loved ones, ensures enforceability, and streamlines cross-border estate administration.

Plan Now to Protect Your Future and That of Your Loved Ones

Planning ahead means peace of mind. A properly prepared Will is one of the most important legal documents you can have.

For clients with relatively straightforward family circumstances, a well-drafted Will can sometimes remain effective and cover your wishes for many years — even decades or more — without requiring amendment, offering enduring protection for your loved ones.
Don’t put it off with excuses like “it’s too early” or “I’ll sort it out later.” Too often, people pass unexpectedly without a plan in place, leaving behind unnecessary stress and complications for their families.

Need help getting your Will in place?

We regularly assist permanent residents, citizens and investors with Australian estate planning, cross-border compatible Wills and tailored legal advice.

To arrange a consultation with Lawyer Nicholas Wang, please contact our office at (08) 8415 5000 or email lawyers@adelta.com.au, addressed to Nicholas. Nicholas is fluent in Chinese (Mandarin) and can provide legal advice to Chinese (Mandarin) speaking clients in their own language.

Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is general in nature and is not intended to constitute legal advice. Individual circumstances vary and legal advice should be sought specific to your situation. For tailored advice, please contact our office to book an appointment.

为什么作为澳大利亚的永久居民、公民或海外投资者，您需要立一份遗嘱？

如果您是澳大利亚的永久居民、新获得澳籍的公民，或是在澳定居的海外投资者，您很可能已经在这里积累了财富、购置了房产，并建立了家庭或商业关系。然而，如果没有一份合法且结构合理的遗嘱，您去世后留下的资产可能面临重大的法律和经济风险。

没有妥善遗嘱的五大风险

1. 失去对遗产分配的掌控权
如果在没有有效遗嘱的情况下去世：

您的子女或亲属无法直接继承或管理您的遗产，而必须向南澳大利亚最高法院申请遗产管理书（Letters of Administration），这一程序往往更复杂、耗时且费用更高；
您在澳大利亚的资产——包括住宅、银行账户、养老金或商业权益——将根据南澳无遗嘱继承法进行分配，可能与您的真实意愿不符；
您在意的人（例如未婚伴侣或继子女）可能被完全排除在继承范围之外，而不在您打算受益之列的人反而可能获得遗产份额。

2. DIY 遗嘱或网上/邮局模板遗嘱存在重大漏洞
通过互联网或邮局购买的遗嘱套件，以及自行撰写的“简易遗嘱”，往往忽略许多关键的遗产规划问题，特别是在以下方面：

境外资产的处置、海外受益人安排及应急规划；
税务处理与养老金策略；
商业权益，生意的承继；
未成年子女、身心障碍人士或经济上易受影响的家庭成员；
重组家庭或涉外家族结构。

一份草率或结构不当的遗嘱可能带来的后果，与完全没有遗嘱一样严重，甚至更糟，可能引发一连串问题，例如：

意料之外的税务负担或法律责任；
家庭成员之间的纠纷及高昂的诉讼费用，甚至被排除或感到失望的潜在继承人提出家庭继承权益申请索赔；
遗产分配被严重拖延，直至纠纷解决，继承人才能获得应得遗产份额——这一过程可能耗时多年。

3. 意外的税费和法律成本将侵蚀受益人的继承利益
对于永久居民、双重国籍人士或外国投资者来说，若在多个国家持有资产，身故后其遗产常常涉及复杂的税务问题，例如：

意外产生的资本利得税（CGT）责任，包括失去某些原本可享的税务豁免；
关于养老金死亡福利的税项；
印花税和房产转让的其他成本；
若外国人继承澳洲房产，需向支付澳洲外国投资审查委员会（FIRB）相关的费用。例如，外国受益人若继承价值100万澳元的不动产，其 FIRB 申请费起步为 $44,100，这将显著降低其实际继承价值。而通过合理的生前规划，本可预见并妥善处理这一成本。

4. 缺乏企业继承安排可能导致业务中断
如果您拥有或经营企业：

若无合适的继任计划，一旦去世，企业运营可能受到影响，员工与客户关系中断，甚至导致被迫出售；
您的继承人可能无力管理企业，或因法律、财务结构不清而陷入困境。

一份与股东协议、合伙契约或信托安排协同运作的遗嘱，有助于确保企业顺利运营，维护其长期价值。

5. 忽视国际资产、跨境规划及澳洲法律合规要求的风险
如果您在多个国家拥有资产，您的澳洲遗嘱应当：

与其他司法辖区的遗嘱或遗产计划相协调；
满足澳洲当地法律的形式要件；
合理规划以确保跨境遗产管理的顺畅。

否则，可能带来以下问题：

司法冲突、延误、双重征税，或因程序不一致而导致资产被冻结；
海外遗嘱在澳洲可能无效或无法执行；
一份符合澳大利亚法律的、结构完善的本地遗嘱，可以降低这些法律与行政风险，确保遗产按您的意愿得到执行，并使跨境资产的处理更为顺利。

趁早规划，守护自己与家人的未来

提前立下合法遗嘱，能带来真正的安心。

对于家庭结构较为简单的客户而言，一份结构得当的遗嘱，往往可持续多年甚至数十年无需修改，持续有效地保障家人利益；

不要再找借口推迟，例如“还太早”或“以后再办”。现实中，意外往往毫无预警，没有规划的家庭成员因此承受巨大的压力和复杂的法律后果。

需要协助制定遗嘱？

我们长期为澳洲永久居民, 澳籍的公民及海外投资者提供本地及跨境遗产规划服务，制定具备法律效力完备的遗嘱，并提供量身定制的澳洲专业法律建议。

若您希望预约王律师（Nicholas Wang）进行法律咨询，请致电我们办公室
(08) 8415 5000，或发送电子邮件至 lawyers@adelta.com.au，并请注明收件人为 Nicholas。Nicholas 精通中文（普通话），可以用客户熟悉的语言为讲中文的客户提供法律建议。

免责声明
本文所载信息为一般性法律资讯，不构成法律建议。由于每个人的情况各不相同，请根据自身情况咨询专业律师。如需个性化建议，请与我们联系以预约会面。

Nicholas Wang

Solicitor

e: nwang@adelta.com.au
p: (08) 8415 5026

Solicitor

LL.B., B.Acc., GDLP

Nicholas serves as a thoughtful and diligent member of our Wills and Estate Advice Team.

Nicholas is committed to maintaining high legal standards while providing cost-effective legal services to clients. His approach ensures he addresses clients’ legal needs with precision, warmth, thorough care and a profound understanding of their unique circumstances. His distinctive skill set, diverse background, including proficiency in Mandarin and dedication to delivering client-centric legal services have made him a trusted advocate for our clients.

Nicholas assists our clients with:

estate planning, drafting of both simple and complex wills, preparation of powers of attorney and advanced care directives;
estate administration, including complex grants of probate or letters of administration; and
commercial transactions, property and conveyancing matters.

Nicholas has embarked on a legal journey grounded in a solid educational background and a dedication to striving for excellence. He successfully completed an Advanced Diploma of Conveyancing while simultaneously pursuing his Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP), allowing him to develop a unique skill set that has proven valuable in his practice, particularly in the realm of property transactions.

Outside of his professional endeavours, Nicholas has a deep passion for photography. With a keen eye for capturing moments, he applies the same attention to detail and precision to his legal work. This perspective allows him to appreciate life’s intricacies and nuances, whether dissecting complex legal documents or framing a perfect shot.

Contact Nicholas Wang

e: nwang@adelta.com.au

p: (08) 8415 5026

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