Little Estate Lawyers

Little Estate Lawyers Queensland Law firm focused solely on Wills, Estate Planning and Administration, Succession Planning, and Estate Disputes and Litigation.

Recommended by "Doyles Guide" and an accredited member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) Urgent matters outside standard business hours, call 1300 323 313.

09/05/2026

What is Probate? And is it required for every Estate? 📋

Great question - and one we get asked a lot.

A Grant of Probate is an official document issued by the Supreme Court of Queensland that:

✅ Recognises the deceased's Will is their last and final Will

✅ Officially appoints the Executor to administer the Estate

Is it required for every Estate?

Not always - but here's the reality:

Without a Grant of Probate, getting even basic information from suppliers and government services can be incredibly difficult.

For example:
🔹 The ATO will only provide very basic information without one
🔹 Financial institutions and government agencies often won't engage properly without it
🔹 It can slow down the entire administration process significantly

The bottom line:

Whether Probate is required depends on the specific Estate you're administering.

It's something to seek legal advice about early in the process - so you know exactly where you stand.

Not sure whether you need a Grant of Probate for the Estate you're administering?

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation

💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website

📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

05/05/2026

What happens if you can't find the Will? 🔍

It's more common than you'd think - and there's a process to follow.

First - search diligently:

✅ Check with the deceased's bank.
✅ Search personal documentation and filing.
✅ Check electronic devices and online accounts including emails.
✅ Look for anything informal - voice memos, phone notes, or recorded wishes.

If needed, you can go further:
✅ Contact the Lost Will Register - for a fee, they'll circulate the deceased's particulars to their database to check if anyone is holding a Will in safe custody.
✅ Write to local Estate law firms and general practices near the deceased's residential address - sometimes people simply had their Will prepared locally and never told anyone.

If a Will genuinely cannot be located:

You'll need to apply to the Court for a Grant of Letters of Administration on Intestacy - which means the person has passed away without a Will in place.

An Administrator is then appointed to manage and finalise the Estate.

It's a process - but it's manageable with the right legal guidance.

Can't locate a loved one's Will and not sure what to do next?

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

30/04/2026

Introducing Wine & Wisdom 🍷✨

Some of life's most important conversations are the ones we put off.

Wine & Wisdom is our brand new Podcast and YouTube Show - and let's just say our first attempt at getting started didn't exactly go to plan... 😂

Watch to see how Danielle and her first guest Anthony Brown from Fintego Advisory kicked things off. We promise it gets better from here!

What is Wine & Wisdom?

A relaxed conversation between Wills and Estates Lawyer Danielle Little and a rotating cast of trusted experts - Family Lawyers, Financial Planners, Counsellors, and more.

Together they unpack the topics most of us avoid:

🍷 Wills and succession planning
🍷 Separation and family legacy
🍷 Personal and business risk management
🍷 Honest, real conversations - always over a glass

Pour one and pull up a chair. 🪑

Our first full episode with Anthony covers personal insurance, financial risk, and protecting your family when the unexpected happens - available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

29/04/2026

"Do I need a lawyer for Estate Administration? Or can I handle it myself?" 🤔

It's a fair question -and the frank answer is: it depends on the Estate.

Estate Administration does require legal advice at various points throughout the process.

But that doesn't mean a lawyer needs to do everything.

An Estates lawyer can help you understand:

✅ Which parts of the process you can manage yourself to save costs for the Estate

✅ Which aspects genuinely need professional legal management

✅ What your obligations are as Executor or Estate Administrator

Something Executors often don't realise:

An Executor can be held personally liable if an Estate has been administered improperly and beneficiaries haven't had their interests properly protected.

That's a significant personal risk - and one that's easily managed by having the right professional guidance in place from the start.

Think of engaging an Estates lawyer not as an added cost - but as protecting yourself while ensuring the beneficiaries receive everything they're entitled to.

Need guidance on administering an Estate?

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

27/04/2026

What is the first thing you should do when a loved one passes away? 💙

First and foremost - look after yourself.
Spend time with family and your trusted support network. Lean on the people around you.

And if you need additional support, grief counsellors and support services are available to help guide you through one of life's most difficult times.

There is no rush. Give yourself the time and space you need.

Once funeral arrangements and services have been taken care of, and when you feel ready - that's a good time to seek guidance from a Wills and Estates lawyer.

Here's how that can help:

The administration of an Estate can feel completely overwhelming when you're already grieving.

An Estates lawyer can help you understand:

✅ What needs attention fairly quickly
✅ What can wait until later
✅ How to prioritise without feeling overwhelmed

You don't have to navigate this alone - and you don't have to figure out what needs doing first. That's what we're here for.

If you're currently dealing with the loss of a loved one and need gentle guidance on next steps, we're here to help.
📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

A nice bit of news to share - Danielle has been recognised in the 2027 Australian Best Lawyers list for Trusts and Estat...
26/04/2026

A nice bit of news to share - Danielle has been recognised in the 2027 Australian Best Lawyers list for Trusts and Estates. 🌿

It's a peer-reviewed recognition - other lawyers nominate and vote - and the methodology has been running the same way for more than 40 years.

As a boutique firm, finding Danielle's name listed alongside the big end of town is a quiet kind of win we're proud of.

No marketing machine, no PR team - just years of careful work and a network of colleagues, referrers and clients who've been kind enough to back her along the way.

Thank you to everyone who's been part of the journey. This one belongs to all of you too. 🙏

22/04/2026

New Series Incoming: Estate Administration 📋

If you've been following our Reels, you'll have noticed we've covered a lot of ground in Estate Planning - getting your Wills, Powers of Attorney, and all the documentation that forms a comprehensive Estate Plan sorted.

We hope that content has been valuable. 💙

Now we're transitioning into something a little different - but equally important.

Introducing our Estate Administration series.

Because here's the reality: many of you watching will either be:
👉 Already nominated as an Executor in someone's Will
👉 Currently dealing with the administration of a loved one's Estate right now

We understand that administering an Estate happens during one of the most difficult and emotional times in your life.

Our next series is designed to guide you through what needs to happen, and when.

We hope you find it just as helpful.

Thank you so much for watching and supporting our content so far - it means a great deal to the whole team at Little Estate Lawyers.

Stay tuned. 🎬

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

18/04/2026

What is a Mutual Will Agreement? 📋

In blended family situations, couples often do their Estate planning together.

The typical arrangement:
✅ Look after the surviving spouse if one passes away
✅ Once both have passed, all children across the blended family are catered for

Sounds straightforward - but here's the risk:

What stops the surviving spouse from later changing their Will in a way that disadvantages the children from the original plan?

That's where a Mutual Will Agreement comes in.

Think of it as a contract that sits alongside your Wills - placing restrictions around any amendments or changes the surviving spouse can make to their Will after the first partner passes.

It ensures that nobody who was catered for under the original Estate plan can be disadvantaged by future changes.

For blended families especially, this is a powerful protection mechanism that ensures everyone's interests remain protected - even after one partner is gone.

Want to understand whether a Mutual Will Agreement is right for your situation?

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

15/04/2026

What is a Statutory Will? And when might you need one? 📋

A Statutory Will is a Will made BY THE COURT on behalf of someone who doesn't have capacity to make a Will themselves.

It's a niche Estate planning tool most people have never heard of - but it's incredibly valuable in specific situations.

Consider these example situations:

1. Minors with significant assets

If a minor receives a compensation payout or lump sum, they can't make a Will themselves but they should have Estate planning measures in place. Someone can apply to the Court on their behalf to have a Statutory Will made to protect those assets.

2. Loss of capacity during major life changes

An aged couple divorces, but one spouse has already lost capacity. A Statutory Will can be created to accurately reflect their current life status - ensuring their divorced partner doesn't inherit their Estate just because a prior Will couldn't be updated.

The bottom line:

When life circumstances change but someone lacks capacity to update their Will, a Statutory Will ensures their Estate reflects reality, not outdated documents.

It can be complex and does involve the Court, so specialist legal expertise should be sought on the best way forward.

Need advice about a Statutory Will situation?
📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

11/04/2026

Estate Planning - It's for young people too! 💼

What's hot in Estate planning right now?

Young people getting their life admin in order.

Estate planning isn't just for elderly people - and we're seeing a lot more young people coming through the door for Estate planning services.

Why the shift?

Younger generations are approaching life planning more actively and comprehensively than previous generations.

But there's another factor:

Young people today are more entrepreneurial.

They're starting online businesses, service businesses, side hustles - and they're acquiring significant wealth much earlier in their lives than older generations did.

They're conscious of making sure all their life admin is comprehensive and complete - including Estate planning, Powers of Attorney, and business succession.

If you're building wealth in your 20s, 30s, or 40s then you need an Estate plan now, not "when you're old."

Protect what you're building while you're building it.

This reel is from our full length Asset Protection Seminar which you can view on YouTube.

Ready to get your planning sorted - regardless of your age?

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

09/04/2026

Estate Litigation: Family Provision Claims - What 3 things must be substantiated? ⚖️

If someone wants to make a claim on a Queensland Estate, they must establish THREE things:

1. ELIGIBLE PERSON STATUS
They must be legally eligible to make a claim on a QLD Estate in the first place (spouse, child, or defined dependent).

2. FINANCIAL NEED
They need to demonstrate they have financial need that requires being provided for with MORE than they've been left in the Will.

3. RELATIONSHIP
They must prove they had a relationship with the deceased that makes their need warranted to be paid and provided for.

But here's where it gets complex:

What about estrangement?

If a child wants to claim on their parent's Estate but hasn't spoken to them in 15 years - that estrangement is taken into consideration.

The Court considers this even if they've established financial need and ponders "Should that need be DISCOUNTED because they were at fault for the estrangement?"

The circumstances matter.

Who caused the breakdown?
What efforts were made to reconcile? Was the estrangement justified?

Defending or pursuing Estate claims requires deep expertise in succession law, family dynamics, and litigation strategy.

This is our area. Estate disputes, defences, and litigation - it's what we do best.

This clip is from our Asset Protection Seminar recorded live at The United Service Club.

Dealing with an Estate claim or dispute?

📞 Call us on 1300 323 313 to book a consultation
💻 Book a consultation anytime online through our website
📍 Come and see us at our Office - Watkins Medical Centre - Level 6, 225 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD, 4000

Address

Brisbane, QLD

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+611300323313

Website

https://www.instagram.com/littlelawyers/?hl=en, https://www.youtube.com/@LittleEstateL

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