Crest Lawyers

27/05/2026

Good lunch with the team today — and great hearing all about Mia’s recent European holiday adventures. Always good to step away from the office for a couple of hours, catch up properly, and share a few stories outside of work. 🍽️✈️

20/05/2026

There has been a lot of concern following the recent Budget announcements around CGT, trusts and business structures.

Many small business owners are asking whether they should immediately restructure.

The reality is that good structuring decisions should be made strategically — not emotionally.

The proposed changes are still proposals. The legislation has not yet been finalised, and in many cases existing rollover relief and small business concessions may still provide flexibility.

A restructure impacts far more than tax:
• asset protection;
• succession planning;
• finance arrangements;
• payroll tax;
• stamp duty; and
• commercial risk.

Before making major changes, business owners should focus on understanding their current structure, identifying weaknesses and planning carefully.

Calm, informed decision-making will almost always outperform reactive restructuring.

If you want to discuss the changes and your options, please make an appointment to talk with us at crestlaw.com.au/book-an-appointment

The recent Federal Budget announcements around capital gains tax, discretionary trusts and investment structures have triggered a wave of concern across the

18/05/2026

Most parents don’t set up Wills incorporating testamentary trusts to save tax. Most don’t even know about the possibility.

They set them up to protect their children.

Testamentary trusts are commonly used to help protect inheritances from:
• divorce and family law disputes
• bankruptcy and creditors
• addiction and gambling
• vulnerable relationships
• poor financial decisions
• beneficiaries inheriting too young

For many Australian families, these structures are not tax vehicles, but long-term asset protection and succession planning tools.

The proposed changes to testamentary trust taxation are therefore causing concern for many families and estate planning practitioners. At this stage, the full detail of the changes is still unknown and further information is expected soon.

While it is too early to determine exactly how any legislative changes may operate, these developments highlight the importance of regularly reviewing your estate planning arrangements to ensure they continue to achieve your intended outcomes.

As further details become available over the coming months, clients may wish to consider reviewing their existing Wills and estate planning structures.

If you currently have a Will containing a testamentary trust, or would like advice about whether such a structure may still be appropriate for your circumstances, we encourage you to contact our office.

Contact Crest Lawyers to review your Will or discuss whether your current estate plan still achieves the protection intended for your beneficiaries.

16/05/2026

A team catch-up over the weekend 🌴

Our Solicitor Ken recently caught up with Senior Associate Jacob, who works remotely as part of the Crest Lawyers team.

It’s a great to see the team enjoying themselves outside of work!

And in another coincidence, Jacob will be working from our Gold Coast office over the next couple of weeks, so clients and colleagues will have the opportunity to see him in person.

14/05/2026

This Federal Budget may prove to be one of the most consequential in decades.

The proposed changes have potentially significant implications for:
• Trust structures
• Small business owners
• Property investors
• Family groups
• Anyone holding CGT assets

Importantly, much of the detail is still to come.

The legislation expected over the next few months will ultimately determine the true scope and operation of these reforms — but the direction of travel is already clear. There are real and significant risks for taxpayers, investors, and business owners who fail to review their structures and plan early.

For many Australians, this is not simply another Budget cycle. It may represent a substantial shift in how wealth, investment, business ownership, and intergenerational planning are taxed and regulated.

Now is the time to review:
✔ Trust structures
✔ Asset ownership arrangements
✔ Capital gains tax exposure
✔ Succession and estate planning
✔ Business restructuring strategies
✔ Long-term tax planning

The clients who prepare early will be in the strongest position once the legislation is released.

12/05/2026

🎉 Celebrating 2 Years with Crest Lawyers 🎉

Today we celebrate Mia’s 2-year anniversary with Crest Lawyers!

Over the past two years, Mia has been an invaluable part of our team, consistently bringing professionalism, dedication, and care to everything she does. Her commitment to supporting our clients and team has made a lasting impact, and we are incredibly grateful to have her as part of the Crest Lawyers team.

Thank you, Mia, for your hard work, positive attitude, and the contribution you make every day. We look forward to many more milestones ahead!

Please join us in congratulating Mia on this achievement. 👏

12/05/2026

11/05/2026

Many people assume that once a Will is signed, it is sorted for good.

Often, that is not the case.

If you have recently married, separated, welcomed children or grandchildren, bought or sold property, or had a change in your assets or business interests, it may be time to review your Will and estate plan.

A quick review can help make sure your documents still reflect your circumstances and your wishes.

This should not be a reason to delay. You can make a decision now and change it later if life changes again.

If you would like us to guide you on the right next step, reply with one line about what changed and we will point you in the right direction.

04/05/2026

Most people don’t avoid a Will because they “don’t care”.

They avoid it because they assume the default rules are sensible.

A lot of Queenslanders think, “If I die without a Will, my spouse and kids will sort it out. It’ll go where it should.”

Sometimes it does.

Often, it doesn’t. And even when the end result looks “fair”, the path there is slower, more expensive, and more stressful than it needed to be.

Here’s the part people miss.

When you die without a Will in Queensland, you don’t leave “instructions”. You leave a process.

That process is called intestacy. It sets out who gets what, and who can deal with your assets. It’s not personal. It doesn’t know your family dynamics. It doesn’t know what you promised someone. It doesn’t know who you trust to keep the peace.

And it can create outcomes you wouldn’t choose.

It’s a legal process that decides:

1. who gets what
2. who has authority to deal with your assets
3. what happens when family dynamics are complicated

It can be slow.
It can cost more.
And in blended families, it can create outcomes you wouldn’t choose, or force your partner and children into negotiations while they’re grieving.

A Will is you taking responsibility for decisions your family shouldn’t have to make under pressure.

If you want this done properly, book a consult with Crest Lawyers. We’ll guide you through.