Services by
Chronically Legal
Wills
A lasting gift of reassurance you can give your family
Having a will makes everything simpler, on your partner, your family, and sometimes even your business. It provides a practical reassurance for them and allows for a simple administration of your estate at a difficult time. In preparing your Will, we aim to make this hard time, a little easier.
At Chronically Legal we take the time to understand your situation and provide advice on what best suits you. We can help you with decisions such as choosing an executor ensuring that the person you trust to manage your estate, has the best instructions and legal rights to see out your wishes.
If you die without a Will, it becomes more complicated, time consuming, and expensive to administer your estate. In addition, the questions the lawyer will need to ask are much more invasive.
We specialise in Wills for the modern family and know how to navigate the complex and often old-fashioned laws, that don’t reflect the diversity of the 21st Century families and their wishes for today. If you are in a blended family, have a Business, a Trust, or whᾱngai children you need to have a Will. This is especially true if you would prefer for your chosen family, or charities, to inherit your estate. Otherwise, the Courts are left to decide.
We know that there are some that appear to offer a Free Will service. However, most of these, aren’t free at all, with complex fees coming after your loved ones have passed as part of estate administration. Some even mandate that they are the executor, and you do not have the right to pick your executor or estate administrator. They lack the advice, support, and ability to deal with your personal situation. At Chronically Legal, we make sure that your wishes, and only your wishes, are what’s included in your Will.
Simple Will: $600.00 including GST and travel
If you wish to instruct us to draft your Simple Will please complete our Will Questionnaire
Complex Wills include the following:
Blended families,
Trusts
Businesses
Farms,
Estrangement, where you do not wish to provide for a child or family member; and
Where you think someone may contest your Will.
We will price Complex Wills after meeting with you to discuss your situation and prices are usually between $800 - $1500 including GST.
Ask How We Can Help Your Family
Estates
Here to make a difficult time, a little less complicated.
At Chronically Legal we know that when a loved one passes away it can be a confusing and difficult experience for all involved. If managing the estate falls to you, we are here to help.
Managing estates is a complex process involving the High Court, especially if the deceased had no Will, where Letters of Administration are needed to access the finances of the deceased and manage the estate. Chronically Legal can assist by helping you navigate through these complexities so that you don’t have to.
We can assist in all matters of estate administration.
This may look like:
Arranging High Court approval of the Will,
Appointment of an administrator to manage the estate without a Will,
Letters of Affidavit for dealing with banks; and
Assisting with the life insurance process and applications.
Probate (where there is a Will)
This involves an application to the High Court to approve the Will. Once this process is completed, the executor can then start the process of dividing the assets.
$2,990.00 including GST
Our Services Are:
Letters of Administration (where there is no Will)
This process is more complex as an application to the High Court is needed to appoint a person to administer the estate and to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries have been identified. This process also applies if an executor does not wish to deal with the estate or has passed away.
$3,565.00 including GST
Informal Administration (applies for Estates with assets under approx. $40,000)
This applies when the deceased does not have many financial assets, such as a home, or over $40,000 in assets or cash. In these instances, because a High Court application is not needed, Chronically Legal charges a reduced fee to assist with the Estate.
Informal Administration can also be used when a partner dies, but the assets are held jointly, as there are fewer assets to distribute.
$900.00 including GST
Estate Administration and Estate Litigation
Hourly rate $400.00 per hour including GST
Māori Land Court Succession Application
This is the process to allow bloodline family to inherit Maori Land or Maori Land Shares.
$900.00 including GST
Let us help you get your legal ducks in a row
Enduring Powers of Attorney
Ensuring your wishes and needs are met if you can no longer look after yourself
Enduring Powers of Attorney are legal documents that allow for an appointed person (called an attorney) to manage your property and your bank accounts and make decisions for you about your health and well-being. These are essential if you or your family are looking at rest home care, or if a family member is declining in health.
There are two kinds of documents:
one set for property and financial decisions (Property)
one set for decisions regarding your health and where and how you live (called Personal Care and Welfare)
At Chronically Legal we take you and your family through the process of establishing how you wish to be helped if you become unable to make these decisions for yourself.
If a person has already lost the capacity to make decisions themselves, see below in the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 (PPPR) section for further assistance.
One person, including both documents:
$650.00 including GST
Couple or 2 people appointing each other:
$1200.00 including GST
Applications under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 (PPPR): Appointing a Welfare Guardian, Property Manager or Property Administrator.
Helping those that cannot help themselves
When a person cannot make decisions for themselves, through dementia, a traumatic event, or disability, they may require the Court to appoint a Welfare Guardian or Property Manager/Administrator, to manage their financial and welfare needs.
Here at Chronically Legal we support families through the Court process, working with their medical team to complete the prescribed reports, to providing advice, drafting the applications to the Court, and supporting you through all aspects of the Court requirements.
Chronically Legal are specialists in this law (PPPR Act) and can represent you in litigation regarding these orders. If you need support contesting an Order, or advice if you are concerned about who has been appointed for someone you love, we can help.
Applications for both Welfare Guardian and Property Manager:
$2,200.00 to $2,500.00 including GST
PPPR Litigation
Hourly rate:
$400.00 including GST
Overwhelmed by PPPR Applications?
Residential Care Subsidy
Assistance with a complex application, in a difficult situation
If you are looking at Rest Home care, or have family members that are, we will assist you with protecting your assets and ensuring that you can navigate this complicated process.
In New Zealand, through the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), a Residential Care Subsidy can be applied for to assist in paying for your loved one’s care.
However, the application process is so complex that oftentimes people have their subsidy rejected, meaning they do not get the funding that they were entitled to and need. Family Trusts and complicated finances, need to be broken down for the application and at Chronically Legal we have the diligence needed to tick all the right boxes.
We provide the MSD with explanatory letters, that are needed in support of most applications., especially where Family Trusts are involved. As the rules are changed periodically, we ensure your loved one can navigate and complete the process despite having a Family Trust, or other complicated finances.
Completion of the application, preparation of explanatory letter, all advice and correspondence with MSD for a complex Residential Care Subsidy:
$2,500 including GST.
Advice not resulting in an application:
$800 to $1500 including GST.
