This is a podcast of the webinar ‘Bust proofing trusts’ held on 8 October 2015.

The webinar was presented by Patrick Ellwood and Matthew Burgess director of View Legal and widely recognised as two of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers in this area.

Longstanding views about the form and level of asset protection afforded by trusts have been challenged and made less certain by a number of recent court decisions and legislative changes.

This presentation explored the key issues to consider when seeking to “bust-proof” a trust, including:

1. minimising challenges on taxation grounds;
2. the consequences of recent family court decisions involving trusts;
3. practical recommendations when dealing with structuring new trusts;
4. the ongoing impact of the decision in the Richstar case in 2006;
5. relevant bankruptcy issues; and
6. the critical issues to consider whenever establishing or amending a trust deed.

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘I’m a celebrity get me out of here – estate planning horror stories of the rich and famous’ held on 17 September 2015.

The webinar was presented by Matthew Burgess and Patrick Ellwood, directors of View and widely recognised as two of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers.

There are a myriad of estate planning issues to consider using examples from celebrity estate planning failures. Insights from practical unsuccessful use of estate planning tools by celebrities in their estate planning.

Case studies included:

1. Michael Hutchence’s international gift and loan back arrangement
2. The Reinhart Family and trust vesting tips
3. Dame Elizabeth Murdoch’s life lessons
4. Winston Churchill and keeping it simple
5. The Lew Family and ‘outlaw’ planning
6. Ken Talbot and the use of memorandums of directions
7. Michael Wright and the $250K diamond encrusted bass guitar

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘Testamentary trusts – bespoke planning opportunities’ held on 18 August 2015.

The webinar was presented by specialist View team members Carrie Payne and Matthew Burgess.

The ongoing evolution of all aspects of estate planning has increasingly seen more creative uses of testamentary trusts. This presentation explored a range of planning opportunities for testamentary trusts including:

1. Planning in relation to assets that do not otherwise form part of a will maker’s estate;
2. Tax treatment of each asset class owned via a testamentary trust;
3. The attitude of the Australian Taxation Office towards testamentary trusts and various planning strategies;
4. Testamentary trust cloning and splitting
5. Bespoke company constitutions and fettering of a trustee’s discretion; and
6. Changing the domicile of a testamentary trust.

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘Rollovers and corporate reconstructions’ held on 16 July 2015.

The webinar was presented by specialist View team members Samantha Hayes and Patrick Ellwood. This interactive presentation centered around a particular case study, and:

 Considers the asset protection, tax and commercial issues with the structure in the case study;

1. Provides specific restructure recommendations for achieving optimal asset protection and tax effectiveness;
2. Analyses specific capital gains tax roll-overs and Division 152 concessions;
3. Explores the way in which stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief can assist; and
4. Discusses the use of tax consolidated groups in the SME environment.

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘The Rinehart decision explained – estate planning 101 and other lessons’ held on 24 June 2015.

The webinar was presented by Patrick Ellwood and Matthew Burgess, directors of View and widely recognised as two of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers in this area.

The recent decision in Hancock v Rinehart [2015] NSWSC 646 (28 May 2015), highlights how any estate planning and business succession exercise can potentially result in years of protracted litigation, and the complete breakdown in family relationships.

This webinar provided practical insights into the estate planning process by methodically tracing the Rinehart matter. The webinar covered:

1. Lang Hancock’s will and estate planning strategies
2. the Tax Office Private Rulings obtained by Gina Rinehart
3. the impact of trust vesting dates and trusteeship;
4. the recent decision to hand Bianca Rinehart control of the ‘Hope Margaret Hancock Trust’ and a $5 Billion asset; and
5. the roles and responsibilities of professional advisers providing tax and estate planning advice.

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘Superannuation and Estate planning Master class’ held on 29 April 2015.

The webinar was presented by Patrick Ellwood and Matthew Burgess, directors of View and widely recognised as two of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers in this area.

This 90 minute presentation focused on estate planning issues that need to be considered to ensure assets are protected from family disputes, including spendthrift beneficiaries and creditors, including:

1. recent cases regarding death benefit nominations;
2. strategies for death benefit nominations, reversionary pensions and superannuation wills;
3. approaches for aligning superannuation entitlements with wider estate plans; and
4. the impact of adjacent areas of the law including enduring powers of attorney, marriage breakdowns and the ‘notional estate’ provisions that can apply where wills are challenged.

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘How to access market leading advice …. For less than $1 a week’ held on 25 February 2015.

The webinar was facilitated by legendary entrepreneur Paul Dunn, Chairman of B1G1 – Business for Good. With Paul, View directors Matthew Burgess and Tara Lucke, explored the key themes in the revolution of professional service advice, including how advisers can best leverage the ‘VIP platform’.

The VIP (View Intellectual Property) platform is a subscription service that, for the first time, creates access to high quality legal advice at exceptional value on a wholesale basis to accountants, financial planners and lawyers Australia wide.

The platform has been built around market feedback and includes a number of features available exclusively to subscribers.

This is a podcast of the live seminar – ‘Restructuring businesses for asset protection and succession’ – held on 8 October 2014.

The seminar was presented by Matthew Burgess, Patrick Ellwood and Tara Lucke, directors of View and widely recognised as three of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers in this area.

The seminar centred around the provided case study, and specifically focused on:

• the asset protection, tax and commercial issues with the structure in the case study;
• our restructure recommendations for achieving optimal asset protection and tax effectiveness, utilising:
  • specific capital gains tax roll-overs and Division 152 concessions
  • stamp duty corporate reconstruction relief
  • tax consolidated groups

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘Estate planning – what’s new in 2014’ held on 22 July 2014.

The webinar was presented by Matthew Burgess and Patrick Ellwood, directors of View and widely recognised as two of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers in this area.

This presentation provides an insight into new developments in estate planning in 2014, including legislative changes, latest cases and new strategic approaches.

This is a podcast of the webinar ‘Testamentary Trusts – The fundamentals’ held on 26 August 2014.

The webinar was presented by Matthew Burgess and Tara Lucke, directors of View and widely recognised as two of Australia’s leading revenue focused lawyers in this area.

This 90 minute presentation specifically addresses:

• testamentary trusts and bankruptcy
• testamentary trusts and the family court
• overview of the taxation of testamentary trusts
• protective trusts and other types of special testamentary trusts
• practical considerations for testamentary trusts