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Wills Lawyer Melbourne

Melbourne Will & Estate Lawyer — Fixed-Fee Wills in Preston

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How a Wills and Estates
Lawyer can help you....

Each will should be as individual as the person making it. Davis + Haven Legal offers fixedfee will writing and estate planning for Melbourne clients — including simple wills, testamentary trust wills, enduring powers of attorney and guardianship nominations. Based in Preston and trusted by over 200 Victorian families with 5-star Google reviews.
View our Fixed Fee Wills PRICING

Where we help Melbourne families with their wills

Our Preston-based will lawyers help clients across the northern suburbs — Reservoir, Northcote, Thornbury, Brunswick and Heidelberg — plus inner Melbourne, the inner-west and all of Victoria. Meet us in person at our Preston office, or by phone, email or video call — whichever suits you best.

What's included in our fixed-fee will service

  • Simple will drafting and signing
  • Testamentary trust will (for asset protection and tax advantages)
  • Enduring power of attorney — financial
  • Guardianship nomination for minor children
  • Statement of wishes (non-binding wishes attached to your will)
  • All consultations, revisions and signing — no hourly billing

Request a fixed-fee quote for your matter. Pricing depends on whether you need a simple will or testamentary trust, and whether we’re drafting additional documents such as powers of attorney.

A will is a legal document that outlines how a person’s assets and belongings will be distributed after their death. It can also include instructions for guardianship of children and appoint an executor to manage the estate, ensuring the person’s wishes are carried out.
An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows someone you trust to make financial, legal, and personal decisions on your behalf if you lose capacity to make decisions yourself. It remains valid even if you become incapacitated.
Administering a deceased estate involves managing and distributing a person’s assets after their death, following the instructions in their will or, if no will exists, according to legal rules. This includes paying debts, collecting assets, and distributing them to beneficiaries.
In Australia, a formal “reading of the will” is uncommon and not legally required. Instead, the executor ensures beneficiaries and interested parties receive relevant information. Copies of the will may be shared with entitled persons, and the estate administration proceeds according to its terms.
Surrogacy can impact estate planning by requiring specific provisions for the legal rights of children born through surrogacy. It’s important to update wills and other documents to ensure the intended parents’ wishes regarding guardianship, inheritance, and care for these children are clearly outlined and legally enforceable.
If you die without a will, your estate is distributed according to intestacy laws, which may not reflect your wishes. These laws determine who inherits your assets, often Prioritising close family members. Having a will ensures your wishes are legally recognised and followed.
Powers of Attorney ensure that trusted individuals can manage your financial, personal, or medical decisions if you lose the ability to do so. They provide peace of mind, protect your interests, and prevent potential disputes about who should make decisions on your behalf.

Protect What Matters

Planning ahead ensures your assets go to the people and organisations you care about after you’re gone. A prepared plan provides peace of mind.

Book a Conference

Use our confidential tool that allows you to get started online, in your own time and space. It will ask you a series of questions, and provide valuable feedback. We will then be in touch with draft documents before we meet with you

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Meet with one of our Lawyers – ‘In Person’ or via ‘Microsoft Teams’ to discuss your legal matter.

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Wills & Estate
Legal Services we offer

Obtain Probate

We assist executors in obtaining probate quickly and efficiently, ensuring the legal authority needed to manage and distribute a loved one’s estate with confidence.

Call in Superannuation

We help you navigate the process of claiming superannuation and associated death benefits, ensuring you receive what you’re entitled to with minimal stress.

Guardianship of Children

We provide compassionate guidance on how to address guardianship in your Will, ensuring the best interests of children are always at the forefront.

Estate Litigation Lawyers Melbourne

Disputes over estates can be challenging. Our team is experienced in estate litigation, working to achieve fair resolutions with minimal stress.

 

Make a Will

We make creating a will straightforward and stress-free, ensuring your wishes are clearly documented to protect your loved ones and your legacy.

Contesting a Will Melbourne

If you’ve been unfairly left out of a will or feel it doesn’t reflect the deceased’s true intentions, we provide expert advice and representation to help you achieve a fair outcome.

Factors to Consider in
Creating a Will with
Our Lawyer in Melbourne

Whether you want the help of a will lawyer in Melbourne or not, it is essential to prepare this document. By doing so, you can rest easy knowing that your assets will be handled appropriately and distributed, should an unfortunate event occur. We have listed down factors for you to consider when creating a will.

01. Your Children’s Guardian
Parents have the natural instinct to want to secure their children’s future even when they’re no longer around. So, when writing a will, please consider the nominated guardian’s lifestyle, values, financial capacity and existing bond.
When writing your will, it is crucial to include your assets and cherished belongings to the person they will be passed on to. However, the law automatically diverts the ownership to the surviving co-owner for a jointly owned property.
Besides family members, next of kin, or anyone you have a close relationship with, you can also list a charity as your beneficiary.
Another essential factor to consider in your will is the person you appoint as the executor. This role is crucial as it is the person’s job to carry out your final wishes. Also, it is the executor’s task to settle any financial liabilities the deceased may have.
When writing your will, you can formally state your preferred funeral arrangement.

Melbourne will & estate lawyer FAQs

How much does a will cost in Melbourne?

Davis + Haven Legal offers fixed-fee wills starting from a set price for a simple will. Testamentary trust wills and complex matters are quoted separately before we start. See our pricing page for current rates.

A will lawyer focuses on drafting wills and estate planning documents. An estate lawyer handles the broader category — including probate, deceased estate administration, powers of attorney and estate disputes.
Davis + Haven Legal offers both under one roof.

No — but you should. DIY will kits miss Victorian-specific requirements and are a leading cause of will disputes after death. A will lawyer makes sure your will is valid, properly witnessed, and does what you actually want.

Review your will every three to five years, and after any major life event — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a beneficiary, or a significant change in assets. Marriage automatically revokes a will in Victoria unless made in contemplation of that marriage.

An enduring power of attorney lets someone you trust make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you lose capacity. Without one, your family may need to apply to VCAT for guardianship — a slower, more stressful process. Set it up alongside your will.

Your assets are distributed under Victorian intestacy laws — not according to your wishes. The order of inheritance follows the spouse first, then children, then wider family. Read our full guide.

Yes. Most will-writing matters are handled by phone, email and video call. We can also meet in person at our Preston office, or arrange a home visit for clients who can’t travel.

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Start your Will and
Estate Planning online

Davis + Haven Legal’s online Estate Planning assistant is a confidential tool that allows you to get started online, in your own time and space. It will ask you a series of questions, and provide valuable feedback.

Start online here