Wills & Estate Planning Lawyers — Buderim
Local, family-owned, and trusted by Sunshine Coast families for over 40 years. We make wills, estate planning, probate and powers of attorney simple — with fixed fees where possible and the same solicitor from first call to final document.
A Will is the most important document you'll ever sign
Most people put off making a will. It's understandable — no one wants to think about what happens when they're gone. But the cost of not having a current will is almost always paid by the people you love most.
Without a properly drafted will, the people closest to you can be left fighting over your estate, paying unnecessary tax, or watching assets go to people you never intended. With one, your wishes are carried out exactly as you want — and your family is spared the stress of guessing.
At Cameron Rogers & Co, we've been helping Buderim and Sunshine Coast families plan their estates since 1981. Whether your situation is straightforward or genuinely complicated, we make sure your will does what you need it to do — and that you understand every word of it before you sign.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Preparing your Will
A good will doesn't just say who gets what. It anticipates the things that change in life — new partners, new children, new businesses, assets bought and sold — and makes sure your estate still ends up where you intended even when life doesn't go to plan.
We help you think through:
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Choosing the right executor
This is the person who will actually do the work of carrying out your wishes. We'll help you understand what's involved and pick someone capable of handling it.
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Appointing a guardian for young children
If you have children under 18, this may be the single most important decision in your will.
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Specific gifts
Jewellery, vehicles, family heirlooms, sentimental items — and how to make sure they reach the right people.
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Money and the residuary estate
How the bulk of your estate is divided, and what happens if a beneficiary dies before you do.
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Blended families, business interests, and overseas assets
These need careful drafting. Generic will kits often fail here.
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Funeral arrangements
Burial, cremation, location, ceremony — your decisions, in writing, so your family doesn't have to guess.
We strongly recommend reviewing your will every three to five years, or whenever something significant changes — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or grandchild, buying or selling property, starting a business.
Enduring Powers of Attorney
A will only operates when you've died. But what happens if you become unable to make decisions while you're still alive — through illness, accident, or simply age?
That's what an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) is for. It lets you choose, in advance, who will make decisions about your finances and your personal care if you ever can't. Without one, your family may have to apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) to be appointed — a process that can take months and add real stress at an already difficult time.
In Queensland, there are two key types of decision-making documents we can prepare for you:
Enduring Power of Attorney (Financial and Personal/Health).
Covers everyday financial and lifestyle decisions if you lose capacity.
Advance Health Directive.
Specifies your wishes about medical treatment in advance — including end-of-life care — so your family and doctors know exactly what you want.
We'll walk you through who to appoint, when their powers should start, and how to make sure the document holds up when it's needed. Most clients prepare these documents at the same time as their will — it's the most efficient way to get your affairs properly in order.
If you've been named as an executor and aren't sure where to start, call us. The first conversation costs you nothing and you'll leave with a clear picture of what's involved.
Estate Administration & Probate
Advising on whether Probate or Letters of Administration are required, and applying to the Supreme Court of Queensland where needed.
Identifying and protecting estate assets — bank accounts, real estate, superannuation, investments, business interests.
Notifying institutions — banks, insurers, super funds, the ATO — and handling the resulting paperwork.
Paying debts and final tax obligations out of the estate.
Distributing the estate to beneficiaries in line with the will (or the rules of intestacy, where there is no will).
Helping executors understand and meet their legal obligations — which can be significant.
When someone close to you dies, the legal side is often the last thing you want to think about. We handle as much or as little of the process as you need — from quietly guiding you through the paperwork to managing the entire estate administration on your behalf.
Our estate administration services include:
Contesting or
Defending a Will
In Queensland, certain people can apply to the court for a greater share of an estate if they believe the will didn't make adequate provision for them — known as a Family Provision Application.
You may have grounds to challenge if you are:
A spouse, de facto partner, or former spouse of the deceased
A child (including adopted and stepchildren in some cases) of the deceased
A dependant of the deceased
Time limits are strict. In Queensland, notice of an intended claim should generally be given to the executor within 6 months of the date of death, and any application must usually be filed in court within 9 months. If you’ve missed these dates, talk to us — there are limited circumstances where extensions are possible.
We act for both sides — claimants who feel they’ve been unfairly left out, and executors defending the estate against claims. We offer no-win-no-fee arrangements for eligible Family Provision matters, so you can find out where you stand without the upfront cost.
Our approach
Fixed fees where possible
For standard wills, EPOAs and Advance Health Directives, we offer fixed fees agreed upfront — so you know exactly what you'll pay before we start. More complex matters are quoted with a clear written estimate and we'll always tell you before costs change.
Same solicitor, every step
You won't be passed between juniors or talking to a different person each time you call. The solicitor you meet at your first consultation is the solicitor who handles your matter
through to completion.
Plain English, always
Legal documents need to be precise. The conversations about them don't. We explain every option in language you'll actually understand, and you'll never feel rushed or pressured.
Local, and here for the long term
Cameron Rogers & Co has been on Burnett Street, Buderim, since 1981. We've drafted wills for clients whose children we're now drafting wills for. If you need us in five, ten or twenty
years, we'll still be here.
Why Sunshine Coast families choose Cameron Rogers & Co
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Over 40 years
serving Buderim and the wider Sunshine Coast
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Specialist experience
in wills, estate planning, probate and contested estates
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Fixed fees
for most personal estate work
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No-win-no-fee
available for eligible Family Provision claims
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Family-owned and operated
we treat clients the way we'd want our own family treated
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Five-star reviews
from clients across the Sunshine Coast — see what they say on Cameron Rogers Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
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Standard wills at Cameron Rogers & Co are charged at a fixed fee agreed upfront. The exact cost depends on your situation, but we’ll always give you a clear price before any work begins. Complex estates (blended families, business interests, trust structures, overseas assets) are quoted individually. [→ Firm to confirm exact pricing band before publishing
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For simple estates a will kit may technically be valid — but in our experience, the cost of getting it wrong is almost always far greater than the cost of getting it right. Common will kit problems we see include: ambiguous wording leading to family disputes, missing assets like superannuation that don’t pass through a will, improperly witnessed signatures making the will invalid, and failure to account for tax. A lawyer-drafted will costs less than you might think and gives you peace of mind that it will actually work when it matters.
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You’re said to have died “intestate.” Your estate is then distributed according to a strict formula set out in the Succession Act 1981 (Qld) — which may or may not match what you would have wanted. Your spouse, de facto partner, and children all have set entitlements, and disputes are common. Worse, the process is slower, more expensive, and harder on your family than dealing with a properly prepared will.
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We recommend reviewing your will every three to five years, and always after a major life event — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or grandchild, the death of a beneficiary or executor, buying or selling significant assets, or starting a business. Marriage automatically revokes a previous will in Queensland unless the will was made in contemplation of that marriage.
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An EPOA appoints someone to make decisions on your behalf if you lose capacity — covering finances, lifestyle and (if you choose) health. An Advance Health Directive is a written statement of your own specific wishes about medical treatment, particularly end-of-life care. Most clients have both, working together. We’ll explain how they interact and help you decide what’s right for your situation.
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Once an application for probate is filed with the Supreme Court of Queensland, a grant is typically issued within four to six weeks (assuming the application is uncontested and complete). The full estate administration — locating assets, paying debts, and distributing to beneficiaries — usually takes between six and twelve months, though complex estates can take longer.
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Being an executor is a serious legal responsibility. You’re personally liable to the beneficiaries for administering the estate properly. Key duties include: locating and protecting estate assets, applying for probate where needed, paying debts and tax, keeping proper records, and distributing the estate in accordance with the will. You can step down if it’s too much — and you don’t have to do it alone. We help executors at every level of involvement.
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Yes — if you fall into one of the categories of “eligible persons” (spouse, de facto, child, certain dependants) and you believe the will didn’t make adequate provision for you. The legal test is whether adequate provision was made for your “proper maintenance and support,” considering your circumstances and the size of the estate.
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You should generally give written notice of your intended claim to the executor within 6 months of the date of death, and any court application must usually be filed within 9 months. Missing these dates does not always end the matter — courts can grant extensions in limited circumstances — but acting early is critical. If a death has occurred and you think you may have a claim, contact us now, not later.
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This surprises a lot of people: super doesn’t automatically pass through your will. It’s paid at the discretion of the super fund trustee, unless you’ve made a valid binding death benefit nomination with your fund. We can review your nominations as part of your estate planning to make sure your super goes where you want it to — and explain the tax consequences for different beneficiaries.
Not sure what you need?
Address
Cameron Rogers & Co Solicitors
G01/52 Burnett Street, Buderim QLD 4556
PO Box 900, Buderim QLD 4556
Phone
Hours
Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm