Don’t forget that the Queensland First Home Owner’s Grant is expiring on 30 June 2017 for New Homes. In a bid to boost the Queensland property market, the Queensland Government boosted the First Home Owner’s Grant (‘FHOG’) from $15,000.00 to $20,000 – but only until 30 June 2017. The FHOG is designed to assist first...
There are significant changes to the way superannuation funds can be built and how retirement wealth can accumulated from 1 July 2017, and it may severely impact on many Australian’s ability to accumulate enough funds to retire without having to rely also on the aged pension. For those of us over the age of 49,...
The Fire and Emergency Services (Domestic Smoke Alarms) Amendment Act 2016 which came into effect on 1 January 2017, has resulted in various amendments being made to the principal legislation dealing with fire safety in Queensland, namely, the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 (‘Act’). The amendments to the present legislation have been made as...
The recent review of the Adoption Act 2009 has seen the most significant overhaul of the adoption system in Queensland come to fruition in the form of the Adoption and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 (‘the Bill’) being passed by Parliament in November 2016. As a result of the Bill, the Adoption Act 2009 has...
The end of the year is upon us, and while Christmas and holidays are often a happy and joyous occasion, where families spend some quality time together, this isn’t always the case for those who have recently separated with children involved. While adults are capable of understanding separation, the accompanying emotions, processes and procedures that...
We cannot believe that yet another year has passed by, it feels like only yesterday we were wishing all of our clients, associates, friends and families a happy and prosperous 2016. We hope that 2016 was indeed a happy and prosperous year for you all, and that 2017 also brings those qualities with it, together...
At Affinity Lawyers, we see many clients who do not have a current will, and know that they should have one – but have not found the time to complete it. The start of a new year is a great time to take stock of your circumstances and arrange the unattended tasks from 2016 to...
The purchase of property is often one of the biggest outlays in your life, so it makes sense to protect yourself as much as possible when it comes to such a big purchase. While many Australians may be familiar with the process of buying a property the more ‘traditional’ way, where the buyer and seller...
At Affinity Family Lawyers, we understand that separation from a husband/wife or long term de facto partner can be one of the most stressful and traumatic events in a person’s life. While we strongly recommend obtaining legal advice at the earliest opportunity, there are practical steps you can take in the interim to protect...
It seems the Australian Government has foreign investors at the forefront of its agenda with the recent introduction of steep application fees, with individual applications for the acquisition of property (including previously exempted commercial properties) commencing at $5,000.00 per lot (if the purchase price is under $1Million), and increasing to $10,000.00 for properties over $1Million...
