What happens to your estate if you separate from your spouse - but pass away before the divorce is finalised?

In this episode of Wine & Wisdom, Wills and Estates lawyer Danielle Little is joined by Rebecca Parry, Director and Principal Lawyer at Parry Coats Family Law, to unpack the often-overlooked intersection of family law and estate planning.

With 27 years of family law practice behind her, Rebecca walks through what actually happens when someone dies mid-proceedings - and the much trickier scenario where a couple has separated but court proceedings haven't yet commenced.

The unsettling reality? Without the right planning, an estranged spouse may still inherit, regardless of the deceased's wishes.

Rebecca and Danielle discuss:

• The legal position when a party dies during active family law proceedings
• The risks for separated couples who haven't yet started proceedings
• How Financial Agreements (entered into before or during a relationship) can protect both parties
• Why coordinating your estate plan with your Financial Agreement matters
• Having these awkward conversations while the relationship is in a good place
• Why protecting children makes early planning even more important

An honest, practical conversation about the conversations we'd rather not have - but really should.

All episodes are general information only and not legal advice. For advice on your specific circumstances, please consult a qualified family law or estate planning practitioner.

Are you sure your self-managed super fund is actually compliant?

In this episode of Wine & Wisdom, Wills and Estates lawyer Danielle Little is joined by David Taylor, Private Client Advisor at Morgans Edward Street, to unpack one of the most under-appreciated risks in personal financial planning: SMSF compliance.

With over a decade at Morgans and SMSFs as a core focus of his practice, David shares a recent case where he took over a self-managed super fund originally established by an accountant - only to find a binding death benefit nomination that had lapsed nearly four years earlier, and no documented investment strategy at all.

Both fundamental compliance issues - and both are frighteningly common.

David and Danielle discuss:

• Why so many "DIY" self-managed super funds fall short of compliance requirements
• The estate planning implications of lapsed binding death benefit nominations
• What ATO non-compliance can actually cost you
• Why ongoing professional advice for SMSFs is closer to a regular health check than a one-off setup

An honest, practical conversation for anyone with an SMSF - or thinking about setting one up.

A special impromptu episode of Wine & Wisdom, recorded on a hotel couch after a recent law conference.

Wills and Estates lawyer Danielle Little is joined by Chris Herrald (Director, Extension Legal) and Chelsea Baker (Director, Baker Hastings Lawyers) - both also founders of The Succession Studio - to unpack the early implications of the 2026 Federal Budget for discretionary trusts and testamentary trusts.

Clients are already calling with questions:

* Should estate plans currently in progress continue?

* Will testamentary discretionary trusts be caught up in the changes?

* What do we actually know at this stage?

In a candid, practitioner-to-practitioner conversation, the three discuss:

• Why it's genuinely early days - no draft legislation has been released
• The likely industry advocacy around testamentary trusts and family protection
• Why testamentary discretionary trusts remain a powerful estate planning tool regardless of tax treatment - particularly for protecting minors, business-owning beneficiaries, vulnerable family members, and beneficiaries facing relationship or spendthrift risks
• What estate planning clients should do in the meantime

An honest, considered conversation between three succession law practitioners trying to make sense of a moving picture - in real time, over a glass.

What happens financially when a spouse or partner suddenly passes away?

In this first episode of Wine & Wisdom, Danielle Little is joined by personal insurance expert Anthony Brown of Fintego Advisory to unpack one of life's most avoided conversations: making sure your family is financially protected if the worst happens.

Drawing on her experience as a Wills and Estates lawyer working with grieving families, Danielle has seen first hand how quickly a difficult time can become a financial crisis when insurance coverage isn't right.

Danielle and Anthony discuss:

• The real world impact of being underinsured (and overinsured)
• How to think about life insurance, TPD, income protection and trauma cover
• How often you should review your coverage
• Danielle's own personal experience navigating these decisions

An honest, practical conversation for anyone with a family, a mortgage, or a business - and for anyone who's been meaning to "sort out the insurance thing" but hasn't gotten around to it.