Succession Act 2006 No. 80
Succession Act 2006 No. 80
Succession Act 2006 No. 80
Contents
Page
Chapter 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act 2
2 Commencement 2
3 Definitions 2
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.1 The making, alteration, revocation and revival
of wills
Division 1 Making a will
4 What property may be disposed of by will? 4
5 Minimum age for making a will 4
Succession Act 2006 No 80
Contents
Page
Division 2 Executing a will
6 How should a will be executed? 4
7 Must witnesses know that they are signing a will? 5
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Succession Act 2006 No 80
Contents
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Part 2.3 Construction of wills
Division 1 General rules about construction of wills
29 What interest in property does a will dispose of? 16
30 When a will takes effect 16
31 Effect of failure of a disposition 16
32 Use of extrinsic evidence to construe wills 17
33 Effect of a change in testators domicile 17
34 Income on contingent, future or deferred dispositions 17
35 Beneficiaries must survive testator by 30 days 17
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Succession Act 2006 No 80
Contents
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Chapter 3 Miscellaneous
55 Service of documents 26
56 Rules of Court 26
57 Regulations 26
58 Savings, transitional and other provisions 26
59 Amendment of other Acts and regulation 26
60 Review of Act 27
Contents page 4
New South Wales
An Act to restate, with reforms, the law relating to wills in New South Wales; and
for other purposes. [Assented to 27 October 2006]
Section 1 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 1 Preliminary
Chapter 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Succession Act 2006.
2 Commencement
This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.
3 Definitions
(1) In this Act:
administrator has the same meaning as it has in the Probate and
Administration Act 1898.
Court means the Supreme Court.
disposition includes the following:
(a) any gift, devise or bequest of property under a will,
(b) the creation by will of a power of appointment affecting property,
(c) the exercise by will of a power of appointment affecting property.
document:
(a) except as provided by paragraph (b)has the same meaning that
it is given by section 21 of the Interpretation Act 1987, and
(b) in Chapter 2 (other than section 8)means any paper or material
on which there is writing.
personal representative means the executor or administrator of the
estate of a deceased person.
Registrar means a person who is:
(a) appointed in accordance with section 120 of the Supreme Court
Act 1970, and
(b) nominated by the Principal Registrar of the Court for the
purposes of this Act.
will includes a codicil and any other testamentary disposition.
Note. The Interpretation Act 1987 contains definitions of some terms and
expressions used in this Act. See, for example, the definitions of minor,
land and property in section 21 of that Act.
(2) A reference in this Act to a child or issue of any person includes a child
or issue en ventre sa mere at the death of the person, provided such child
or issue is born alive and remains alive for a period of 30 days.
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 3
Preliminary Chapter 1
(3) Notes included in this Act do not form part of this Act.
Note. References in headings to sections of this Act to WPA are references to
the Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898 as in force before it was
amended by this Act.
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Section 4 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.1 The making, alteration, revocation and revival of wills
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.1 The making, alteration, revocation and
revival of wills
Division 1 Making a will
4 What property may be disposed of by will? (cf WPA 5)
(1) A person may dispose by will of property to which the person is entitled
at the time of the persons death.
(2) Subsection (1) applies whether or not the entitlement existed at the date
of the making of the will.
(3) A person may dispose by will of property to which the persons personal
representative becomes entitled, in the capacity of personal
representative, after the persons death.
(4) Subsection (3) applies whether or not the entitlement existed at the time
of the persons death.
(5) A person may not dispose by will of property of which the person is
trustee at the time of the persons death.
5 Minimum age for making a will (cf WPA 6 and 6B)
(1) A will made by a minor is not valid.
(2) Despite subsection (1):
(a) a minor may make a will in contemplation of marriage (and may
alter or revoke such a will) but the will is of no effect if the
marriage contemplated does not take place, and
(b) a minor who is married may make, alter or revoke a will, and
(c) a minor who has been married may revoke the whole or any part
of a will made while the minor was married or in contemplation
of that marriage.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to a will made by an order under section
16 (Court may authorise minor to make, alter or revoke a will).
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 7
Wills Chapter 2
The making, alteration, revocation and revival of wills Part 2.1
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Section 9 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.1 The making, alteration, revocation and revival of wills
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 11
Wills Chapter 2
The making, alteration, revocation and revival of wills Part 2.1
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Section 13 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.1 The making, alteration, revocation and revival of wills
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 14
Wills Chapter 2
The making, alteration, revocation and revival of wills Part 2.1
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Section 15 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.2 Wills made or rectified under Court authorisation
(a) in the margin, or on some other part of the will beside, near or
otherwise relating to the alteration, or
(b) as authentication of a memorandum referring to the alteration and
written on the will.
Note. Section 21 of the Interpretation Act 1987 defines sign to include making
a mark.
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 17
Wills Chapter 2
Wills made or rectified under Court authorisation Part 2.2
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Section 19 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.2 Wills made or rectified under Court authorisation
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 20
Wills Chapter 2
Wills made or rectified under Court authorisation Part 2.2
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Section 23 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.2 Wills made or rectified under Court authorisation
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 26
Wills Chapter 2
Wills made or rectified under Court authorisation Part 2.2
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Section 29 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.3 Construction of wills
(b) the distribution was made at least 6 months after the date of the
death of the testator and at the time of making the distribution the
personal representative was not aware of an application in respect
of the estate having been made under section 27 or under the
Family Provision Act 1982,
and the personal representative has complied with the requirements of
section 92 (Distribution of assets after notice given by executor or
administrator) of the Probate and Administration Act 1898.
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 32
Wills Chapter 2
Construction of wills Part 2.3
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Section 37 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.3 Construction of wills
37 What a general disposition of property includes (cf WPA 23 (2) and (3))
(1) A general disposition of:
(a) all or the residue of the testators property, or
(b) all or the residue of his or her property of a particular description,
includes all of the property, or all of the property of the relevant
description, over which he or she has a general power of appointment
exercisable by will and operates as an exercise of the power.
(2) This section does not apply if a contrary intention appears in the will.
38 Effect of devise of real property without words of limitation
(cf WPA 24 and 26)
(1) A disposition of real property to a person without words of limitation is
to be construed as passing the whole estate or interest of the testator in
that property to that person.
(2) This section does not apply if a contrary intention appears in the will.
39 How dispositions to issue operate
A disposition to a persons issue, without limitation as to remoteness,
must be distributed to that persons issue in the same way as the
persons estate would be distributed if that person had died intestate
leaving only issue surviving.
40 How are requirements to survive with issue construed? (cf WPA 25)
(1) If a disposition to a person is expressed to fail if there is:
(a) a want or failure of issue of that person either in his or her lifetime
or at his or her death, or
(b) an indefinite failure of issue of that person,
the words used are to be construed to mean a want or failure of issue in
the persons lifetime or at the persons death and not an indefinite
failure of his or her issue.
(2) This section does not apply if a contrary intention appears in the will,
except where the result would be to cause a failure of the disposition.
41 Dispositions not to fail because issue have died before testator
(cf WPA 29)
(1) This section applies if:
(a) a testator makes a disposition of property to a person, whether as
an individual or as a member of a class, who is issue of the
testator (the original beneficiary), and
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 42
Wills Chapter 2
Construction of wills Part 2.3
(b) under the will, the interest of the original beneficiary in the
property does not come to an end on or before the original
beneficiarys death, and
(c) the disposition is not a disposition of property to the testators
issue, without limitation as to remoteness, and
(d) the original beneficiary does not survive the testator for 30 days.
(2) The issue of the original beneficiary who survive the testator for 30 days
take the original beneficiarys share of the property in place of the
original beneficiary as if the original beneficiary had died intestate
leaving only issue surviving.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if:
(a) the original beneficiary does not fulfil a condition imposed on the
original beneficiary in the will, or
(b) a contrary intention appears in the will.
(4) A general requirement or condition that issue survive the testator or
reach a specified age does not indicate a contrary intention for the
purposes of subsection (3) (b).
(5) A gift to persons as joint tenants on its own indicates a contrary
intention for the purposes of subsection (3) (b).
42 Construction of residuary dispositions
(1) A disposition of all, or the residue, of the estate of a testator that refers
only to the real estate of the testator, or only to the personal estate of the
testator, is to be construed to include both the real and personal estate of
the testator.
(2) If a part of a disposition in fractional parts of all, or the residue, of the
testators estate fails, the part that fails passes to the part that does not
fail, and, if there is more than one part that does not fail, to all those parts
proportionally.
(3) This section does not apply if a contrary intention appears in the will.
43 Dispositions to unincorporated associations of persons
(1) Each of the following dispositions of property has effect as a disposition
in augmentation of the general funds of the association to which the
disposition is made:
(a) a disposition to an unincorporated association of persons that is
not a charity,
(b) a disposition to or on trust for the aims, objects or purposes of an
unincorporated association of persons that is not a charity,
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Section 44 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.3 Construction of wills
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 45
Wills Chapter 2
Wills under foreign law Part 2.4
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Section 49 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.4 Wills under foreign law
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 50
Wills Chapter 2
Deposit of and access to wills Part 2.5
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Section 52 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 2 Wills
Part 2.5 Deposit of and access to wills
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 54
Wills Chapter 2
Deposit of and access to wills Part 2.5
(c) the surviving spouse, de facto partner (whether of the same or the
opposite sex) or children of the deceased person,
(d) a parent or guardian of the deceased person,
(e) any person who would be entitled to a share of the estate of the
deceased person if the deceased person had died intestate,
(f) any parent or guardian of a minor referred to in the will or who
would be entitled to a share of the estate of the testator if the
testator had died intestate,
(g) any person (including a creditor) who has or may have a claim at
law or in equity against the estate of the deceased person,
(h) any person committed with the management of the deceased
persons estate under the Protected Estates Act 1983 immediately
before the death of the deceased person,
(i) any attorney under an enduring power of attorney made by the
deceased person,
(j) any person belonging to a class of persons prescribed by the
regulations.
(3) A person who has possession or control of a will of a deceased person
must produce it in a court if the court requires the person to do so.
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Section 55 Succession Act 2006 No 80
Chapter 3 Miscellaneous
Part 2.5 Deposit of and access to wills
Chapter 3 Miscellaneous
55 Service of documents
A document that is authorised or required by this Act or the regulations
to be served on any person may be served in accordance with rules for
the various methods of service of documents under the Uniform Civil
Procedure Rules 2005.
Note. On the enactment of this section, Rule 10.5 of the Uniform Civil
Procedure Rules 2005 contained the rules for general service of documents.
56 Rules of Court
(1) Rules of Court may be made under the Supreme Court Act 1970 for or
with respect to the practice and procedure to be followed in respect of
proceedings under this Act and any matters incidental to, or relating to,
such practice and procedure.
Note. Under section 9 (2) and clause 30 of Schedule 3 to the Civil Procedure
Act 2005 rules may also be made under that Act.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), rules of court may be made for or with
respect to the following:
(a) the service of documents (including the service of documents
outside New South Wales),
(b) the giving of notices under this Act,
(c) applications under this Act,
(d) matters relating to costs in proceedings under this Act.
(3) This section does not limit the rule-making powers conferred by the
Supreme Court Act 1970.
57 Regulations
The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, for
or with respect to any matter that by this Act is required or permitted to
be prescribed or that is necessary or convenient to be prescribed for
carrying out or giving effect to this Act.
58 Savings, transitional and other provisions
Schedule 1 has effect.
59 Amendment of other Acts and regulation
The Acts and regulation specified in Schedules 2 and 3 are amended as
set out in those Schedules.
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Succession Act 2006 No 80 Section 60
Miscellaneous Chapter 3
Deposit of and access to wills Part 2.5
60 Review of Act
(1) The Minister is to review this Act to determine whether the policy
objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the terms of the Act
remain appropriate for securing those objectives.
(2) The review is to be undertaken as soon as possible after the period of
5 years from the date of assent to this Act.
(3) A report on the outcome of the review is to be tabled in each House of
Parliament within 12 months after the end of the period of 5 years.
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Succession Act 2006 No 80
Part 1 General
1 Regulations
(1) The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or transitional
nature consequent on the enactment of the following Acts:
this Act
(2) Any such provision may, if the regulations so provide, take effect from
the date of assent to the Act concerned or a later date.
(3) To the extent to which any such provision takes effect from a date that
is earlier than the date of its publication in the Gazette, the provision
does not operate so as:
(a) to affect, in a manner prejudicial to any person (other than the
State or an authority of the State), the rights of that person
existing before the date of its publication, or
(b) to impose liabilities on any person (other than the State or an
authority of the State) in respect of anything done or omitted to
be done before the date of its publication.
(4) Regulations made as referred to in subclause (1) may have effect despite
the terms of any savings or transitional provisions contained in this
Schedule, if the regulations so provide.
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BY AUTHORITY
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