AI Prompt Library

Wills and Estates Planning prompts for Australian lawyers

These prompts are designed for AU estate planning practitioners preparing wills, testamentary trusts, powers of attorney, and advance care directives. Copy any prompt, replace placeholders with your matter facts, and run it.

In short

A curated library of 25 AI prompts for Australian estate planning lawyers. Each prompt is grounded in state-based succession legislation, the SIS Act for super death benefits, and current appellate authority. Use them with Quillio for wills, testamentary trusts, and estate planning documents.

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Research

Research prompts (5)

Research formal validity requirements

Prompt

Research the formal validity requirements for a will in [state]. Cover the signing, witnessing, and attestation requirements and any informal will provisions.

Example use: Advising on an informal will situation in Queensland where the testator signed but only one witness signed.

Research testamentary capacity

Prompt

Research the current approach to testamentary capacity under Banks v Goodfellow as applied in Australian authorities. Cover the four-limb test and modern adjustments.

Example use: Preparing a will for an 85-year-old client with early-stage dementia and a supportive family.

Research family provision claims

Prompt

Research the family provision regime in [state]. Cover eligible persons, the factors considered, time limits, and notional estate provisions where applicable.

Example use: An adult child in NSW considering a family provision claim against their late father's estate.

Research superannuation death benefits

Prompt

Research the rules for superannuation death benefit distribution under sections 59 and 10 of the SIS Act 1993 (Cth). Cover binding death benefit nominations and tax-dependant rules.

Example use: Advising a client with a large SMSF balance on BDBN options for a blended family.

Research trustee powers and duties

Prompt

Research the default trustee powers and duties for a testamentary trust in [state]. Cover the Trustee Act provisions and any statutory investment duties.

Example use: Drafting a testamentary discretionary trust with a professional trustee and a family-member controller.

Drafting

Drafting prompts (5)

Draft a simple will

Prompt

Draft a simple will for [client]. Assets: [details]. Beneficiaries: [details]. Include executor appointment, guardianship provisions, and residuary gift. State: [state].

Example use: A simple will for a married couple with two children and mirror wills.

Draft a testamentary trust will

Prompt

Draft a will establishing a testamentary discretionary trust for each primary beneficiary. Settlor: [client]. Trustee: [details]. Include income and capital distribution provisions and perpetuity clauses.

Example use: A blended family will with separate testamentary trusts for children of the first and second marriages.

Draft an enduring power of attorney

Prompt

Draft an enduring power of attorney in compliance with the [state] legislation. Principal: [details]. Attorney: [details]. Include financial powers, any conditions, and commencement trigger.

Example use: An EPOA for a 70-year-old client appointing their two adult children jointly.

Draft an advance care directive

Prompt

Draft an advance care directive under the [state] legislation. Principal: [details]. Include medical treatment wishes, substitute decision-maker appointment, and refusal of treatment statements.

Example use: An advance care directive for a client with a recent serious diagnosis.

Draft a binding death benefit nomination

Prompt

Draft a binding death benefit nomination for a superannuation fund. Member: [details]. Fund: [details]. Beneficiaries: [details]. Check formal requirements and refresh date.

Example use: A BDBN for an SMSF member with a second spouse and children from a first marriage.

Review

Review prompts (5)

Review an existing will

Prompt

Review this will. Identify any formal defects, ambiguities, tax inefficiencies, beneficiary issues, and any mismatches with current assets and family structure.

Example use: Reviewing a 15-year-old will before a major asset restructure.

Review a draft testamentary trust

Prompt

Review this draft testamentary trust. Check the trustee powers, appointor mechanism, distribution provisions, and the protective structure for vulnerable beneficiaries.

Example use: A draft testamentary trust intended to protect assets for a beneficiary with an addiction history.

Review a BDBN for validity

Prompt

Review this binding death benefit nomination against the SIS Act 1993 (Cth) and the fund trust deed. Check formal validity, beneficiary eligibility, and refresh dates.

Example use: Reviewing a non-lapsing BDBN in an SMSF with a family-first pattern.

Review an estate plan holistically

Prompt

Review this entire estate plan (will, EPOA, ACD, BDBN, trust deeds). Identify inconsistencies, tax inefficiencies, and risk of family provision or other claims.

Example use: A comprehensive review for a high-net-worth client with business and investment structures.

Review an existing EPOA for fitness

Prompt

Review this enduring power of attorney for fitness for purpose. Check scope, any conflicts, and whether it needs updating for the client's current circumstances.

Example use: A five-year-old EPOA where the appointed attorney has since moved overseas.

Client comms

Client comms prompts (5)

Explain why you need a will

Prompt

Draft a plain-English explanation for a client of why they need a will and what happens under the intestacy rules in [state] if they die without one.

Example use: For a young couple who have just had their first child.

Explain testamentary trusts

Prompt

Draft a plain-English explanation of how a testamentary trust works, the tax and asset-protection benefits, and the ongoing costs.

Example use: For a client with adult children who may be at risk of family law claims.

Explain enduring powers of attorney

Prompt

Draft a plain-English explanation of enduring powers of attorney in [state], including when they start, who can be appointed, and how to protect against misuse.

Example use: For an elderly client worried about overreach by family members.

Explain family provision risk

Prompt

Draft a plain-English explanation of family provision claims under [state] legislation, including who can claim and how wills can be structured to reduce risk.

Example use: For a client intending to leave an adult child out of their will.

Explain superannuation outside the estate

Prompt

Draft a plain-English letter explaining that superannuation is not automatically part of the estate and the role of BDBNs and trustee discretion.

Example use: For a client who assumed their super would flow through their will.

Strategy

Strategy prompts (5)

Strategy for a blended family estate plan

Prompt

Develop an estate planning strategy for a blended family. Assets: [details]. Children: [details]. Consider mutual wills, life interests, and testamentary trusts.

Example use: A second marriage with significant pre-relationship assets and children from both marriages.

Strategy for business succession in a will

Prompt

Develop a strategy for incorporating business succession into an estate plan. Business: [details]. Consider buy-sell agreements, shareholder clauses, and testamentary trusts.

Example use: A family trading company with two active children and one passive child.

Strategy to protect a vulnerable beneficiary

Prompt

Develop a strategy to protect a vulnerable beneficiary through the estate plan. Issue: [addiction/mental health/disability]. Consider SDTs, testamentary trusts, and protective trust drafting.

Example use: Planning for a beneficiary who is on NDIS and requires long-term care.

Strategy for tax-effective distributions

Prompt

Develop a tax-effective distribution strategy using testamentary trusts. Estate: [details]. Beneficiaries: [details]. Consider minor beneficiary rates and streaming opportunities.

Example use: An estate with significant passive investment income and adult children with minor grandchildren.

Strategy for reducing family provision risk

Prompt

Develop a strategy to reduce family provision risk where the client wishes to exclude or limit a potential claimant. Facts: [details]. Consider inter-vivos gifts, notional estate, and documented reasons.

Example use: A testator in NSW seeking to significantly limit provision for an estranged adult child.

Use with Quillio

Run these prompts grounded in AU law

Quillio is built for Australian succession and estate planning practice — every research output cites state succession legislation, the SIS Act, and current authority on family provision and testamentary capacity. See /practice-areas/wills-estate-lawyers for details, or start a free trial at /free-trial to use these prompts on your own matters.

These prompts are templates — always verify outputs against source material and current legislation before relying on them in client matters.

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