Several previous posts have considered various aspects of superannuation nominations and the payment of death benefits
1) Double entrenching binding nominations
2) Receipt of superannuation death benefits
3) Superannuation and binding death benefit nominations (BDBN)
4) Superannuation death benefits
5) Death benefit nominations – read the deed
The decision of McIntosh vs. McIntosh [2014] QSC99 provides another reminder of the types of issues that advisers must be aware of.
As usual, if you would like a copy of the case please contact me.
The background to the case was that a son who had lived with his mother for most of his life (including at the time of his death) died without any other immediate family other than his father and without a valid will.
Although his mother and father had been estranged since he was a young child, pursuant to the intestacy rules, they were entitled to share the estate equally.
The mother sought approval from the court to administer the son’s estate, and as part of her application, confirmed her intention to collect all relevant assets and then divide them equally between herself and her former husband.
In relation to the superannuation entitlements, the mother applied in her own capacity (i.e. not on behalf of the estate) to have those entitlements (which represented the vast majority of the son’s wealth) paid to her directly on the basis of the interdependency between herself and her late son.
All superannuation entitlements were paid to the mother directly (reflecting the direction given by the son in non binding nominations) and the father successfully challenged this outcome on the basis that his former wife had a duty as the administrator of the son’s estate to actively do everything within her power to ensure the superannuation benefits were paid to the legal personal representative, and then in turn, be divided equally between the father and the mother.
Next week’s post will consider what steps, with the aid of hindsight, might have helped ensure the outcome that appeared to be the son’s objective.
** For the trainspotters, the title today is riffed from Whitesnake’s song of the same name, from 1982.