It is a statistic that should stop every Australian in their tracks: nearly three-quarters of adults in this country do not have a valid will. According to research from the Queensland University of Technology and various legal aid bodies, the figure sits stubbornly around 72 percent, a number that has barely shifted in over a decade. For a nation that prides itself on looking after family, this is a quiet crisis unfolding in households right across the country.
The consequences are real and immediate. When someone passes away without a valid will — known legally as dying “intestate” — their estate is distributed according to rigid state and territory succession laws, not according to their wishes. A partner of twenty years who never married may receive nothing. A blended family may see assets directed entirely to biological children, leaving stepchildren without support. Superannuation death benefits, often the largest single asset a person holds, may default to the estate rather than the intended beneficiary if nominations are not kept up to date.
So why do so many Australians avoid this critical step? The reasons are surprisingly consistent: people believe they are too young, that they do not have enough assets to warrant a will, or simply that they will “get around to it.” For younger Australians, there is an added layer of complexity. Digital assets — cryptocurrency holdings, online business accounts, intellectual property stored in cloud platforms — often fall outside the scope of traditional estate planning entirely. This is precisely the gap that modern legacy planning platforms like Memoralise are designed to address: ensuring that every part of your life, physical and digital, is accounted for and protected for the people who matter most.
The good news is that starting is easier than most people think. A valid will, combined with proper powers of attorney and a secure digital vault for sensitive documents, forms the foundation of a complete legacy plan. The hardest part is simply making the decision to begin.