Steps Law

With extensive experience in trust structures, Steps Law offers comprehensive advice on the establishment, amendment, and operation of various forms of trusts. Leveraging the Principal’s dual qualification as a Chartered Accountant, the firm provides detailed guidance on trust deeds and trustee resolutions to ensure asset protection and tax effectiveness. Their expertise covers discretionary/family trusts, unit trusts, protective trusts, and trusts designed for child maintenance, estate proceeds, and superannuation purposes, tailored to meet specific client needs. Steps Law also delivers broad taxation advice that extends beyond income tax to include capital gains tax, stamp duty, payroll tax, land tax, and superannuation taxes. The team focuses on private businesses and investors, assisting with business structuring and restructuring to optimise tax outcomes and address issues such as Division 7A and small business CGT concessions. Additionally, they offer support in tax disputes by managing objections, responses to revenue authority inquiries, and navigating ATO position papers to protect clients' interests.

With extensive experience in estate planning, Steps Law provides tailored solutions that go beyond the preparation of a traditional Will. Recognising that a Will can only address assets held in your personal name, their approach also addresses non-estate assets such as those held in private companies, family trusts, or self-managed superannuation funds. Their process ensures that your estate is identified comprehensively, intended beneficiaries are clearly defined, and assets are distributed in a tax-effective manner that safeguards the inheritance from claims, financial loss, or other risks. Steps Law employs advanced structuring strategies including the use of Testamentary Trusts, which offer significant taxation benefits, flexibility in management, and enhanced protection against risks such as bankruptcy and litigation. They also provide specialised trust arrangements to mitigate exposure to family law claims, including protection in the context of divorce. Their expertise extends to complex issues arising from non-estate assets, helping to restructure interests to facilitate equitable and efficient distribution without triggering capital gains or stamp duty liabilities. This holistic and integrated approach to estate planning is implemented in close collaboration with solicitors, accountants, and financial planners to ensure comprehensive protection of your legacy.