Two-Part Series on Bank Accounts and Estate Planning — Part 1: Joint Accounts in Estate Planning

For many Queensland couples, a joint bank account feels like the obvious choice. One person may earn most of the income, the other may manage the household, and both may use the account to pay the mortgage, utilities, groceries and everyday bills. In the right circumstances, a joint account can be practical, efficient and entirely appropriate. In estate planning, however, convenience should never be confused with certainty.

A joint account is commonly treated as being held with a right of survivorship. This means that when one account holder dies, the balance will usually pass automatically to the surviving holder, rather than under the deceased’s Will. For long-term couples with aligned wishes, that can be a positive outcome. It can give the survivor immediate access to funds, reduce short-term cash flow pressure and simplify day-to-day banking.

The difficulty is that joint ownership can also create unintended consequences. If one spouse or partner has contributed most or all of the money, there may still be a belief within the family that the funds should ultimately be shared more broadly through the estate. In blended families, second relationships, or circumstances where children from a prior relationship are involved, a joint account can upset the intended estate distribution and create conflict. It may also affect Centrelink, tax and estate administration outcomes.

The practical question is not just who uses the account, but who is legally intended to own the money.

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Couples should review whether a joint account reflects their true intentions, particularly where one person simply manages the bills or does the banking for convenience. Part 2 of this series explains how signatory arrangements differ, and why the distinction matters.

Aylward Game Solicitors can assist with reviewing account structures, Wills and enduring powers of attorney so that convenience today does not create disputes tomorrow. To discuss your estate planning, contact Kauri Burgess at Aylward Game Solicitors.

Two-Part Series on Bank Accounts and Estate Planning — Part 2: Signatories on Accounts and the Risk of Getting It Wrong

In Queensland, many people add a spouse, partner or child to a bank account so that person can help with transactions, pay household expenses or manage banking if illness, age or work commitments make things difficult. It sounds simple. Often, it is not.

The common misunderstanding is that if someone can access the account, they must also own the money. In many cases, that is incorrect. An authorised signatory may have permission to operate the account, but does not usually have a beneficial interest in the funds. The money remains the account holder’s asset during life and, on death, will generally form part of the estate to be administered by the executor.

That distinction matters. A spouse or partner who has long paid the bills from the account may understandably feel the money is effectively shared. An adult child who has assisted with banking may assume they were “put on the account” as an owner. If the arrangement was only a signatory authority, those assumptions can quickly unravel after death or incapacity.

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Poorly documented signatory arrangements can lead to disputes about ownership, allegations of undue influence, or questions about whether funds were used properly. In 2026, there are also practical banking issues: stricter identity checks, fraud controls, account restrictions, and delays in recognising attorneys or executors.

The key point is simple: authority to sign is not ownership. If an account arrangement was made “just to help”, it should be reviewed alongside the Will and Enduring Power of Attorney.

Aylward Game Solicitors assists clients to structure their affairs clearly and avoid unintended estate planning consequences. For assistance, contact Kauri Burgess at Aylward Game Solicitors for an estate planning review.