With the number of elderly citizens increasing in Australia, more people are dying as a result dementia, as well as other similar disorders. Since people are continuing to live longer on average, they are also able to build up greater amounts of wealth. This can often lead to some difficult litigation, by people claiming that wills were made by those without the capacity to make proper decisions.

The appropriate court is the only entity with the jurisdiction required to decide on these matters. They will generally use a specific test, which includes the following requirements:

• The person making the will needs to understand the legal significance related to creating the will.
• They must be at least generally aware of the extent, nature, and value of their assets.
• They must understand who might be able to claim their accumulated wealth, as well as why and how such people can make claims.
• They must be able to decide the validity of people who make claims for the aforementioned wealth. No “disorder of the mind” should be able to skew their decisions.

In these types of circumstances, it is sometimes too easy for disgruntled beneficiaries to appear, and start litigation to overturn a will. Without proof as to the mental well-being of the deceased, these cases can be particularly trying. Even if your will is upheld in the end, the legal costs might have taken a toll on your intended beneficiaries.