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Retirement Living & Aged Care Advice.

Guides on retirement village contracts, aged care agreements, accommodation payments, ingoing and exit fees, residence rights and the legal issues residents and families should understand before signing.

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All articles in retirement living & aged care advice.

Retirement & Aged Care

Statement of Rights Under the Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth)

Part 3 Division 1 of the Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth) gives older people a Statement of Rights when accessing, or seeking to access, funded aged care services. This guide explains each right in section 23, how section 24 governs their effect and permits necessary balancing, why the Statement is not directly enforceable in a court or tribunal, and how it still bites through provider registration conditions and the complaints system.

16 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate3 August 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Aged Care Complaints and the New Complaints Commissioner: A Family Guide

Since 1 November 2025, complaints about Australian Government-funded aged care are handled under the Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth) by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Complaints Commissioner. This guide explains who may complain, what the process covers, how to prepare and lodge a complaint, what outcomes are realistic, and when police, VCAT or a lawyer is the better pathway.

18 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant3 August 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Granny Flat Agreements in Victoria: Legal, Tax and Elder Law Considerations

Granny flat arrangements let an older person transfer money or property to a family member in return for a right to live in a home. This guide explains the legal structure, Centrelink and CGT considerations, elder-law risks and the documents that protect everyone involved.

13 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate16 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Support at Home and Legal Capacity: What Families Need to Know

Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025. This guide explains how the program interacts with legal capacity, powers of attorney, service agreements and decision-making for older Australians who remain at home.

12 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate17 July 2026

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Probate & Estates

Refundable Accommodation Deposits and Deceased Estates: What Executors Need to Know

A practical executor's guide to Refundable Accommodation Deposits after a resident's death — how the RAD interacts with the estate, probate, provider correspondence, timing, records and beneficiary communication.

12 min readReviewed by JIM PARKE, Lawyer & Chartered Accountant17 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Retirement Village Refurbishment Disputes in Victoria

A practical Victorian guide to retirement village refurbishment and reinstatement disputes — the contract, condition evidence, scope of works, quotations, deductions, sale and reletting effects, and when VCAT may be available.

28 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate7 July 2026

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POA & Elder Law

Powers of Attorney for Aged Care Decisions: What Families Need Before a Placement

The Victorian legal authority families need before residential aged-care placement — enduring powers of attorney, medical treatment decision-makers, signing agreements and dealing with RAD/DAP choices.

12 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate17 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Retirement Village vs Residential Aged Care: Legal and Financial Differences in Victoria

How Victorian retirement villages, residential aged care and Support at Home differ in law and practice — contracts, fees, resident rights, decision-making, exit and estate consequences.

13 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate17 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Retirement Village Disputes and VCAT in Victoria

A practical Victorian guide to retirement village disputes — the legal and contractual basis, evidence, complaint and negotiation pathways, when VCAT may have jurisdiction, remedies, costs, urgency, executors and the strategic decisions residents, families and estates face.

32 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate25 June 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

When a Retirement Village Resident Dies in Victoria

A practical Victorian guide for executors and families dealing with a retirement village after a resident dies — notifying the operator, authority to act, access, recurrent charges, refurbishment, resale, exit-entitlement calculation and payment to the estate.

28 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate20 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Aged Care Resident Agreements: A Legal Checklist Before You Sign

A practical, lawyer-led checklist for families reviewing a residential aged-care Resident Agreement and Accommodation Agreement before signing — clauses to check, red flags and who has authority to sign.

13 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate17 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Aged Care Costs in Australia: RAD, DAP and Fee Reforms Explained

How residential aged-care costs work in Australia — Refundable Accommodation Deposits, Daily Accommodation Payments, means-tested contributions and the legal issues families should check before agreeing to any arrangement.

14 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate17 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Retirement Villages in Victoria: A Practical Guide for Residents and Families

What a retirement village is, how it differs from aged care, the contracts involved, ongoing fees, deferred management fees, residents' rights and when to obtain legal advice in Victoria.

12 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate23 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

What Should You Check Before Signing a Retirement Village Agreement?

A practical checklist of the disclosure documents, residence and service contracts, recurrent charges, refurbishment clauses, cooling-off rights and exit fees to review before signing a retirement village agreement in Victoria.

11 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate23 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Leaving a Retirement Village: Understanding Exit Fees and Resident Rights

How departures from a retirement village work in Victoria — deferred management fees, refurbishment costs, resale waiting periods, common disputes, and the rights of residents and their families.

11 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate23 July 2026

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Retirement & Aged Care

Retirement Village Contracts Explained: Common Clauses and Common Mistakes

A plain-English explanation of common retirement village contract clauses — occupancy rights, maintenance obligations, recurrent charges, capital gains provisions, exit fees and why independent legal advice matters.

12 min readReviewed by JULIAN McINTYRE, Associate23 July 2026

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