“What happens if my partner died and had not filed a tax return in five years?”
It is one of the first real questions I ever got from a new widow.
And it is exactly the kind of situation no one talks about until they have to deal with it.
Finalising an estate can be overwhelming. Add tax into the mix, and it is no wonder so many executors feel completely out of their depth.
That is why I sat down with Phil Seath and Daniel Vicino from Spire Business Services on the Life, Loss & Legacy podcast. They are both accountants, but more importantly, they are great at translating complexity into something the rest of us can actually understand.
In this episode, we talk through:
- How estates are taxed after someone dies, and why timing matters
- What to do when tax returns are missing or incomplete
- Capital gains, cost bases, and how to avoid accidental mistakes
- The hidden complications inside family trusts, private companies, and self-managed super funds
Phil and Daniel also made an important point. Even as professionals, they often call in specialists. You are not meant to know everything, but you do need to ask the right questions and work with people who treat those questions with respect.
If you are navigating this process, or helping someone who is, this conversation is for you.
