What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements

To some older people, the prospect of moving in with family to be 'cared for' as they age has considerable appeal. For example, an older person may choose to sell his or her home, invest the money in a child's property through the construction of a 'granny-flat' or extension...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Webb, Eileen, Somes, T.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2015
Online Access:http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=720466596619631;res=IELAPA
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42789
_version_ 1848756516121739264
author Webb, Eileen
Somes, T.
author_facet Webb, Eileen
Somes, T.
author_sort Webb, Eileen
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description To some older people, the prospect of moving in with family to be 'cared for' as they age has considerable appeal. For example, an older person may choose to sell his or her home, invest the money in a child's property through the construction of a 'granny-flat' or extension and live in that property. If such arrangements are successful, the older person is likely to enjoy the companionship and support of family as he or she grows older. Unfortunately, the legal position of the older person if 'something goes wrong' is precarious. In the absence of a legislation addressing family accommodation or 'assets for care' arrangements written agreement, the older person must navigate the vagaries of several complex areas of law, particularly constructive trusts and estoppel, and endure the stress of proceeding against family members. This article discusses the shortcomings in the existing legal regimen and makes recommendations to provide legal protection for older people entering into such arrangements.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T09:13:26Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-42789
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:13:26Z
publishDate 2015
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-427892017-03-08T01:36:24Z What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements Webb, Eileen Somes, T. To some older people, the prospect of moving in with family to be 'cared for' as they age has considerable appeal. For example, an older person may choose to sell his or her home, invest the money in a child's property through the construction of a 'granny-flat' or extension and live in that property. If such arrangements are successful, the older person is likely to enjoy the companionship and support of family as he or she grows older. Unfortunately, the legal position of the older person if 'something goes wrong' is precarious. In the absence of a legislation addressing family accommodation or 'assets for care' arrangements written agreement, the older person must navigate the vagaries of several complex areas of law, particularly constructive trusts and estoppel, and endure the stress of proceeding against family members. This article discusses the shortcomings in the existing legal regimen and makes recommendations to provide legal protection for older people entering into such arrangements. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42789 http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=720466596619631;res=IELAPA restricted
spellingShingle Webb, Eileen
Somes, T.
What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements
title What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements
title_full What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements
title_fullStr What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements
title_full_unstemmed What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements
title_short What Role for the Law in Regulating Older People’s Property and Financial Arrangements with Adult Children? The Case of Family Accommodation Arrangements
title_sort what role for the law in regulating older people’s property and financial arrangements with adult children? the case of family accommodation arrangements
url http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=720466596619631;res=IELAPA
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42789