Onboarding a trust: what conveyancers need to know
Onboarding a trust under AML/CTF involves more than identifying the person giving you instructions. You need to understand the trust structure, who is authorised to act, who benefits from it and who ultimately owns or controls it. That can mean working through trustees, corporate trustees, beneficiaries, appointors, settlers and other controlling parties before you have […]
AML/CTF Check-In 3 recap: your questions answered
With Tranche 2 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) reforms in effect since 1 July 2026, the conversation has shifted from understanding the obligations to applying them in real matters. This session focused on the questions now coming through from conveyancers and property lawyers around customer due diligence (CDD) timing, source of funds, […]
How a boutique conveyancing practice got AML/CTF compliant
For conveyancers and property lawyers, AML/CTF obligations under Tranche 2 became a live requirement from 1 July 2026. Enrolment with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) opened on 31 March 2026, and firms spent the months before obligations commenced on 1 July 2026 working out what compliance would involve (enrolment itself was due […]
PEP screening: how to identify and assess politically exposed persons
Politically exposed person (PEP) screening is an important part of customer due diligence (CDD) under Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) framework. For conveyancers and property lawyers, it means having a clear process to identify whether a customer or other relevant person is a politically exposed person and understanding what that may mean for […]
Completing an in-person VOI when your client can’t go digital
Digital onboarding has made verification of identity (VOI) faster for many firms, but not every client can or wants to complete the process online. Some clients are elderly, some are not confident with technology, some have no email address or computer, and some would rather not upload their identity documents to a digital platform. This is one of the […]
How a 70-person firm got AML/CTF ready with the Compliance Centre
For conveyancers and property lawyers, Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) obligations under Tranche 2 became a live requirement in 2026. Enrolment with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) opened on 31 March 2026, and firms spent the months before the 1 July deadline working out what compliance would involve. This is how Long Saad Woodbridge Lawyers prepared […]
AML/CTF Check-In 2 recap: your questions answered
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Check-In 2 answered the questions conveyancers and property lawyers are facing seven weeks into the Tranche 2 obligations. It’s moved from getting set up to the matter-by-matter details of applying the rules in practice. Mark Pinto, Major Account Manager at triSearch, hosted the session, joined by Richard Storey, Partner, Risk Consulting at […]
Four conveyancing scams every firm should watch for
Conveyancing scams target the money and the identity data moving through a property settlement. The four most common are payment redirection, phishing and credential theft, business impersonation, and client or seller impersonation. Verbal verification, multi-factor authentication, and early identity checks stop most of them before any funds move. Property transactions bring together high-value payments, sensitive […]
What are your AUSTRAC reporting obligations under AML/CTF Tranche 2?
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) reporting to AUSTRAC is now part of the compliance responsibilities that conveyancers and property lawyers must meet. With Tranche 2 in effect, most firms have moved past setting up their AML/CTF program and into running it. Reporting is where that shift becomes real, because it is the point at […]
Source of funds and source of wealth: how much evidence is enough?
Source of funds and source of wealth are the checks generating the most questions right now. Since the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) obligations commenced on 1 July 2026, most firms have settled into a routine for identity verification and screening. These two checks are different. It drew a high volume of questions at […]