our 10th year
blog anniversary
The amount of careful analysis and due diligence that good individualized estate planning requires cannot be overstated. Importantly, this process involves determining all the assets a testator has an interest in, how such interest is held, and finally how they would like to dispose of or pass on such interest(s)
Although the housing market in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and elsewhere is currently undergoing a downturn, likely due to economic uncertainty, home ownership remains out of reach for many. For young Canadians, a home purchase is often supported (at least partially) by the “Bank of Mom and Dad.” In
When a loved one passes away, one of the first legal steps in managing their estate can be the need for probate—the court process that confirms the validity of a will and grants authority to the executor to administer the estate. When an estate does not have cross-border or multijurisdictional
Wills can take many forms, for example, Cecil George Harris’s historic will, etched onto a panel of farm machinery under which he was trapped and later succumbed to injury, or the Court of Appeal for Ontario’s 2022 finding that a suicide note was a valid will. While the technical legal
Generations are shaped by the events, technologies, and cultural shifts of their time. As we usher in the new year, we also welcome the start of a new generational cohort, Generation Beta or Gen Beta—those born between 2025 and 2039. They follow Gen Alpha, who were born between 2010 and
Probate is the often-dreaded process where an estate trustee receives a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee which confirms their authority to administer the estate. While not mandatory, if there is a will, third-party institutions such as banks or the land registry office, when dealing with real property, typically require
Typically, we tend to think of the beneficiaries of an estate under a will as being individuals or organizations: family members, friends, and charities. These beneficiaries usually receive their gift outright or through a trust created under the will (i.e., a testamentary trust). However, for those who have created trusts
When a person dies without leaving a valid will, they have died “intestate”. A valid will can provide for who should administer the estate, who should benefit from the estate, and the terms on which the beneficiaries inherit. If you die without a will in place, your estate will be
An executor is the person appointed to carry out the provisions in a will, including distribution of the estate. A trustee is the person appointed in a will (in the case of testamentary trusts) or other trust document (i.e., an inter vivos trust) to administer a trust for the benefit
“When Should You Have a Local or Separate Situs Will or Power of Attorney?” Many of our readers, especially business owners, may be familiar with the concept of having multiple wills in the same jurisdiction, where each will governs different classes of assets—usually used to avoid paying estate administration tax