Well-made wills are the best gift you can give your loved ones. I know this from my experience as a lawyer and author. Why is that? Because if you don’t make a will, the government will make one for you. They will not allow for variations or…
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As an Ontario estate trustee, you will be learning new skills. You may not be aware of how little you know about estate matters and taxes. However, the time you spend learning these skills in an estate administration is something that you are entitled to be compensated…
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This post provides basic information about Ontario’s Estate Information Returns (EIR). Ontario executors must file provincial Estate Information Returns 180 calendar days after estate courts issue your certificate of appointment. Your duty is to comply with Ontario’s Estate Administration Tax Act. The government has a guide to…
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If you apply for probate in Ontario, you will file an application for a certificate of appointment. This post outlines steps to prove who can deal with a person’s estate. It is for information purposes only and does not explain your legal duties as the estate’s personal…
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As a first-time estate trustee or executor, you may feel scared by all your daily tasks. “What to do first?” is a common question. You worry you do not have any experience. But don’t worry; few people have executor experience. Besides, the laws keep changing and each…
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You have been asked to be an executor of someone’s estate. You must have some information to get started. Here are 10 questions for which Ontario estate executors need answers. If you expect your executor to act promptly, collect answers to these questions for your Ontario estate…
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Were you named as Ontario estate trustee or estate executor? You may think this is an honour, as most people do. You may have been asked if you would handle an estate for a friend or relative. The job of being an estate trustee is often thankless…
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Find out what this complicated situation requires with FP Answers. Need help handling an estate with or without a will? Contact me for a meeting. I have solved estate problems for decades by going to court or through mediation. I offer you a meeting to discuss your needs by Zoom or in-person…
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Wills are the cornerstone of most financial and estate plans. Wills designate who is your estate executor or Ontario estate trustee. Executors control your estate. Estates include all the stuff that you leave behind when you’re gone. Why Wills are Important Wills are more than a letter…
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Read Part 1 of this blog. Wills are not contracts. They cannot be enforced if they are invalid. Yes, this means will beneficiaries can be out of luck if a will is not valid. Online will providers (OWPs) can’t prevent elder abuse or mitigate suspicious circumstances that…
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