I wrote a report to help you cope with the stress of being an Ontario executor. Being an executor is an honour, but it is also a job you may end up regretting. Most executors are inexperienced and learn on the job. You want to get advice…
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What’s your plan to protect your family’s money after your death? We all know family estate fights can start once you’re gone. It does not matter how much money is at stake. You don’t have to be rich to need a will. Wills help reduce taxes. Your…
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Powered by Westlaw Topical Texts and Annotations Emerging Legal Trends in Estates & TrustsLive Event Date: November 29, 2023Live Event Time: 12:00 PM ETHosted by Thomson Reuters As the population ages, we’re now on the cusp of the largest intergenerational transfers of wealth. Emerging as issues in…
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Here are factors courts consider before giving directions to contest a will. Courts have duties to the deceased will maker who is not before the court. 1. Personal DisclosureThe deceased person cannot argue against the release of their private medical, financial, or legal files (disclosure orders). Usually,…
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Are you thinking of contesting a will? Read this before you act. This is the background to a new trend in will contests. Courts will protect testators’ private lives, their estates and limited court resources. Fishing Expeditions Courts now require minimal threshold evidence to question a will’s…
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Henry signs his will and puts it into a sealed envelope. He includes a note to his executor, Nina. Henry’s note tells Nina to have the will witnessed. But by the time the envelope is opened, Henry has died. It is too late to have Henry’s signature…
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You want to know more about end-of-life decisions. Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) was illegal under Canada’s Criminal Code. It was considered homicide or assisted suicide. In 2014, Quebec introduced an Act respecting end-of-life care. In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada in the Carter decision held…
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What does a threshold have to do with losing your inheritance? If you have been disinherited by a will, then you need to know something about thresholds that are used in estate cases. Ontario courts now require that you have a minimum of evidence to contest a…
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Even if you can answer that question, you still have to make sure you provide adequately for all your dependants. What is adequate support? Likely only an estate lawyer or judge can answer that. And you don’t want to ask a judge. If you don’t provide adequate…
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