As estate trustee, here are some things you must know about wills: 1. Wills are legal documents. 2. Wills are subject to scrutiny and legal interpretation. 3. Wills can be declared invalid by a court. What happens if Jack’s 2013 will is contested in court? The court…
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My probate tips will help Ontario estate trustees/executors understand probate. 1. Probate matters are handled by the Superior Court of Ontario. Everyone refers to this as the estate court or probate court. However, there is no longer a designated estate court. In Toronto, estate cases are assigned…
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Are you interested in saving taxes? As of January 1, 2013, Ontario provincial probate rules have changed. New regulations will impact executors, estate advisors and your estate planning. What you know about reducing probate taxes may be obsolete. There is no longer a tax called “probate tax”…
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NEW: Ask Ed I'm inviting you to submit your estate questions to me. I'll select and answer questions in this blog. You can remain anonymous, if you wish. Submit your questions, comments or whatever is bothering you. I hope we can establish a dialogue on estate…
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Bob: “You are my lawyer, Jack, and you have to know. Ron is going to fight to get what he wants.” Jack: “That’s why the secret to success is to find out what Ron wants and to see if you can give it to him.” Bob: “Isn’t…
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James opens a joint bank account with his second wife, Kathy. It is joint with rights of survivorship. Whoever is the last surviving joint owner inherits what is in the account. No need to go through probate. Almost $100,000 in the joint account came from the sale…
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Imagine this scene in a Hollywood movie: images of screaming, sword-clashing hordes running towards their enemies. Today we are more civilized and handle our disputes in a courtroom, using weapons like a lawsuit. Our motive, however, is the same; we want to crush our enemies. Lawyers and…
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Making a will used to be so simple. Now, if you are elderly, you may need to obtain medical evidence to confirm that you are competent. It’s almost an Olympic challenge. Medals should be awarded to those who succeed. It can be a lot of work to…
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You feel like your entire house is spinning and you are helpless. Your lawyer, Tom the Terminator, checks the facts and gathers evidence to support your version of the truth. He can then properly advise you on your case and if a judge can give you what…
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Let’s say you need a roof on the new home you are building. You hire Joe the Roofer to do the job. You wake up one day to find water leaking from your new roof. At least you have not paid the last instalment on his contract….
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