As an executor/estate trustee in Ontario, you face many challenges. Here are some tips to help you. As a fiduciary, you have obligations to creditors and beneficiaries alike. You must act as a neutral even if you are beneficiary yourself. That means you cannot give yourself priority…
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Having a will ensures your loved ones are provided for. Read Part 1 of this post. Your estate trustee or executor is the person named in your will to distribute your stuff. Without your will, courts must appoint an estate trustee without a will. Executors can be…
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You’ve worked hard all your life to provide the very best for your family, friends and community. How do you ensure this will continue? The answer is simple; through a legal document – your will. Here are some things to consider: The time and cost of a…
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What happens when you fail to make a will? Ontario judges have limited discretion to decide who handles your estate when you do not bother to make your will. If there is no will, an intestacy is created. That’s when the government makes a will for you….
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Don’t miss Part 1 of this post, Are You Prepared? Discover Your Estate Planning Readiness with my Ontario Quiz Answer true or false. Q6. I can change my will by initialing the changes on the original. True or false? False. This misconception can lead to a court…
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Answer true or false. Q1. I need a lawyer to make a will. True or false? False. You can make your own will without a lawyer but it’s very risky. Do-it-yourself wills are frequently challenged in court. Your beneficiaries may later spend tens of thousands of dollars…
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It keeps happening again and again. Monica came into my office because she was in an estate dispute. She asked what she thought was a simple question, “Why bother making a will if wills are not valid?” My answer was simple. “You must ensure your will is…
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Read Part 1 of Anna’s, a common law spouse, story here. Anna claimed she had paid $25,000 which was half of the purchase price of the condominium. She should have become an owner of 50% of the condo. That was what Jason owed her according to Anna….
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This week I received a call from a relative of someone who died. After expressing my condolences, I asked if there was a will. The answer was the person refused to discuss wills with loved ones. The conversation shifted to me asking, what did this person have…
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Do you suffer from estate planning-itis? You may never know it. Has it infected you? It may or may not be contagious but can spread to your partner or spouse. Let me explain that a cure exists. Estate planning-itis is basically a fear of doing any estate…
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