A recent article in the Globe and Mail by famous author, Tim Cestnick, outlined 3 reasons wills can create problems. Tim explained why many wills are commonly challenged. Wills are legal documents that judges must validate – meaning that wills must comply with Ontario laws. In Ontario,…
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#8 Do-It-Yourself Quiz Avoid the biggest financial mistakes you can make when preparing your will. Read my previous post, #7 Do-It-Yourself Dangers. Answer Yes or No to each question in the following quiz and read my comments below them. I believe this exercise will convince you that…
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#7 Do-It-Yourself Dangers Read post #6 in my series, Breakthrough Wills & Estate Planning Series. You may, like a lot of people, prepare your own tax returns. As you may have found out the hard way, if you’ve ever made tax filing mistakes, the government can charge…
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Your Call to Duty It’s simple. When you act as executor, you are called to duty. A friend or relative may have asked you to be their executor. You may not even recall if you said yes or no. You may be worried that you’re inexperienced. You…
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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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