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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Estate planning is different if you are 28 or 58 and retiring. Make sure you and your loved ones are not at risk. Your Estate Planning Checkup If you already have an estate plan, then take this quiz to see how healthy it is. Use this checkup…
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What happens if you don’t make your will? Don’t worry – the government makes your will for you. The government makes your last will when you die without a will (intestate). Intestate means government laws control all your stuff. That takes away your freedom. The government rules…
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Lack of testamentary capacity can invalidate a person’s last will. I will explain “testamentary capacity” or TC. Will challengers need to provide courts with evidence to show a person lacked TC to set aside wills. You may find evidence of suspicious circumstances in a person’s last will….
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We live in unbelievable times. What can you do to avoid legal battles over your money after you are gone? I’ll give you some tips now. It is true you don’t need to use a lawyer to make your will. However, don’t assume any will you make…
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What are the family law election rights? I’ll explain that in a moment. Here are some practical rules to help you if your married spouse has died. Rule 1 Only married spouses have Ontario family law elections. Common law spouses do not have such inheritance rights. Common…
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You don’t want to choose an executor like Terrible Tony. Tony was his Uncle George’s executor. Tony arranged his uncle’s funeral and lavish reception. He bought a burial plot with an expensive headstone. This was despite everyone’s protests. Uncle George’s sister, Alice, said, “My brother wanted to…
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Are you making a will and need to choose your executor? You’ll probably talk to your friends about who they chose. Get ready to hear some of these common superstitions. Friends may tell you their good luck or bad luck stories. But don’t think their superstitions pass…
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