Author: Wills & Estates Team

Know the law, should your spouse pre-decease you. In Canada, reserve lands are governed by federal laws. However, most laws...… Keep Reading

If you have a Family Trust as part of your business shareholder structure, it’s imperative to recognize that proactively planning...… Keep Reading

What is Conditional Gifting? When creating an estate plan, one of the Will-maker’s most significant decisions is choosing who receives...… Keep Reading

Increasingly people are using vehicles such as RRSPs and RRIFs for retirement purposes. One significant advantage of these assets is...… Keep Reading

How Outside Evidence Might be Used to Interpret a Will Wills are complex, and properly interpreting the wishes of a...… Keep Reading

A Specific Type of Elder Abuse In a past article [here], we discussed the need for advisors to be wary...… Keep Reading

The Prevalence of Elder Abuse is Rising – Be Aware As our population ages, elder abuse issues are becoming more...… Keep Reading

Your pension not only provides you with post-retirement income, but it also provides financial security for your loved ones after...… Keep Reading

Why you should consider the benefits of charitable giving in your Will. Charitable giving is a great way to make a positive...… Keep Reading

The Best Times to Update or Create a Will Creating a Will is a vital responsibility for any adult and...… Keep Reading

Common-law spouses – married, single or “it’s complicated”? The term “common law spouse” is often used to refer to a...… Keep Reading

While most disputes about estates occur after someone has passed away, sometimes our lawyers are asked to assist where there...… Keep Reading

The Importance of Precise Drafting for Wills & Estate Planning When it comes to putting your last wishes into writing,...… Keep Reading

Excessive Spending under a Power of Attorney If you have been granted Power of Attorney, it is important for you...… Keep Reading

We have previously written several times in this space about the risks presented by using joint tenancy as a cheap...… Keep Reading

Since early 2020, the Canadian housing market has been increasing at a record pace. Rising housing costs combined with the...… Keep Reading

Learn how this Good Deed could Mess with your Plans… When we die our executors have a number of obligations in...… Keep Reading

Wondering about what is involved in planning your estate, and where to start? For many business owners, “estate planning” eventually...… Keep Reading

You might be surprised to hear that insurance policies are valuable tools in estate planning. Here are 5 ways that...… Keep Reading

When does it raise suspicious circumstances? As a person nears the end of their life, they may wish to make...… Keep Reading

Effective December 1, 2021, BC Law changed to modernize how Wills are created and signed, and Wills are now allowed...… Keep Reading

We previously wrote about how putting an asset into joint tenancy could result in loss of control over that asset....… Keep Reading

One of the most surprising developments in estate law over the last number of years has been increasing uncertainty over...… Keep Reading

Dealing with a parent’s dementia diagnosis can be overwhelming. However, confronting potential legal challenges head-on before the disease progresses can...… Keep Reading

Enns v Gordon Estate, 2018 BCSC 705 In my Will, I can leave my belongings to anyone I choose, right?...… Keep Reading

Alter Ego vs Joint Spousal Trust Planning What is an Alter Ego Trust? An Alter Ego Trust is a type of...… Keep Reading

When does a promise become more than a promise? In the recent case of Bergler v Odenthal (“Bergler“), the BC...… Keep Reading

Life is complicated, and especially so when losing loved ones. By preparing this broad checklist, we hope to provide you...… Keep Reading

While it is an honour to be selected as an Executor; many would agree that it is also a burden....… Keep Reading

Life Insurance Trusts During a previous bulletin, we discussed the downsides to naming a child (under age 19) as a...… Keep Reading