In British Columbia, will writers have many estate planning tools at their disposal to create a plan that suits their individual needs best. In previous articles, we’ve discussed many tools which will writers can use to their advantage. However, large…
In British Columbia, will writers have many options to structure their estate in ways that suit them and their beneficiaries. In previous articles, we’ve covered the basics inter-vivos gifting and the use of trusts to minimize probate fees. This strategy…
When a loved one passes away unexpectedly, it may leave family and friends without any idea of who should plan the funeral or what the deceased’s preferences would have been. As a general rule of thumb, the deceased’s estate executor…
With the world quickly becoming more and more digital, people are constantly looking for new ways to go paperless. For many documents, it’s easy and safe to keep a copy on your computer, phone, or in 'the cloud'. These methods…
Parents are often concerned about how their children will use their inheritances. It is common to worry about assets falling outside of the family. This often happens as a result of a child's divorce after the death of their parents.…
Sometimes, will writers are aware that a gift in their will is going to cause conflict between loved ones and could lead to litigation after their passing. Will writers can create an in terrorem clause to help prevent legal conflict…
Sometimes, children are surprised when they find out their sibling is inheriting more from their parents, despite their similar relationship. They might it's unfair and wonder if they can challenge the will and change it, even after their parents’ death.…
If a claimant can prove that an interested party unduly influenced the testator at the time of writing, courts in BC can rule the will invalid. Undue influence is described in British Columbia as “An influence causing the execution of…
When a married couple gets a divorce, the spouses sometimes forget to change their will to reflect this major life change – to remove the ex-spouse from their will. If a person divorces and doesn’t update their will, their ex-spouse…
