Benefits of Having a Will: Why writing a Will is Worthwhile
Will-writing, estate planning, estate administration, probate, trust funds, inheritances – the list of things for will-writers to consider goes on and on. In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the benefits of having an updated and valid…
Trustee Removal in British Columbia
Accepting Role of Trustee: The Basics
Trust accounts are a popular tool in estate planning that will writers use to maximize their estate’s value and gain greater control over the distribution of their assets. Our recent blog post on the use of trust accounts in estate…
Appointing a Trustee in your Estate Plan
People can feel overwhelmed by the number of choices they must make when drawing up estate plans. It can be particularly difficult when one’s plans include strategies to increase the value of their estate, such as using trusts to hold…
Holograph Wills: A Will With No Witnesses Being Valid
In BC, there are strict rules that govern when a will can be deemed a valid will. Wills must be (1) in writing, (2) signed and (3) witnessed by two or more people. When the testator’s intentions are clear, courts…
Intestacy: Who Makes the Funeral Arrangements?
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…
Estate Planning Tips: Creating the Perfect Estate Plan
It’s important that estate planners create detailed plans that they're happy with before they pass away. Estate planning goes well beyond simply writing a will. A robust estate plan should provide you and your loved ones with detailed plans for…
Representatives: Planning for Incapacity in the Future
Unfortunately, it’s common that at some point in your life you will require someone else to make decisions on your behalf – whether those decisions are financial, legal or health related. Before an illness or injury renders you incapable, you…
Invalid Wills: When a Simple Note Can Become a Valid Will
A BC woman found dead without any legal will written in her name left a hand-written note in her car explaining her final wishes for how she wanted her estate to be distributed. The question before the courts was whether…