Estate Planning

Choosing a Trustee / Executor

April 10, 2012

Its been decided – you need to establish a Trust. Perhaps you have a blended family and want to reduce the risks of your Will being challenged following your death. Perhaps you have a disabled or spendthrift beneficiary who needs assistance to maintain financial stability. Perhaps you have minor children who could not manage funds [...]

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Estate Planning Misconceptions

October 13, 2011

Wills avoid the need for probate. No! Wills are designed for use in the probate process, to ensure your wishes are followed rather than a one-size-fits-all plan found in legislation and used when a person dies intestate (without a will). Only wealthy people need professional wills. Definitely not! This topic is too broad to cover [...]

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Intestacy and Young Families

October 5, 2011

We’ve all been there: young, vibrant, decorating our first house, having a first child, thinking about writing our last will and testament. Not so much? You aren’t alone! The Fraser Valley is home to a growing number of young families. In my conveyancing practice I meet young parents excitedly planning for their futures with an [...]

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Estate Planning FAQs

September 30, 2011

If I don’t have any assets why do I need a will? Even in the event that you die with minimal assets, a will is necessary to legally identify a guardian for your minor children, or your beloved pets, and someone who will be authorized to distribute your personal mementos. A will also ensures that [...]

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Blended Families

September 12, 2011

In cases involving blended families, the courts have addressed both the financial contributions made by a first spouse and the needs of a dependent second spouse. In one such case (Picketts v. Hall (Estate), 2009 BCCA 329), the British Columbia Court of Appeal moved away from the position expressed in previous decisions that common law [...]

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WESA – Legislative Update

September 9, 2011

The long-awaited Wills, Estates and Succession Act is now anticipated to come into force in the early months of 2013. The WESA will apply to everyone who dies after it comes into force, regardless of when they drafted their will. The WESA is significantly different from previous legislation, so it is imperative that wills being [...]

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Who Gets the Children?

September 6, 2011

We have all heard the story of the shoemaker’s children – they never have proper shoes! This adage holds true in many fields, but it does not plague the families of estate planners. Estate lawyers have wills, because the risks of dying intestate (without a will) are simply too high. My husband and I have [...]

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