wills and estates

This blog post is about insolvent estates. An estate is insolvent when now, and for the foreseeable future, its liabilities exceed its assets, and thus has insufficient assets to cover all its [...]

The following are excerpts (the table of contents, introduction, and chapter one) from How to Administer an Estate in Ontario: Plain Language Handbook, a newly released book available on [...]

The COVID-19 emergency requires us to maintain social distancing, but this has made it difficult to execute wills or power of attorney documents. Normally, you must sign these respective [...]

The doctrine of undue influence is used to set aside testamentary documents and inter vivos gifts or transfers (gifts or transfers made during one’s lifetime). A person is the victim of [...]

Note: Many of the comments below about guardians of the person also apply to attorneys under a power of attorney for care. In Ontario, substitute-decision making is governed by the Substitute [...]

If you want to execute a power of attorney (known as a POA) for property document but are unsure what powers and duties the person named as your attorney will have once the document takes effect, [...]

 Note: Most of the comments below about guardians of property are equally applicable to attorneys under a power of attorney for property. In Ontario, substitute-decision making is governed by the [...]

This article on executor compensation is written by John Allen and Pearson Allen. The Estate Trustee (formerly “Executor”) is required to assemble the deceased’s assets, pay the [...]

Millennials are older than some realize—in fact, in a year from now, the oldest Millennials will be turning forty years-old.[i] As such, many Millennials are starting to think about estate [...]

Introduction It is important that you do not inadvertently disqualify a person with a disability to whom you want to provide financial support from means-tested Ontario disability benefits, as [...]