If you have ever been involved when a loved one has died without a will and had no will or power of attorney, you know how convoluted it can be. The property this person owned had to be probated by the British Columbian court system and this can literally take months if not years. All […]
As you go through life, the longer you live, the more you realize that there may be times when you can’t make decisions for yourself. You need someone to do that for you. This includes paying bills, managing assets and handling your health care decisions. Assigning someone as a power of attorney, someone you trust […]
Did you know that if you die without a will or an estate plan in place, this is called intestacy? The laws of Canada are very specific about what happens to your assets and property if you die without a will. There is a pattern that is followed, by law, when this happens. If you […]
While the law doesn’t require you to have a power of attorney in place, it may be a good idea to have someone legally named so that if something happens and you can’t make decisions for yourself, you have someone you trust looking out for your best interests. The term “attorney” means a person or […]
Putting a will in place just makes good sense, no matter how wealthy or poor you are. You have valuable things that your heirs want to keep in the family. Ensuring that they get what it is they most want ought to be on the top of list for you at this stage of the […]
When you are living life, going along with whatever the world brings to you, you don’t want to think about such heavy matter as putting a will in place. You know you need to do it but not now. There is a flip side to this thinking. What if the unthinkable happened and you suddenly […]
Getting your estate in order needs to be high on your priority list. There are so many details beyond a will that need looking into. Many people come to our law office, Garton & Harris, wondering what to do. They believe that because they have few assets they may not need an estate plan. They […]
Have you thought about what would happen to your assets and property — even your bills — if you were incapacitated or unable to make decisions on your own? If you haven’t put a power of attorney in place, this makes for a good first step in estate planning. A power of attorney is someone […]
Getting your estate plan in place is important to those who will be left behind when you pass away or when you are not able to make decisions on your own. Part of this is to put a power of attorney in place and name someone to make decisions on your behalf. A Representation Agreement […]
An estate plan of any sort will include your will. You may want to give some of your property and assets to your heirs or even a charity that you have grown close to over the years. The Succession Law Reform Act has much to say about estate planning and wills in particular. Your estate […]