When a loved one dies, there is usually a will. Sometimes this will has surprises in it that are not pleasant to those expecting to be the heirs for the person who passed away. British Columbia has recourse for this and allows spouses and children and even other parties to contest the will in order […]
Having a will in place when you pass away not only gives a guideline to your children but can give you peace of mind. There is an agency called the Vital Statistics Agency that maintains the wills registry in British Columbia. You can use this registry to register the location of a will or search […]
When you have a will, often within that document there will be mentioned a name of someone you trust to be power of attorney. This means that this individual will be able to make decisions for you when you aren’t able to. This person is a substitute decision-maker for financial decisions. For instance, you may […]
If you own a vacation cottage that the grandkids enjoy coming to, there may be some decisions you need to make about your estate. They love coming to the cabin and watching them jump into the lake fills you with happiness. Leaving this vacation getaway to your kids may trigger a huge tax bill if […]
The legislation for Wills, Estates and Succession Act, or WESA, and Probate Rules has changed. Why, you may ask? The new WESA appears to be clearer, simpler and is now streamlined so that the processes that are related to inheritance and the administration of estates are easier to use and follow. The succession law portion […]
Having a will in place can mean not only peace of mind for you, but a strong sense of well-being for your family and heirs. One of the major problems when parents pass away is “who gets what?” For instance, if you have a diamond engagement ring, which daughter gets to keep it? Or the […]
Estate planning and wills go hand in hand. But is that everything that you need for you estate plan to be complete? A good will includes directives that tell everyone what you want to happen to your property when you are no longer here. Do you have any real estate, money, investments or personal belongings […]
Focusing on the legal aspects that surround a power of attorney when someone is incapacitated or unable to make decisions for him- or herself is important. Being that person who has to make decisions comes with a lot of responsibility. If that power of attorney is challenged, the court will step in and appoint someone […]
When you focus on the legal aspects that surround litigation that must be filed to get a power of attorney in place, your mind may go straight to what will happen if and when it is challenged. When this power of attorney or the ability of a person to make sound decisions is challenged, the […]
Have you thought about a future time in your life when you may not be competent to make decisions for yourself? Having a power of attorney in place can give you true peace of mind. The person assigned this task can be hand-picked by you in order to ensure that your best interests are foremost […]