Complicated family dynamics can sometimes undo even seemingly thorough estate planning. Those who leave wills, trusts and more for the distribution of their estates, likely go to their final rests believing the way is clear for their heirs to benefit from their hard work. Sadly, this is not always the case. A celebrity case taking place […]
Planning for the future means being proactive instead of reactive. For many people, this is difficult to do. Barring an unfortunate incident, however, the fact is everyone grows old and preparing for that inevitability makes good sense. Writing a will and setting up a power of attorney are excellent examples. Unfortunately, many people in British […]
In this age of modern conveniences, the concept of “set it and forget it” is familiar to most. People expect to be able to prepare something once, and then let it be. While this may work with PVRs, the same cannot be said for wills. Making a will is a very good idea for any […]
Many people come and go during a lifetime, but some special ones will remain. When thinking about estate planning, it may be that a person wants to leave a gift for a special someone in his or her life but feels it’s best to make the bequest a secret. Can wills be used to transfer assets […]
It isn’t always easy to know who to trust. However, hopefully by the time a person is old enough to think seriously about writing a will, one will have ongoing relationships with people who are concerned with one’s best interests. From that pool of people, a person writing a will in British Columbia must choose […]
If one is named as executor of an estate, a potentially complex process is about to unfold during one of the most emotional times in anyone’s life. Handling probate and estate administration in British Columbia is not an easy task even at the best of times. If it were possible to largely eliminate the need […]
Going through life without doing any estate planning is like going on vacation without making reservations. Odds are, upon reaching the final destination without any plans, there will be chaos and frustration trying to sort things out. Wills are the primary tools for dispersing estates in British Columbia, and making an effective will requires careful […]
As death is inevitable, it only makes sense to plan ahead for when it happens. Wills are the cornerstone of estate planning, and are the most common method used in British Columbia for distributing an estate. In an ideal world, the will passes through probate and administration without a hitch, and everyone tries as best […]
End-of-life discussions can be uncomfortable, and many people would rather avoid them. They can be very important, however, and the opportunity to have them is finite. A great many people in British Columbia and across Canada have not talked to their kids about their wills, a study finds, but doing so could smooth the estate […]
The end of a person’s life is not something most people look forward to, but it is something for which it is worth planning. Making decisions in advance, and then keeping them up-to-date, can relieve the potential burden on loved ones in the future. Wills, powers of attorney and advance directives are important documents that […]
Looking ahead to one’s own demise is never a cheery business, but it is a job that needs to be done. When a family is grieving it’s a very upsetting time, but there may be some comfort taken from receiving the gifts left behind by a parent. Unfortunately, too often children feel they have been short-changed […]
Thinking about one’s inevitable demise isn’t fun, but making plans for enriching one’s heirs and other beneficiaries at least brings some comfort. Wills are the most common way to distribute assets after death in British Columbia, but there are other ways to do so. In fact, with careful estate planning, the complexity of probate could […]