There is an old adage that says there are two certainties in life — death and taxes. When it comes to estate administration in Canada, those two things play a large part as well, death for obvious reasons and taxes because inheritances and gifts, in some cases, may be considered taxable. There is no inheritance tax […]
In this technological world, things change at a rapid place and people can get from one side of the world to another in no time. Many people don’t stay in one place for long. When it comes to estate planning and estate administration in Canada, it might be wise to know how the rules change […]
When people are no longer able to make decisions for themselves, yet still want some control over what happens in their lives, having a health care or personal directive drawn up may be the answer. Wills in Canada can incorporate such directives, which will appoint someone to make healthcare decisions on their behalf should they not have […]
There may be times when decisions pertaining to someone’s estate have to be made by other than the estate holder. Someone named power of attorney could act in that capacity — a relative or good family friend. British Columbia residents could name whomever they choose to make decisions for them. For instance, a power of attorney […]
Estate planning is something people do to make things easier on their families once they have passed on. If all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed, estate administration should go smoothly. The one big thing in a British Columbia resident’s estate plan is the family home and it is one with sizable […]
There are some Canadians who own property stateside. Many snowbirds purchase property in the United States and when British Columbia residents who own such a property die, estate administration could get dicey. Executors of wills could find themselves in a pickle if they aren’t familiar with cross-border tax laws and/or regulations regarding reporting. The federal […]
Many people state clearly in a will what they would like to have happen after they die. British Columbia resident fashion wills to state what should happen with their assets and their belongings and anything else having to do with their death such as funeral arrangements. Every province and territory in Canada has laws protecting the […]
Like it or not, debt is a big part of modern life. Most homeowners carry mortgages, many people have car payments and some people carry balances on their credit cards. But when it comes to estate administration in British Columbia, what happens to all the debt — and rewards in some cases — after a […]
Living in a technological age, most people have social media pages on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. All these sites need passwords to access. What happens if tragedy should strike and the owner of the pages dies? British Columbia residents can make provisions in their wills as to who looks after their digital accounts […]
Someone who is chosen to oversee a person’s affairs should they need help or when they can’t do it themselves is usually chosen because that person is trusted. In British Columbia, there have been instances, however, when someone who has been named power of attorney has abused that trust and has done things that could be considered fraudulent. There are things that can […]
Statistics Canada says one in three retired citizens 55 years of age or older and two in three citizens 55 years of age or older who are still working are in debt. In terms of estate administration in British Columbia, this is something adult children of the 55-plus crowd need to think about. Are they […]
It’s horrible to think about, but what if disaster should strike and an entire family perishes at the same time? British Columbia residents in the process of fashioning their estate plans might do well to consider adding a “Titanic” clause to their wills to make estate administration easier should the unthinkable befall an entire family. […]