It is a surprisingly common misconception that if you don't write a will, the government will inherit your estate. The government rarely inherits an estate, and this only happens when there are absolutely no available beneficiaries or relatives of the…
Trust accounts are a common and useful estate planning tool. Trusts are accounts where a third party holds an asset for the specific use of a beneficiary. Typically, the beneficiary is only able to withdraw funds (or other property) from…
As a beneficiary of a will, it can be frustrating to sit helplessly waiting while the will’s executor fails to administer the estate as expected. Unfortunately, executors sometimes cause intentional delays, are incompetent in their administration, or even abuse their…
The executor of a will has a handful of responsibilities when administering an estate – including accounting for all estate assets, debts, and money exchanges coming into and out of the estate. Once the executor finishes the administration process and…
For a will to be legally valid in British Columbia, it must meet three main requirements. The writer must put it in writing, sign it at the end, and make this signature in the presence of two or more witnesses.…
In British Columbia, settled law entitles estate executors to remuneration for their work in administering an estate. In fact, this was restated by the Supreme Court of Canada in Cowper-Smith v Morgan, a case argued and won by League and…
Will-writing, estate planning, estate administration, probate, trust funds, inheritances – the list of things for will-writers to consider goes on and on. In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the benefits of having an updated and valid…
In BC, there are strict rules that govern when a will can be deemed a valid will. Wills must be (1) in writing, (2) signed and (3) witnessed by two or more people. When the testator’s intentions are clear, courts…
