Preparing estate documents is one thing. Accessing them is another. Last Monday morning I got a call from an old friend in Vancouver. “My mother’s in the hospital and they don’t expect her to regain consciousness,” he said. “I need to find her Will and the Power of Attorney paperwork she did with her lawyer […]
by Timothy Sullivan What is joint tenancy? Generally speaking, property can be owned either personally or jointly. Joint tenancy is when people own a property together and the right to an individual’s share of the property passes, in equal shares, to the surviving owners. (Tenants in common, on the other hand, see their share of
In the past 10 years, the number of common-law couples in Canada has grown at something like 4 times the rate of married couples. So itâs not surprising to lawyers, but it is surprising to ânormalâ people, that common-law relationships are not the same as marriage. When it comes to working with a lawyer to
Making a Will isn’t fun. Dying without one is worse. If âmaking a Willâ has been one of those things on your long-term to-do list but doesnât seem to ever become a top priority, youâre not alone; studies show that as many as 74% of Canadians donât have an up-to-date Will, and about half of Canadians donât
By Litigation Associate Christine McKeating You may think that if youâve already written your Last Will & Testament, you have your estate planning completed. However, you may be surprised to learn that Wills are not a single-task to be completed and then forgotten. In general, oneâs Will needs period review so that it clearly states your
A topic that many people just don’t consider A recent Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) ruling that allows a second wife and child to claim support from a deceased common-law husbandâs life insurance policy raises some important questions and issues. The ruling overturned a Divisional Court decision that found the second wife was not a “creditor”
It’s not as hard as you think I have to be honest: I’ve been a lawyer for a long time now with the gray to show for it and I’ve always thought November was the best month to be ‘make-a-will month’. The other eleven are also great months to update your Will or get to it the
Avoid family conflict over disinheritance by being upfront There are circumstances in which disinheriting a child may be reasonable, and something that the other family members may support. However, disinheriting children is one of those things that can tear a family apart if it comes as a surprise, revealed only after the parent in
by Timothy Sullivan, Principal We hear it all the time: “I don’t have much, so I don’t need a Will.” Preparing a Will is a conscious effort. From deciding to have one, discussing with your intended heirs, finding the lawyer youâre comfortable with and going through the appointments with a lawyer and the decision-making about
by Timothy Sullivan, lawyer “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage…” When’s the last time you’ve seen a horse or been in a carriage? You meet, date, decide to share expenses and rent, maybe buy a house, have kids. Seems normal. And it is. Common law coupling is less about a decision
