The number 21 figures prominently in estate planning and administration – at least three separate rules feature the number. Having been involved in estate and trust education for a number of years, I can attest to the fact that the three rules can be confusing on their own and may…
I recently received an email from the member services department of the Canadian Bar Association which began as follows: “30% of our clients are lawyers that accept personal executor appointments. If it’s good for the lawyer, shouldn’t you tell your estate executor clients that it’s good for them, too?” The…
Saturday’s Toronto Star featured an article on a marriage “predator”. The article tells the sad story of an 89 year old man – Charlie – who married a 65 year old woman – Galina – because she promised to look after him and ensure he’d never have to move to…
Last week, along with my associates Teresa Acs and Holly Allardyce, I attended an event presented by law firm WeirFoulds, titled Mind Over Matter: Living with a Healthy Brain. The session featured two “members” of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative (WBHI). WBHI is a charitable non-profit with a mandate to…
The, seemingly constant, flow of bad news about aging bodies and brains can be depressing. On this site alone I’ve read many chilling facts and statistics on matters impacting our aging population. The prevalence of depression, the frequency and potentially dire consequences of falls and how the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s or a related dementia…
March is fraud prevention month. Fraud is an equal opportunity crime. Fraud targets individuals of all ages, ethnicities and walks of life. Businesses large and small can also fall victim. That being said, seniors are particularly vulnerable. Fraud is the leading type of crime experienced by older Canadians. According to…
I was recently drawn to the Life section of the Toronto Star – more specifically the “advice column” – by a compellling headline; to wit: “Don’t let inheritance issues tear your family apart”. So far, sound advice. However, the author went on to provide some inaccurate information on Powers of Attorney to…
A couple of months ago I discussed the purpose of the “30 day survivorship clause” in Wills. In a nutshell, the clause is designed to address the problems that may arise in the situation where the testator and one or more beneficiaries die in a common accident or otherwise within a short…
How many resolutions did you make this year? One? Three? Five? Or are you one of the super ambitious (not to mention optimistic) types, having made 10 or more? While getting in shape and eating better are the perennial winners of the “most popular resolution” award, getting organized, procrastinating less and…
In my last entry I promised to follow up a discussion on the “30 day survivorship clause” with a talk about the statutory survivorship rules. Inspired by both today’s date and a lovely seasonal ecard I received last week, I decided this less-than-festive topic could wait till the New Year. December…