An elderly parent may add their adult child on to title of their home for various reasons including avoiding probate but as a recent case demonstrates there are risks in doing so. The Applicant was the 88 year old mother of the Respondent. In 2009, she and her late husband bought a house together (the “Property”). In 2014, the Respondent moved in with them. At that time, the Applicant was….
The Regrettable Gift Continue Reading »
Estate Litigation
In a recent Alberta case, the court considered whether a gift of a commercial property should adeem as the testator did not personally own the property. The testator left a valid September 26, 2017 last will and testament. In her Will, she gifts a commercial property equally to her three grandchildren and her two great-grandchildren (the “Grandchildren”). The Will states “that all land and buildings” of a commercial property’s….
Court saves Gift from Ademption Continue Reading »
Wills
In a recent case, the court was asked to interpret the residue clause of the Deceased’s Will. The Deceased passed away in 2016. In her 1997 Will, she named her daughter as the sole executor and residuary beneficiary. However, both her daughter and alternate estate trustee predeceased her. The Will directed that, in the event her daughter predeceased her, the residue of the estate would be divided among the Deceased’s five siblings…..
Court Interprets Will’s Residue Clause Continue Reading »
Estate Litigation
In the recent case of Buffa v. Giacomelli, the court was asked to determine if large gifts the Deceased made to her Daughter from jointly held accounts were valid inter vivos gifts and if the Daughter had rebutted the presumption of a resulting trust with respect to the funds held in those joint accounts. The Deceased had two children, who both shared her estate under her Will with the Applicant….
Determining the Validity of Inter Vivos Gifts Continue Reading »
Estate Litigation
Today’s blog was written by Melissa Miller of Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP Imagine that you have a loved one in a retirement home and it’s been an unusually long time since you heard from them, or you cannot get a hold of them in the usual way. You finally pay a visit and find out that your loved one had a fall in their room and has been left….
On the Lookout: Falls in Retirement Homes Continue Reading »
Elder Care
The Applicant (the Deceased’s son) brought an application seeking to invalidate the Deceased’s 2023 Will, submit the Deceased’s 2022 Will for probate, and seek the return of the Deceased’s $95,000 gift to his nephew. The Deceased executed wills on March 16, 2022 and November 22, 2023. In his 2022 Will, the Applicant is named as the estate trustee, the Deceased gifts his home and its contents to the Applicant and names the….
Successful Will Challenge Yields Blended Cost Award Continue Reading »
Estate Litigation, Wills