Fasken LLP

Ontario Estate Court Forms Revamped: Key Changes You Need to Know

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Today’s blog was written by Jessica Butler, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP. The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General has once again revised the estate-related Court forms, this time under O. Reg. 72/25, which came into effect on August 13, 2025. These changes aim to streamline the probate application process and reduce administrative friction for estate professionals across the province, ultimately benefiting all parties involved in estate administration. What Changed?….

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Courts, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications

The Letter of Wishes: A Personal Touch to your Estate Plan

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Today’s blog was written by Courtney Lanthier, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP. As estate planning legal professionals, we sometimes lose sight of how difficult and confusing reading a Will can be, often full of “legalese” and sentences that seem to go on forever. An executor reading the will may not fully grasp what it is they are meant to do and how to make the difficult decisions they are asked….

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Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills

To Validate or Not to Validate: That is the Question

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Today’s blog has been written by David C. Rosenbaum, Partner, at Fasken LLP Subsection 21.1(1) of the Succession Law Reform Act (SLRA) permits the Superior Court of Justice to validate a document or will that was not properly executed or made under the Act, if the deceased died after January 1, 2022, and the Court is satisfied that the document or will “sets out the testamentary intentions of a deceased”…..

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Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Succession Planning, Wills

Navigating Bequests of Real Estate Under Your Will: Language Matters

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  Are you planning to leave real estate to a loved one under your Will? Do you want that property to be transferred free of debt or other claims? If you’re making a specific gift of your interest in freehold or leasehold property that is subject to a mortgage, as defined in Ontario’s Succession Law Reform Act (RSO 1990, c S.26) (“SLRA”), at the date of your death (the “Property”),….

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Estate Planning, Property, Real Estate, Succession Planning, Wills

Trusteeship Part 2: Avoiding Pitfalls—Best Practices for Estate Trustees

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Today’s blog has been written by Latoya Brown, Associate, at Fasken LLP In Part 1 of this series, we explored the importance of selecting the right trustee, using Jones v. Jones[1] to highlight what can go wrong when a trustee lacks a clear understanding of their fiduciary obligations. In this follow-up, we turn to what happens after the appointment—how trustees can fulfill their duties effectively and avoid the kind of….

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Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Property, Trustee, Undue influence, Wills

The Limits of Pour-Over Clauses in Ontario (And What to Do Instead)

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    Today’s blog was written by Karen La Caprara, Counsel, at Fasken LLP. Pour-over clauses in wills are a staple in U.S. estate planning, used to direct estate assets into an existing trust. But in Ontario and British Columbia, these clauses can lead to invalid testamentary gifts, intestacy, and costly litigation. What Is a Pour-Over Clause—and Why Is It Problematic? A pour-over clause is a provision in a will that….

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Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Trusts, United States, Wills
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