A Will in every Port The laws of succession, probate, and property differ from country to country, state to state and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. As such, a prudent testator should consider having a Will in every jurisdiction where they own property. Certainly, there are methods by which a domestic Will…
Category: Estate Administration and Probate Applications
This blog has been written by Sandra Arsenault, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP. A Season of Beginnings, Endings, and Books As the leaves change and the weather cools, I imagine curling up in a cozy spot with a hot beverage and a new book. Autumn is when we salute the…
Using “dual wills” as part of an estate plan is a well-established and frequently used strategy in Ontario and across Canada. This involves the execution of two wills. A Primary Will that deals with estate assets which cannot be distributed to a testator’s beneficiaries without a Certificate of Appointment of…
Today’s blog post was written by Latoya Brown, an Associate at Fasken LLP. The discussion of discriminatory wills continues with a new case out of the British Columbia Supreme Court. In Lam v Law Estate, 2024 BCSC 156, the court varied a testatrix’s will on the reasoning that the testatrix’s…
When I was in private practice, I almost applied for a Benjamin order on an estate file until I was saved by the Registrar’s record that the sole heir had in fact predeceased the deceased. The result was one that ended well since the sole niece who had spent a…
Andrew Coates, Associate, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP Betty Laidlaw contributed an informative two-part series in 2023 regarding “What Happens If Something Happens to Your Executor?” In the second part, Betty explained the process for the alternate executor named in a Will making an application for a Certificate of Appointment of…
This blog has been written by Lily MacLeod [Associate] at Fasken LLP It is common for an elderly parent to set up a joint bank account with their adult child. This enables the child to help manage the parent’s finances freely and efficiently (either as the parent’s attorney for property…
It seems as though the estate court forms and court rules are always changing. It is important to be aware of these changes when filing probate applications in Ontario. Today’s blog will explore the new Form 74G Renunciation and Consent, and provide some practical tips and considerations to help navigate…
Having come into force on January 1, 2022, Section 21.1 is a relatively recent addition to the Succession Law Reform Act (“SLRA”). Section 21.1 is a validating provision, which allows the courts discretion to declare a will valid even if it does not meet the formalities of execution set out…
Today’s Blog was written by Mohena Singh, Associate at Fasken LLP. As estate planners, we are regularly engaged by individuals who are acting as estate trustees. This role can often be a long endeavour as it could take several years to administer an estate. During an administration, estate trustees are…