Choosing the Right Estate Trustee: When Poor Administration Comes at a Cost

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This blog post was written by Mohena Singh, Associate at Fasken LLP. A recent Ontario Superior Court decision, Flowers v. Flowers, 2026 ONSC 3524, serves as a reminder that one of the most important decisions in any estate plan is the selection of an estate trustee. While many testators instinctively appoint a trusted child or family member, the role carries significant legal responsibilities. When those responsibilities are ignored, the consequences….

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Estate Administration, Executors, Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts, Trustee Compensation

Letters of Wishes When Judgment Is in Question

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Mario Gravel, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Ottawa   Clients are increasingly raising concerns about beneficiaries who may be vulnerable to misinformation, undue influence, or online fraud. In trust planning, that raises a practical and uncomfortable question: how can a trustee exercise discretion responsibly when a beneficiary’s judgment may be compromised, while still balancing that beneficiary’s needs against the interests of others? This is….

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Wills

Is AI Impacting the Value of Your Business?

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binoculars on a wooden table to express the idea of Elder Care Planning Framework

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is transforming the business landscape at a remarkable pace. While much has been written about the opportunities AI can create, less attention has been given to the ways it can reduce the value of a small or family-owned business when it is poorly implemented (or simply ignored), weakly governed, or not aligned with changing market expectations. Refinancing and Business Value When AI contributes to a decline in….

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Estate Planning, Small Business, valuation

Planning for the Long Game: What Happens When Your Executor Becomes Incapable?

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This blog has been written by Karen La Caprara, Counsel, at Fasken LLP When contemplating estate planning, it can be easy to focus on a single moment: death. But estate administration does not occur in a moment. It often unfolds over many months, or years, particularly where there is a continuing trust, significant tax work, or illiquid assets. This raises a question that testators can easily overlook at the planning….

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Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executors, Wills

Dying Without a Will in Québec, Part 2: Who Settles the Estate When No One Is Named Liquidator?

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Martine Desrosiers, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Montreal   In Part 1, we examined how intestacy in Québec creates procedural hurdles for minor heirs. Before any of those issues can be addressed, a more fundamental question arises: who is in charge of settling the estate?   When there is no Will, the Civil Code of Québec (CCQ) determines both who inherits and who is….

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Estate Planning, Wills

Hiring Court Experts: A Quick Guide

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As is often the case in civil litigation proceedings, estate and trust litigation relies on expert evidence.  This blog will lay out the general legal framework when it comes to engaging an expert and admitting expert evidence at trial. As an overview, case law collectively establishes that: Expert evidence must be independent, necessary, and properly confined in scope. Counsel may properly interact with experts but must not compromise their independence…..

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