July 2021

#FreeBritney: Conservatorship vs. Guardianship

Many of you have heard of the #FreeBritney movement which has been gaining media attention over the past few years. After Britney Spears’ very public breakdown due to mental health issues, a court in California appointed her father, Jamie Spears and a third party, as her conservators. The court appointed conservators under conservatorship have controlled and managed her career, finances and medical decisions since 2008. The term “conservatorship” is not….

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Gifts and (Broken) Promises

This Blog was written by: Alicia Mossington (Godin), Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotia Wealth Management  There have been articles written over the years by my colleagues around gifting. Gifting can be a good estate planning strategy for many reasons. However, several recent cases highlight the importance of properly documenting intentions when an individual makes a gift, promise or an agreement regarding their property, particularly in the context of their estate plan…..

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No Costs For You!

The recent case of Donovan v. MacKenzie, 2021 ONSC 1865 (CanLII) demonstrates the wide and sometimes unpredictable nature of a judge’s discretion when it comes to costs. In this guardianship dispute, the applicant sister (“Jacqueline”) and the respondent brother (“Kieran”) were embroiled in litigation relating to their father, John Kenneth MacKenzie (“John”). Litigation was commenced in October 2017 by Jacqueline pursuant to the Substitute Decisions Act to be appointed as….

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Capacity Law, Costs, Courts, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Litigation, Family Conflict, Guardianship, POA Compensation, Power of Attorney, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes

When Leaving Your Premises for Medical Reasons and Never Go Back: Need a Plan

I do a lot of work in the insurance industry. Recently, I came across a court case which I thik is a cautionary tale for estate planners and executors. In Gregson v. CAA Insurance., 2021 ONSC 3041, Ms. Gregson was a property owner and name insured on March 17,2017 when her property sustained water damage. A plumber determined that the pipes servicing a bathroom sink had a crack in the….

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Capacity Law, Caregiving, Disability, Elder Care, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executors, Geriatric Care Management, In the News, Insurance, Power of Attorney, Property, Testamentary Capacity, Trustee

Adult Dependent Children: ‘Grown ups’ who need support on a lifelong basis

We are living longer- everyone is.  Over the last few months I have seen an increase in referrals by older adults who are doing their estate planning AND need to  ensure care and financial arrangements are in place for their adult dependent offspring. My legal and trust colleagues can describe the necessary steps, which often include a Henson Trust or perhaps a Guardianship application. The need for ‘supportive independent’ living may….

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Caregiving

Channelling Your Inner J.K. Rowling in Drafting Trustee Resolutions

Today’s blog has been collaboratively written by Corina Weigl and Tamar Silverbrook. The fast paced, (often) time sensitive and adrenaline rushing nature of ‘estate freezes’[1] helps captivate us in the world of trust work.  What is, however, particularly appealing is the ability to be creative. The trust and estate documents involved in estate freezes, such as trust deeds, trustee resolutions and, if relevant, letters of wishes, allow the drafter to….

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