Scotiatrust

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For over 100 years, Scotiatrust® has helped Canadians preserve and transfer their wealth. Together with your team of specialists, we work to understand your achievements and help you connect them, so your wealth makes the meaningful impact you want. We also help you make important decisions sooner and ensure they’re followed when you’re unable to do so yourself. We are a team of highly experienced, hands-on professionals and we view it as our responsibility to ensure our clients have addressed all relevant issues and that their wishes are followed throughout and beyond their lifetime, helping them to live well and leave well.

Picking The Right Power of Attorney: The Cautionary Tale of Jack Johnson

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This blog post was written by: Taylor Sergeant, Associate Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Ottawa When it comes to estate planning, few decisions carry as much weight as selecting your Power of Attorney (POA). This person will have the legal authority to make financial or personal decisions on your behalf. Unfortunately, NHL defenseman Jack Johnson learned this lesson the hard way. The Jack Johnson Case: A Cautionary Tale Jack Johnson,….

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Power of Attorney, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes

When One Clause or Designation Derails an Estate Plan

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This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Recent decisions from the British Columbia Court of Appeal have underscored how fragile an estate plan can become when a Will is ambiguous, or when life insurance and beneficiary designations conflict with the testator’s broader intentions. These cases remind us that estate planning isn’t just about having a Will, it’s about making sure the pieces are consistent, coherent, and….

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Appeals, Contested wills, Courts, Estate Litigation, Insurance, Wills

Supporting Loved Ones With Dementia: The Peace of Mind a POA Provides

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This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Dementia is not just a medical diagnosis; it’s a family story that unfolds over years. Canada’s numbers are climbing—projections suggest more than 1.7 million Canadians could be living with dementia by 2050. That’s a lot of spouses, adult children, and friends carrying new responsibilities—and often facing urgent decisions. The simplest way to bring calm to those moments is to….

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Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes

AI Generated Wills: Can Courts Fix a Robot’s Mistake?

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This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust   AI has started writing Wills. That might sound futuristic, but it’s already happening. Generative tools can churn out documents that look polished, formatted, and ready to sign. But what happens when those words don’t match what the person actually intended? Can a court fix an AI-generated Will the way it might fix a solicitor’s drafting error?   Think….

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Contested wills, Estate Planning

A Selfie Isn’t a Will: The Problem with Video “Wills”

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This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust   This summer, the Montana Supreme Court had to weigh in on a modern question: can a selfie video serve as a person’s last Will? The short answer was no. In a case that made headlines, the court rejected a man’s video-recorded “selfie Will.” Even though he clearly expressed that he wanted his brother to inherit everything, the court ruled….

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Contested wills, Estate Planning, Wills

Should your executor be paid to attend your funeral?

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This blog post was written by: Alicia Mossington, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust London Estate trustees in Ontario are entitled to be compensated for their work in administering the estate. Understanding estate trustee (“executor”) compensation is important whether you are an executor or are considering who to appoint for your own estate.   In Ontario, non-professional executors generally calculate compensation by relying on the guideline of:  2.5% of income and….

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Compensation, Estate Administration, Executors, Family Conflict
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