Dave Madan

The Will That Almost Was: When an Unsigned Will Creates Chaos

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust    Most of us have a mental image of what a Will looks like. It is signed at the bottom, witnessed, maybe bound in a blue backing. It sits in a filing cabinet or a safe deposit box, and when the time comes, someone pulls it out and follows the instructions. Clean. Final. Done. But what happens when there….

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Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Wills

The “Easy Solution” That Creates Estate Problems Later

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Most estate problems do not start with bad intentions or poor advice. They start with an easy decision. A parent adds a child to a bank account to make bill paying simpler. A couple downloads an online Will template to “get something in place.” A family assumes the oldest child will naturally take care of things when the time….

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Estate Planning, Wills

Why Estate Administration Now Feels Like a Never-Ending Series

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust If you have ever watched a true crime documentary or investigative series, you know the familiar structure. A death sets the story in motion. A Will appears. Family members gather, each with their own questions, assumptions, and expectations. By the end of the episode, the mystery is resolved and the estate seems to fall neatly into place before the….

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Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications

Valuing Digital Assets: Lessons from the Counter Strike Market Crash

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Digital assets have become an increasingly common topic in estate planning. What once seemed like a niche hobby has turned into a meaningful part of some clients’ financial picture. From cryptocurrency to NFTs and even online gaming inventories, these assets can hold real world value, sometimes in the millions. Yet recent events in the gaming world have shown just….

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Estate Planning, valuation

When One Clause or Designation Derails an Estate Plan

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Scotiatrust

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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Scotiatrust

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
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