Estate Administration

Total 510 Posts

Excluded Property, Estate Freezes and Family Law: What Estate Planners Need to Know After Lang-Newlands v. Newlands

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Estate planners have long viewed trusts and estate freezes as valuable tools for succession planning, tax efficiency, and family wealth preservation. However, the Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2026 ONCA 530, serves as an important reminder that family law considerations can significantly affect the intended outcomes of an estate plan. For trusts and estates practitioners, the decision highlights the limits of relying on the Family….

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Contested wills, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Conflict, Spouse, Succession Planning, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills

What Happens When a Will is Missing an Important Clause?: Lessons From Kentros v. Kentros

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A will is intended to provide clear instructions about the distribution of a person’s property after death. But what happens when an important clause is missing? This issue was considered in Kentros v. Kentros, 2026 ONCA 546. This case is a useful reminder of the difficulties that can arise when a will does not accurately reflect a testator’s intentions and raises important questions about the limits of a court’s ability….

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Estate Administration, Wills

But Google Says… The Executor’s Guide to Late-Night Googling

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Accepting an appointment as executor is a bit like agreeing to assemble a complicated piece of furniture without realizing the instructions are 300 pages long, several pieces are missing, and everyone in the family has a different opinion about how it should be assembled. Most executors begin the process feeling confident and optimistic. They are organized. They are capable. They have a plan. A few months later, they are searching….

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Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Executors

Hidden Risks of a Do-It-Yourself Codicil: Schickedanz v. Schickedanz

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This blog was co-authored by Latoya Brown, Associate and Elyse Mitchell, Student-at-Law at Fasken LLP Holograph wills and codicils are often viewed as a simple and inexpensive way to record testamentary wishes. In Ontario, a holograph will or codicil is valid if it is entirely in the testator’s handwriting and signed by the testator. That simplicity often makes holograph documents attractive. The recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision, Schickedanz v. Schickedanz,….

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Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Family Conflict, Farm, Undue influence

The Hidden Value in Estates: Why Personal Belongings Matter

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Derek Hambly, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust London   When it comes time to administer an estate, the value of personal belongings is often overlooked. There are many reasons why the chattels and belongings of a deceased person are undervalued. Whether it is in the interest of clearing out the house of the deceased to get the property on the market, or because the….

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Estate Administration

Five Practical Tips for Preparing and Reviewing Estate Accounts

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Estate trustees have a duty to keep accurate records of estate assets and transactions throughout their administration and to account to beneficiaries at appropriate intervals. The estate accounts tell the story of how estate assets were collected, managed, spent, and distributed. Once that accounting has been provided, estate trustees may seek a discharge for the period covered by the accounts, either through beneficiary releases or a court passing of accounts…..

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