Total 413 Posts
An elderly parent may add their adult child on to title of their home for various reasons including avoiding probate but as a recent case demonstrates there are risks in doing so. The Applicant was the 88 year old mother of the Respondent. In 2009, she and her late husband bought a house together (the “Property”). In 2014, the Respondent moved in with them. At that time, the Applicant was….
The Regrettable Gift Continue Reading »
Estate LitigationMuch has been written on All About Estates about “missing” elements in an estate administration – missing assets, missing heirs, and even missing estate trustees. In the case of missing heirs, the executors have an obligation to take reasonable steps to locate the beneficiaries of the estate. Executors cannot simply distribute the estate to those beneficiaries who are easy to find, or assume that missing beneficiaries do not exist. While….
A Novel Approach to Locating Missing Heirs Continue Reading »
Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Executors, TrusteeThis blog was written by Jessica J. Butler, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP A recent British Columbia decision[1] has revisited a deceptively simple question in estate law: what does it mean to be a “child” of a deceased person?[2] The case involved a claim brought by a woman against the estate of the deceased under section 60 of British Columbia’s Wills, Estates and Succession Act (“WESA”). These claims are commonly….
What Makes You a ‘Child’ in an Estate? A BC Case and the Ontario Contrast Continue Reading »
Dependant Support, Estate Litigation, Family Conflict, Uncategorized
Taking on the role of an estate trustee can be a difficult one. The tasks typically involve gathering in and managing assets, determining liabilities, and moving the administration of an estate forward until it is time to distribute the net assets to the beneficiaries. While there is a general principle that an estate should be wrapped up within 1 year (also known as the “executor’s year”), completing the administration of….
Estate Trustee Compensation Continue Reading »
Compensation, Courts, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Trustee, Trustee CompensationThis blog has been written by Frédéric Barriault, Counsel, and Yoni Feingold, Partner, at Fasken LLP In Quebec’s civil law tradition, the liquidator occupies a central institutional role in the administration and litigation of successions. The legal framework governing this role draws principally from two sets of rules: the regime of liquidation of successions and the regime of administration of the property of others. Together, these systems create a coherent….
The Liquidator: The Central Player in Quebec Succession Disputes Continue Reading »
Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Executors, Succession Planning, Wills
Disputes relating to the guardianship of a person or of their property are relatively common in the world of estates and trusts litigation. To be clear, the appointment of a guardian is done through the court process and via a court order, whereas the appointment of an attorney for property or personal care is effected by the granting of that authority by one individual to another or to multiple persons…..
Guardianship: A Refresher Continue Reading »
Estate Litigation, Guardianship, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes, Uncategorized