Miami retiree alleges 3ABN executives misled him into signing away 400 acres in the Bahamas that had been in his family for four generations
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

Nonprofit Christian Ministry: Property Disputes & Scandals

  • September 27, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Don’t Wait to Communicate Your Estate Plan | Three Reasons | Curated Content | Communication Breakdowns | Estates Gone Wrong
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

The Importance of Communicating Your Estate Plan: 3 Big Reasons

  • July 8, 2024
  • Less than a minute
Estate Planning in Canada is an essential step that helps you manage your assets as you wish while minimising tax difficulties for the beneficiaries. Although there are no inheritance taxes, addressing key tax considerations helps protect your legacy and care for your loved ones.
Curated Content Related Resources

Proactive Steps to Minimise Your Estate’s Tax Burden

  • February 22, 2025
  • 1 minute read
There can be benefits to gifting part of your estate during your lifetime (inter vivos), an increasingly popular wealth transfer option for Canadians. Before settling on this option, here’s what you’ll need to consider. 
Curated Content Related Resources

Advantages of Gifting Assets During Your Lifetime: Inter Vivos

  • May 6, 2025
  • 2 minutes read
Tips to Help Siblings Avoid or Resolve an Estate Battle | Curated Content | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Family Disputes

Tips to Help Siblings Avoid or Resolve an Estate Battle

  • August 5, 2024
  • Less than a minute
7 Costly Estate Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them | Curated Content | Common Mistakes | Cautionary Tales | Estates Gone Wrong
Common Mistakes Curated Content

7 Costly Estate Planning Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

  • April 9, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Greed and Conflict Among Siblings in Inheritance Matters | Curated Content | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Family Disputes

Greed & Conflict Among Siblings in Inheritance Matters

Ontario Court Ruling: Funds transferred to deceased's Daughter were "valid inter vivos gifts" and not subject to a resulting trust.
Curated Content Family Disputes

Court Rules in Favour of Daughter: the Validity of Inter Vivos Gifts

A charitable legacy can be an integral part of estate planning, providing a meaningful way to support community initiatives, educational institutions, medical research, or other important causes. The process involves allocating a portion of your estate to benefit causes or organizations you care about, but how is this done?
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

How To Leave a Charitable Legacy through Your Estate Plan

Money left to Heart and Stroke Foundation in Will Allegedly Misappropriated | Curated Content | Charitable Bequests | Estates Gone Wrong
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

Alleged Misappropriation of Substantial Charitable Bequest

Separated Spouses and Intestacy: Important Changes Coming in 2025 | A significant change in Ontario’s estate law is about to take full effect, impacting separated spouses and their inheritance rights.
Curated Content Life Events

Separated Spouses and Intestacy: Important Changes in 2025

valuable lessons learned from

Communication Breakdowns
& Family Disputes

Although television and movies are entertaining with their conflicts and cliffhangers, your estate plan should not be as entertaining.
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Probate & Trust Administration: Dramatic Misconceptions

  • October 28, 2024
  • Less than a minute
Sibling Rivalry Lands Mother’s Estate in Court | A Cautionary Tale | Family Disputes | Court Battles | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Family Disputes

Sibling Rivalry Lands Mother’s Estate in Court

  • November 28, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Five Famous Families Undermined by Sibling Conflict | Curated Content | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Family Disputes

Five Famous Families Undermined by Sibling Conflict

  • June 29, 2022
  • 1 minute read
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All Celebrity Estates Family Disputes Charitable Misgivings Common Mistakes Bizarre Bequests Long-Term Care Crisis Communication Breakdowns Property Pitfalls Digital Distress Guardian Safeguards
Executor Not Communicating with Beneficiaries: What to Do
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Executor Not Communicating with Beneficiaries: What to Do

  • May 25, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Dramatized Content Family Disputes

The Estate | American Comedy Film | 2022

  • November 4, 2022
  • 1 minute read
Early inheritance is an increasingly popular route towards homeownership: a way for Canadian families to support younger generations...
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Early Inheritance is Trending: Canada’s ‘Living Legacy’ Movement

  • March 27, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Addressing Common Communication Challenges in Estate Planning
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Addressing Common Communication Challenges in Estate Planning

  • June 10, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Vulnerable adult guardianship court cases involve legal proceedings where a court appoints a guardian to make decisions on behalf of an adult who is deemed incapable of making their own decisions.
Generated Content Guardian Safeguards

Protecting Vulnerable Adults: Court Should Be a Last Resort!

  • July 8, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

What We Can Learn From Celebrity Estate Planning Gone Wrong

  • October 16, 2023
  • 1 minute read
Today’s Executor is a Digital Executor | Digital Distress | Online Accounts | Estate Planning | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Digital Distress

In Today’s Digital World, Every Executor is a Digital Executor

  • June 4, 2021
  • 1 minute read
Whether you are a nursing home resident, a family member, or a supportive friend, this guide gives you the tools you need to identify and then resolve the problems that residents most frequently face.
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

25 Common Nursing Home Problems and How to Resolve Them

  • February 24, 2025
  • 1 minute read
On the Lookout: Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse | Long-Term Care | Elder Care | Power of Attorney | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

On the Lookout: Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse

  • December 18, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Too many parents take comfort in the misconception that where both parents become incapacitated or die, another family member will automatically take over caring for their children. The reality is, the rights and responsibilities of guardianship do not simply pass to a surviving family member.
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

Testamentary Guardianship: Safeguarding Your Child’s Future

  • July 10, 2023
  • 2 minutes read
There are several reasons that a will may prove invalid. It is important for testators to be aware of these pitfalls in order to avoid them. By understanding the factors that can invalidate your will, you can take proactive steps to safeguard your estate and provide peace of mind for those you leave behind.
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Five Common Reasons a Will Might Be Declared Invalid

  • June 27, 2024
  • 1 minute read
When Caretakers Empty the Coffers: A Look at Guardianship Fraud
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

When Caretakers Empty the Coffers: A Look at Guardianship Fraud

  • April 13, 2022
  • 1 minute read
guardian safeguards + eldercare nightmares

The Importance of Planning for
Custody & Long-Term Care

In Ontario, a Power of Attorney for Personal Care (POAPC) is a legal document that covers healthcare, living arrangements, and other personal needs. It's important to choose someone trustworthy and capable of understanding your wishes.
Generated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

Power of Attorney for Personal Care (POAPC): Ontario

  • June 17, 2025
  • 1 minute read
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Naming a Guardian for Your Children
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Naming a Guardian for Your

  • October 2, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Aging Baby Boomers Raise the Risk of a Long-Term-Care Crisis in the U.S. | Curated Content | Elder Care | Long-Term Care | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

Aging Baby Boomers Raise the Risk of a Long-Term-Care Crisis

  • November 8, 2021
  • 1 minute read
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Helpful Tips + Reference Guides

Related Resources

Comprehensive resource provided by the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) that offers guidance and information on various aspects of estate planning. Explore the library for expert trust & estate guidance...
Curated Content Related Resources

Comprehensive Estate Planning Video Library: United States

  • June 28, 2025
  • Less than a minute
Read More
By following these steps, you can maximize your chances of a successful and profitable estate sale. 
Generated Content Related Resources

Resources: How to Plan a Successful Estate Sale

  • July 1, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Read More
Most individuals consider purely domestic estate matters to be complex and challenging.  Add another country into the equation and the legal complexity quickly multiplies.
Curated Content Related Resources

Navigating Cross-Border & Multijurisdictional Estate Matters

  • March 19, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Read More
These books offer the most current 2025 insights and can help you stay ahead of the curve in protecting your family and legacy with confidence.
Curated Content Related Resources

7 Future-Forward Estate Planning Books Defining 2025

  • June 27, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Read More
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Recent Posts

The term "executor" itself is used across many legal systems and cultures. Other terms like "estate trustee" and "estate representative" are also used, but the core function remains the same: managing the estate according to the will.
August 14, 2025

Estate Executor: Role —by any other name— Remains the Same

It is important to understand the limited purpose and necessity behind 'Net Family Property' clauses. They are not a catchall for sheltering and protecting the inheritance of a divorcing beneficiary, although they usually have the appearance of trying to achieve this objective.
August 12, 2025

Understanding the ‘Net Family Property’ Exclusion Clause: Ontario

Are you planning to leave real estate to a loved one under your Will? Do you want that property to be transferred free of debt or other claims? Language matters!
August 8, 2025

Navigating Bequests of Real Estate: Language Matters!

Huntington Hartford II, heir to the A&P grocery fortune, experienced a significant financial decline due to a series of failed ventures and lavish spending habits, ultimately leading to bankruptcy. 
August 8, 2025

Heir to A&P Grocery Fortune Forced to File for Bankruptcy

Story Submissions

Estate Gone Wrong?

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Infamous Feuds + Celebrity Estates

Cautionary Tales

Inheritance Mishaps from the Rich and Famous | Canadian Family Offices | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Inheritance Mishaps from the Rich and Famous

These heiresses —Evalyn Walsh McLean, Catherine Tylney-Long, Christina Onassis, Barbara Hutton, and Barbara Baekland— learned that some prices are too high to pay, even when you can afford anything money can buy.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

The Cursed Fortunes That Destroyed Their Heiresses

Murdoch Family Legal Battle Highlights a Harsh Reality: No Trust is Airtight | Family Disputes | Celebrity Estates | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Lessons from Murdoch Family Legal Battle: No Trust is Airtight

Robert De Niro is said to have plans to leave his seventh child a huge bite of his fortune – leaving his other relatives peeved... De Niro's older children reportedly want an equal cut of his massive estate.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Robert De Niro Sparks ‘Family Feud’ with His Plans to Revamp Will

James Brown’s Estate Reaches Settlement After Nearly 15-Year Dispute | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

James Brown’s Estate Reaches Settlement After Lengthy Dispute

Director Norman Jewison's wife cut him off from family, coerced him to change $30M will, lawsuits claimed. Legal fight between filmmaker's sons, 2nd wife highlights end-of-life struggles many families face...
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Family Members Clash Over Director Norman Jewison’s Estate

Aretha Franklin’s Handwritten Last Wishes: a Tale of Two Wills
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Aretha Franklin’s Handwritten Last Wishes: a Tale of Two Wills

Gene Roddenberry is widely known as the mind behind Star Trek but less well known is his ugly estate litigation fight that centered around the definition of “Star Trek.”
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

To Boldly Go Where No Estate Litigation Has Gone Before

After deliberating for almost one hour, jurors found that a handwritten will, discovered under a sofa cushion by Franklin’s niece after the singer’s death, was signed by the music legend in 2014 and does show her intent.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Jury Reaches Verdict in Battle over Aretha Franklin’s Estate

Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential and renowned artists of the 20th century, left a lasting legacy through his groundbreaking artwork. However, the probate process that followed his death in 1973 was anything but straightforward.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

From Canvas to Courtroom: The Legal Battle Over Picasso’s Estate

TV Chef Blew £2.8million Inheritance: Leaves Only £33k to Family
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

TV Chef Blew £2.8million Inheritance: Leaves Only £33k to Family

The Menendez Estate: Who Got the Money?
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

The Menendez Estate: What Happened to the Money?

Disney is one of the biggest media companies in the world, with an estimated net worth of nearly $130 billion. From a family-trust-fund feud to generous philanthropic endeavors, here's a look at the three generations of the Disney family.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Disney Family Feud as Heirs Battle for $400 Million Trust Fund

Inside The Bitter Family Feuds of America’s Richest Billionaire Clans
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Inside The Bitter Feuds of America’s Richest Families

Jay Pritzker quietly built a $15 billion empire of more than 200 companies, including Hyatt Hotels Corp., and a network of 1,000 family trusts.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Pritzker Family Settles Dispute with $900 Million Agreement

Elvis Presley’s Estate Planning Mistakes: Lessons for Us All | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Elvis Presley’s Estate Planning Mistakes: Lessons for Us All

From legendary musicians to business moguls, read on to discover some of the bitterest inheritance battles of all time. 
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Battle of Wills: 25 Infamous Inheritance Disputes

Barry White’s estate story is a heartbreaking reminder of how simple updates to your estate plan can save your family from unnecessary pain. His estate saga serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of neglecting to update your estate plan after major life changes.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Keep Your Documents Up-to-Date: Lessons from Barry White’s Estate

Agreement Reached in Dispute over Charley Pride's Will
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Agreement Reached in Dispute over Charley Pride’s Will

The Legacy of Bob Ross: Lessons in Succession Planning
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

The Legacy of Bob Ross: Lessons in Succession Planning

Celebrity Estates Curated Content

What We Can Learn From Celebrity Estate Planning Gone Wrong

Navigating the Evolving Landscape: Val Kilmer’s Digital Legacy
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Navigating the Evolving Landscape: Val Kilmer’s Digital Legacy

Daughters of late Hollywood legend Paul Newman filed a lawsuit against the Newman's Own Foundation (NOF), claiming their father's legacy is "under assault" by the "very organization he founded in an effort to preserve and expand that legacy."
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Paul Newman’s Daughters Claim Father’s Legacy is ‘Under Assault’

Foreman established a distinctive personal legacy marked by a large blended family and a multimillion-dollar estate. His unique family dynamic highlights the importance of proper estate planning: crucial when managing multiple heirs, complex family relationships, and shared family names.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

George Foreman’s Legacy: Lessons for Complex Blended Families

Stan Lee, the iconic co-creator of Marvel superheroes, became center of a high-profile elder abuse lawsuit...
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Elder Abuse Lawsuit Against Stan Lee’s Ex-Manager

This full length in-depth documentary explores how some of history's wealthiest families were torn apart when their own children turned against the empires their ancestors built.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Wealthy Families Betrayed By Their Own Children: Documentary

Inside Billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s Family Trust Battle
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Inside Billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s Family Trust Battle

real repercussions of inheriting real estate

Property Pitfalls

Can You Avoid Impending Capital Gain on Your Family Cottage?
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Can You Avoid Impending Capital Gain on Your Family Cottage?

  • June 5, 2025
  • 1 minute read
If you and your siblings are on track to one day inherit your parents’ home, take heed of this cautionary tale, and learn how to avoid the same fate. Does this man owe his siblings anything more? All the experts to share their take on the situation.
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Inheriting a Home With Your Siblings: What Can Go Wrong?

  • January 16, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Family Cottage Succession: a Dream or a Nightmare? No matter how much you may intend to keep the property in the family, you should plan for the almost certain inevitability that at some point it will be sold.
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Shared Ownership in The Family Cottage: a Dream or a Nightmare?

  • August 5, 2022
  • 1 minute read
Inheriting a House With Siblings: Not As Straightforward As It Seems | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Inheriting a House with Siblings: Not as Straightforward as it Seems

  • April 17, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Selling Inherited Property: Tips for Executors and Beneficiaries | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Selling Inherited Property: Tips for Executors and Beneficiaries

  • August 29, 2022
  • 1 minute read
Renouncing an Inheritance: an Inherent Right | Inheriting a House | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Renouncing an Inheritance: an Inherent Right

  • June 18, 2024
  • 1 minute read
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Dying Saskatchewan Farmer’s Will Goes Down in History | Curated Content | Strange Bequests | Estates Gone Wrong

Bizarre Bequests

26
Priscilla Presley Settles Dispute with Granddaughter over Lisa Marie Presley's Estate | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates

Celebrity Estates

38
Family Conflict Results in Long-Term Estate Litigation over Secret Trust and Mutual Wills Agreement | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong

Charitable Misgivings

28
Estate Planning: 6 Big Mistakes You Might Be Making | Curated Content | Common Mistakes | Estates Gone Wrong

Common Mistakes

32
What to Do when the Executor Is Not Communicating with Beneficiaries? | Curated Content | Communication Breakdowns | Estates Gone Wrong

Communication Breakdowns

28
Top 8 Risks: The Dangers of Improper Estate Planning | Common Mistakes | Cautionary Tales | Inheritance Horror Stories | Estates Gone Wrong

Digital Distress

38
Fights Over Estates Can Tear Families Apart | Curated Content | Family Disputes | Inheritance Horror Stories | Estates Gone Wrong

Family Disputes

44
Abusive Guardianships: Prevention & Taking Action

Guardian Safeguards

26
High Costs for Long-Term Care are 'Unforgivable' | Curated Content | Elder Care Nightmares | Estates Gone Wrong

Long-Term Care Crisis

28
What to Do if You Inherit a House with a Mortgage | Curated Content | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Inheriting Debt | Estates Gone Wrong

Property Pitfalls

32
Story Submissions

Estate Gone Wrong?

We know, it is a very sensitive topic. Anonymous submissions are welcomed and encouraged. We just want to help you tell your cautionary tale.

Share Your Story