Predictions for the Future of AI in Estate Planning
Curated Content Digital Distress

Predictions for the Future of AI in Estate Planning

  • February 19, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Can You Decline or Step Down as Power of Attorney in Canada?
Curated Content Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Decline or Step Down as Power of Attorney in Canada?

  • March 10, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Inheriting a Registered Pension Plan can offer significant financial support, but it also comes with complexities and potential tax challenges. This post explores how RPPs are handled after death and provides strategies for navigating the process.
Curated Content Related Resources

Inheriting a Registered Pension Plan: What You Need to Know

  • February 24, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Even well-intentioned executors can make mistakes that lead to delays, legal issues, or personal liability. Here is a list common pitfalls in estate administration with tips on how to avoid them. By being aware of these, you can proactively take steps to stay on track and out of trouble.
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Common Estate Administration Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

  • May 21, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Confused about the terms “mirror Wills” and “mutual Wills”? They are very different concepts... This article aims to explain the basic difference between them as well as the pros and cons of each.
Curated Content Frequently Asked Questions

Mirror Wills vs Mutual Wills: What is The Difference?

  • December 29, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Learn the critical reasons why a will alone is insufficient for a comprehensive estate plan, and why incorporating trusts, beneficiary designations and incapacity planning is essential to ensure a seamless and protected transfer of your assets to your loved ones.
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Relying Solely on a Will? It Could Be a Costly Mistake!

  • March 11, 2024
  • 1 minute read
This article will discuss three of the main types of IP rights in Canada and explore why having a will is essential for dealing with IP after death and for safeguarding IP assets for future generations.
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Estate Planning For Intellectual Property Protection

This unscripted streaming docuseries delves into the drama that unfolds when grief and greed collide, exposing family secrets and highlighting the potential for conflict and legal battles over inheritances. 
Dramatized Content Family Disputes

The Will: Family Secrets Revealed | Unscripted Series

Administering an estate after someone passes away can be a daunting task, filled with legal complexities and emotional challenges. This Ultimate List aims to provide a comprehensive guide to navigating this process effectively.
Curated Content Related Resources

What You Need to Know About Administering an Estate: Australia

A critical part of advance care planning is choosing someone who will represent you in case you can’t represent yourself. This article provides an introduction to healthcare proxies, the process of selecting one, and resources for getting started.
Curated Content Related Resources

Choosing a Healthcare Proxy: Who Will Speak for You?

Just because your children are grown doesn’t mean the money conversations are over. In fact, some of the most important financial lessons and decisions happen in the later chapters of life—not just for you, but for your family.
Curated Content Related Resources

How to Share Financial Values with Your Adult Children

valuable lessons learned from

Communication Breakdowns
& Family Disputes

This unscripted streaming docuseries delves into the drama that unfolds when grief and greed collide, exposing family secrets and highlighting the potential for conflict and legal battles over inheritances. 
Dramatized Content Family Disputes

The Will: Family Secrets Revealed | Unscripted Series

  • November 3, 2010
  • 1 minute read
Executor of a Family Estate? How to Avoid Infighting over Inherited Wealth | Curated Content | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Family Disputes

Executor of a Family Estate? How to Avoid Infighting over

  • November 12, 2020
  • 1 minute read
Executor on the Case: Becoming a Detective for Missing Assets | Much has been written on the topic of missing heirs: how to find them, and what to do if you can’t. But what happens if you have missing assets? How do you practically move forward with an estate administration when you don’t know, well, what assets you’re administering?
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Executor on the Case: The Search for Missing Assets

  • February 14, 2025
  • Less than a minute
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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
Here are nine things to do – and not do – when selecting guardians for a minor child or children.
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

Choosing a Guardian for a Minor Child: 9 Important Considerations

  • January 4, 2023
  • 1 minute read
Big Inheritance Scams: Protect Your Family from Estate Fraud | Recognizing the warning signs of an inheritance scam is crucial for protecting yourself and your loved ones.
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Big Inheritance Scams: Protect Your Family from Estate Fraud

  • July 22, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Even if AI tools produce legal documents that look valid, the risks are obvious. Can the court step in and fix errors in an AI-generated Will?
Curated Content Digital Distress

Testator Intent: AI Generated Wills Lack “Proof & Context”

  • September 4, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Estate planning and long-term care planning should go hand in hand. A well-prepared plan ensures that assets are managed properly, healthcare preferences are honored, and family members are not left struggling to make last-minute financial decisions.
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

Estate and Long-term Care Planning Should Go Hand in Hand

  • March 15, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Estate Planning Mistakes of the Rich and Famous | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Inheritance Horror Stories | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Estate Planning Mistakes of the Rich and Famous

  • April 13, 2022
  • Less than a minute
Mercedes Kilmer addresses mixed reactions to her late Father's precedent-setting AI-generated posthumous performance in "As Deep as the Grave"...
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Kilmer’s Daughter Defends Late Father’s AI-Generated Performance

  • April 29, 2026
  • Less than a minute
Don't Wait until it's Too Late: Communicate Your Plans with Your Family
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Don’t Wait: Communicate Your Plans with Your Family

  • February 10, 2025
  • Less than a minute
Family in Legal Battle with Housekeeper over Richard Simmons' Estate
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Richard Simmons’ Estate: Family in Legal Battle with Housekeeper

  • September 26, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Charitable Bequests: The Importance of Names
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

Charitable Bequests: “What’s in a Name?”

  • July 10, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Estate Planning Can Be Difficult: Surprises Complicate Things Further | Curated Content | Communication Breakdowns | Estates Gone Wrong
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Estate Planning is Difficult: Don’t Complicate it With Surprises

  • September 22, 2024
  • 1 minute read
14 Unexpected Ways a Surprise Inheritance Can Complicate Your Life | Here's how to prepare yourself financially if you get an unexpected inheritance so you avoid costly missteps...
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Surprise! An Inheritance Can Complicate Your Life

  • April 20, 2025
  • Less than a minute
Undue influence is a high legal threshold to meet. If you believe that your loved one has been subject to undue influence in drafting their Will, what can you do about it?
Communication Breakdowns Curated Content

Undue Influence Concerns: Beware a Sudden Change of Heart

  • April 4, 2025
  • 1 minute read
guardian safeguards + eldercare nightmares

The Importance of Planning for
Custody & Long-Term Care

In What Circumstances Can an Attorney for Personal Care Restrict Visitors from Visiting an Incapacitated Person in a Long-Term Care Home?
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

Can a Power of Attorney for Personal Care Restrict Visits?

  • September 23, 2025
  • 2 minutes read
Estate Planning for Adults with Special Needs
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

Creating a Trust: Estate Planning for Adults with Special Needs

  • January 6, 2025
  • 1 minute read
5 Mistakes People Make: The Long-term Care Planning Process | Elder Care | Elder Law | Advanced Care Planning | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

5 Mistakes People Make: Long-Term Care Planning

  • May 8, 2023
  • 1 minute read
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Helpful Tips + Reference Guides

Related Resources

Comprehensive estate planning can help you achieve your future financial goals, and your executor will thank you. Hello, I’m Leanne Kaufman, and welcome to RBC Wealth Management Canada’s Matters Beyond Wealth podcast...
Curated Content Related Resources

Matters Beyond Wealth Podcast: Estate & Legacy Planning are Vital

  • February 11, 2025
  • Less than a minute
Read More
Whether you’re an executor tasked with administering a loved one’s estate or a family member seeking to understand what lies ahead, this comprehensive guide will walk you through every step...
Curated Content Related Resources

Complete Guide to Estate Settlement in Canada

  • February 25, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Read More
Unique assets often fall outside the typical scope of financial portfolios or real property, requiring specialized knowledge, valuation, and management.
Curated Content Related Resources

High Net Worth Estates: The Challenges of Unique Assets

  • January 6, 2025
  • Less than a minute
Read More
Trusts let you control how and when your assets are passed on. The stipulations you outline in the trust can help your beneficiaries use it wisely.
Curated Content Related Resources

Comprehensive Guide to the Many Different Types of Trusts

  • August 1, 2025
  • 1 minute read
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Recent Posts

The Court of Appeal recently released a decision dismissing appeals against conviction of a former Toronto police officer who fabricated the last will and testament of Heinz Siegfried Sommerfeld to benefit the police officer.
July 15, 2026

Consequences of ‘Stealing’ an Estate: Ontario Fraudulent Will Case

Choosing the right estate trustee —at the planning stage— can be one of the most important decisions a testator makes. This case serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen when an estate trustee fails to appreciate the seriousness of the role...
July 3, 2026

Cautionary Tale: When Poor Administration Comes at a Cost

With many estates being administered over extended periods —by older spouses, siblings, or peers— the risk that an executor becomes incapable is very real and foreseeable. Planning for incapacity at the drafting stage is key...
June 26, 2026

What Happens When An Estate Executor Becomes Incapable?

Navigating the legal maze of Canadian Estate Planning can be exceptionally daunting due to the recent enforcement of transparency mandates across all provinces. This article examines the structural steps required to successfully execute a family trust in Canada...
June 21, 2026

How To Set Up a Family Trust in Canada: 2026 Action Plan

Directory Listings

Our global curated content roundup is intended for information purposes only. We do not provide advisory services nor do we purport to offer direct legal advice. If you offer professional estate planning advisement, administration, or legal services, we welcome and encourage you to apply for a paid profile placement in our upcoming directory listings.

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Infamous Feuds + Celebrity Estates

Cautionary Tales

High-profile estate disputes can offer invaluable lessons in effective estate planning. One prominent case is that of oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall II and his brief marriage to Anna Nicole Smith.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Estate Planning Lessons from J. Howard Marshall II’s Case

Inside Billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s Family Trust Battle
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Inside Billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s Family Trust Battle

Controversial Prince Documentary Cancelled Over Estate Dispute
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Controversial Prince Documentary Cancelled Over Estate Dispute

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

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

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

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

The true story of a multi-billion dollar art heist and how they got away with it... 2009 Documentary follows the struggle for control of Dr. Albert C. Barnes' 25 billion dollar collection of modern and post-impressionist art.
Dramatized Content Infamous Feuds

The Art of the Steal | Documentary | 2009

The backlash against AI-generated 'resurrections' of deceased celebrities underscores the urgent need for a robust ethical and legal framework to govern the use of digital likenesses, particularly after an individual's passing.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Backlash Against AI ‘Resurrections’ of Deceased Celebrities

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

This dramatic feud over inheriting a family-owned winery drove a wedge between four siblings and led to a landmark penalty over the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in court. 
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Feud Over Family-Owned 80-Acre Winery Turns Sour

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

Navigating the Evolving Landscape: Val Kilmer’s Digital Legacy

Robert Redford's stunning $20m property portfolio revealed after Hollywood icon dies in his sleep aged 89
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Robert Redford’s Stunning $20m Property Portfolio

Celebrity Estates Curated Content

What We Can Learn From Celebrity Estate Planning Gone Wrong

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

Often you hear that you should review your will or trust to make sure it keeps up with changes in your life and still meets your needs. The tragic death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose will became public due to the probate proceeding, brought some of these issues into the public eye.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Unintended Consequences: Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Estate

Estate Planning Mistakes of the Rich and Famous | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Inheritance Horror Stories | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Estate Planning Mistakes of the Rich and Famous

Dueling Trustees Battle Over Jimmy Buffett’s $275 Million Estate
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Dueling Trustees Battle Over Jimmy Buffett’s $275 Million Estate

Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Lessons To Be Learned From Failed Celebrity Estates

Nearly 17 years after Michael's death, his daughter Paris has formally challenged the lawyers managing the estate. The dispute raises questions about transparency in managing one of the most profitable celebrity estates in entertainment history.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Michael Jackson’s Daughter Paris Challenges Estate Executors

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

Battles over Marilyn Monroe's estate shed light on the challenges of protecting intellectual property rights posthumously. Disputes emerged over the ownership and commercial use of her image and likeness. 
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Marilyn Monroe’s Estate Continues to Make People Rich… But Who???

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

Agreement Reached in Dispute over Charley Pride’s Will

The name John Seward Johnson probably means very little to you, but you’ve certainly know the company that Johnson’s father co-founded. That’s right – Johnson & Johnson, the maker of baby products we’ve all used for generations.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Disinherited Children: Battle Over The Johnson & Johnson Legacy

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

The Menendez Estate: What Happened to the Money?

Gore-Tex Heiress, Susan Gore, has been denied the right to adopt her 65-year-old ex-husband as a means to boost her family's inheritance fortune.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Court Ruling: Heiress Cannot Adopt Ex-Husband for Inheritance

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

Inside The Bitter Feuds of America’s Richest Families

real repercussions of inheriting real estate

Property Pitfalls

Canadian Inheritance Tax on Property: What You Should Know | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Capital Gains Tax | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Canadian Inheritance Tax on Property: What You Should Know

  • February 16, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Every inherited commercial property with tenants comes with lease obligations that transfer with the building, not with the person. The estate steps into the landlord role immediately.
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Inherited Commercial Property with Tenants: Guide for Heirs & Executors

  • April 21, 2026
  • Less than a minute
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Estate Planning Should Not Wait: Lessons from “Howards End”

  • November 17, 2022
  • Less than a minute
This article will provide a comprehensive overview of capital gains on inherited property in Canada, explain who pays the tax, explore strategies to reduce or avoid it, and answer frequently asked questions to ensure you have a clear understanding of your obligations and options.
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

How to Avoid Paying Capital Gains Tax on Inherited Property in Canada

  • June 24, 2025
  • 1 minute read
While a trust can be an effective way to manage and transfer ownership of the family cottage, it requires careful planning to get it right.
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Trust Planning for The Family Cottage: Key Considerations

  • September 19, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Avoid Estate Administration Surprises. Performing a title search on your property as part of your estate plan could save your heirs both money and hassle. 
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Avoid Estate Administration Surprises: Perform a Title Search

  • October 26, 2024
  • 1 minute read
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Explore Topics

Dying Saskatchewan Farmer’s Will Goes Down in History | Curated Content | Strange Bequests | Estates Gone Wrong

Bizarre Bequests

30
Priscilla Presley Settles Dispute with Granddaughter over Lisa Marie Presley's Estate | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates

Celebrity Estates

56
Family Conflict Results in Long-Term Estate Litigation over Secret Trust and Mutual Wills Agreement | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong

Charitable Misgivings

32
Estate Planning: 6 Big Mistakes You Might Be Making | Curated Content | Common Mistakes | Estates Gone Wrong

Common Mistakes

48
What to Do when the Executor Is Not Communicating with Beneficiaries? | Curated Content | Communication Breakdowns | Estates Gone Wrong

Communication Breakdowns

42
Top 8 Risks: The Dangers of Improper Estate Planning | Common Mistakes | Cautionary Tales | Inheritance Horror Stories | Estates Gone Wrong

Digital Distress

54
Fights Over Estates Can Tear Families Apart | Curated Content | Family Disputes | Inheritance Horror Stories | Estates Gone Wrong

Family Disputes

68
Abusive Guardianships: Prevention & Taking Action

Guardian Safeguards

36
High Costs for Long-Term Care are 'Unforgivable' | Curated Content | Elder Care Nightmares | Estates Gone Wrong

Long-Term Care Crisis

36
What to Do if You Inherit a House with a Mortgage | Curated Content | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Inheriting Debt | Estates Gone Wrong

Property Pitfalls

52
Story Submissions

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