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

  • September 23, 2024
  • 3 minutes read
Canadians with U.S. Beneficiaries: Cross-border Estate Planning Tips
Curated Content Related Resources

Canadians with U.S. Beneficiaries: Cross-border Estate Planning Tips

  • June 24, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Inheritance disputes are as old as time, but in recent years, there’s been an increase in families embroiled in legal arguments. Here are the various stances on inheritance disputes, 2024 statistics, and the demographics of those discussing the topic online. 
Curated Content Family Disputes

Inheritance Dispute Statistics: 2024 Rising Trends

  • October 18, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Family Philanthropy: Passing Down with Purpose
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

Family Philanthropy: Passing Down with Purpose

  • February 4, 2025
  • 1 minute read
From primary and contingent beneficiary designations to revocable and individual beneficiary designations... Understanding these designations is crucial in ensuring that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
Curated Content Legacy Lexicon

Understanding the Different Types of Beneficiary Designations

  • July 18, 2024
  • 1 minute read
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

  • May 9, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Most families don't have these conversations until it's too late. Not because they don't care. But because there's never a clear moment to bring it up...
Curated Content Related Resources

Thoughtful Questions To Ask Your Aging Parents

Contentious probate refers to the legal conflicts and disputes that can arise in the process of settling a deceased person’s estate. This guide dives deeper into a probate contest and what is involved with it from a legal standpoint. 
Curated Content Family Disputes

Navigating the Challenges of Contentious Probate: UK

Planning for a family business's future is challenging. Keeping the company within the family and ensuring its success requires careful decision-making. Discover practical strategies for effective family business succession planning to ensure a smooth transition and lasting success.
Curated Content Succession Lessons

A Guide to Family Business Succession Planning

When you start thinking about end-of-life planning, you may hear a lot of terms that sound similar. One question many people ask is whether a living will is the same as a DNR order.
Curated Content Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: Is a Living Will the Same As a DNR Order?

A Letter of Wishes is an important document and we would usually recommend writing one when setting up a trust or writing a Will which contains trust provisions. They should be updated when circumstances change and reviewed on a regular basis.
Curated Content Related Resources

Letter of Wishes: What You Need to Know

valuable lessons learned from

Communication Breakdowns
& Family Disputes

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
Six Feet Under | Television Series | the human condition, mortality, family dynamics, personal identity, the various ways in which people cope with loss
Communication Breakdowns Dramatized Content

Six Feet Under | Television Series | 2001-2005

  • June 3, 2001
  • 1 minute read
Court rules against woman who sought to have $1.8-million inheritance placed in fully discretionary trust to avoid losing disability benefits...
Curated Content Family Disputes

B.C. Court Rules Against Woman Seeking to Impose Henson Trust

  • February 12, 2025
  • 1 minute read
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Almost half of all Canadians lack estate plans, leaving financial and medical decisions uncertain: Scotiatrust survey reveals gaps in wills and power of attorney documents, leaving key decisions unmade...
Common Mistakes Curated Content

Scotiatrust Estate Planning Survey Finds Canadians Unprepared

  • February 7, 2025
  • 1 minute read
In today’s increasingly digital world, traditional processes are being transformed by technology, and estate planning is no exception. Recent developments in technology and changes to the legal landscape are creating room for the possibility of electronic wills...
Curated Content Digital Distress

Electronic Wills: The Future of Estate Planning in Ontario

  • December 10, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Watching your elderly parent(s) struggle with dwindling financial resources can be a distressing and overwhelming experience. However, there are steps you can take to address this situation effectively and ensure your parent receives the care and support they need.
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

What to Do When Your Elderly Parent is Running Out of Money

  • September 25, 2023
  • Less than a minute
The Supreme Court recently ruled in favour of Blue Cross, RSPB and RSPCA in the case of a legacy bequest which was challenged by the donor’s daughter.
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

Important Case Ruling: Contested Wills and Charities in the UK

  • August 13, 2024
  • 1 minute read
AI and Ethics Collide: A proposal to use artificial intelligence to recreate the voice of late actor Robin Williams has reignited a contentious debate around consent, legacy, and the ethical boundaries of generative AI.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Robin Williams Voice Recreation Proposal Sparks Backlash

  • August 11, 2025
  • 1 minute read
This article delves into the estates of five legendary individuals: Bob Ross, Stan Lee, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, and Paul Walker. These inheritance battles shed light on the significance of explicit planning for intellectual property.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Legendary Lessons: Protecting Intellectual Property

  • April 26, 2024
  • 1 minute read
When Inheritance Divides: The Strain of Sibling Disputes Over Estate Debts
Curated Content Family Disputes

The Strain of Sibling Disputes Over Estate Debts: a Cautionary Tale

  • January 31, 2025
  • 1 minute read
In Ontario, long-term care homes must follow a law called the Fixing Long‑Term Care Act, 2021, which includes a Residents’ Bill of Rights. This resource explains these rights in language that’s easy to understand.
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

Ontario Long-Term Care Home Residents: Know Your Rights!

  • February 18, 2025
  • 1 minute read
What to Do if You Inherit a House with a Mortgage | Curated Content | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Inheriting Debt | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

What to Do if You Inherit a House with a Mortgage

  • August 27, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Lawyers Alison and Jillian Barrett, from Maurice Blackburn, tackle problems everyday Aussies face. In this article, they address the following question– posed by a woman who 'isn't happy with her inheritance'.
Charitable Misgivings Curated Content

Mum’s $20k Inheritance Gift to Charity ‘Upsets’ Daughter: Australia

  • April 25, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Removing an Estate Trustee: How Bad is Bad Enough? | Family Disputes | Court Rulings | Ontario | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Family Disputes

Removing an Estate Trustee: How Bad is Bad Enough?

  • April 10, 2024
  • Less than a minute
Navigating the Evolving Landscape: Val Kilmer’s Digital Legacy
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Navigating the Evolving Landscape: Val Kilmer’s Digital Legacy

  • April 10, 2025
  • 1 minute read
guardian safeguards + eldercare nightmares

The Importance of Planning for
Custody & Long-Term Care

Legal tussle over dog has cost thousands in legal fees and plenty of heartache, while highlighting how the law treats pets in estate battles.
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

Dog at Centre of Estate Dispute: Highlights Need to Plan

  • March 8, 2024
  • 1 minute read
In Canada, if you want your pet to be cared for when you’re no longer around, you need to include them in your estate plan. Here are five ways to include your pet in your estate plan...
Curated Content Guardian Safeguards

Tips for Canadians: Estate Planning with Your Pets in Mind

  • June 3, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Few things feel as delicate or as important as talking with a family member about long-term care. The team at CareOne is sharing tips to help you navigate the emotional conversations about long-term care options. 
Curated Content Long-Term Care Crisis

Long-Term Care: Navigating Emotional Conversations

  • June 15, 2025
  • Less than a minute
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Helpful Tips + Reference Guides

Related Resources

Testamentary Capacity and Estate Planning in Ontario
Curated Content Related Resources

Testamentary Capacity and Estate Planning in Ontario

  • January 22, 2024
  • 2 minutes read
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Curated Content Related Resources

Create a More Effective Estate Plan: Tips & Best Practices

  • January 6, 2025
  • Less than a minute
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This handbook is for those who have been appointed an executor (now called an “estate trustee”) in Ontario. Read further for excerpts from "How to Administer an Estate in Ontario: Plain Language Handbook", available on Amazon...
Curated Content Related Resources

How to Administer an Estate in Ontario: Plain Language Handbook

  • September 1, 2020
  • 1 minute read
Read More
While informal verbal agreements may seem convenient and cost-effective at the time they are made, they all-too-frequently lead to disputes down the road.
Curated Content Related Resources

Informal Verbal Agreements Frequently Lead to Estate Disputes

  • January 21, 2026
  • 1 minute read
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Recent Posts

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

Before you set up a living trust, make sure you’re positive that it’s the right tool for your particular situation. Learn more in this step-by-step guide to setting up a living trust in Canada…
June 18, 2026

How Do I Set Up a Living (Inter Vivos) Trust in Canada?

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Infamous Feuds + Celebrity Estates

Cautionary Tales

As AI technology advances, Hollywood faces new challenges regarding posthumous performances. The rights to a deceased actor's likeness depend on state laws, contracts, and estate management, making AI recreations a legal gray area.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

AI Resurrecting Deceased Actors: Laws Must Keep Pace

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

Ten Absolutely Vicious Fights over Inherited Fortunes | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Ten Absolutely Vicious Fights over Inherited Fortunes

Actress Diane Keaton left behind not just a remarkable legacy but an important reminder about estate planning for our pets.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Pet Trusts: What We Can Learn from Diane Keaton’s Estate

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

The Menendez Estate: What Happened to the Money?

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

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

The infamous inheritance battle for Koch Industries involved the four sons of Fred Koch — William, Frederick, Charles, and David — who feuded for nearly two decades over the control and ownership of the family company. 
Generated Content Infamous Feuds

Infamous 20-Year-Long Inheritance Battle: Koch Industries

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

An Ontario judge's looming decision on whether to compel the Stronach Group to disclose evidence of any coverup of sexual misconduct may add yet a new dimension to a deepening scandal surrounding the multinational's billionaire founder.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Succession-like Battle Over Family’s Billions: The Stronach Case

Robin Williams' family, though provided for in his will, spent years after his passing in court battling over items, budgets and Knick knacks because the language in the beloved comedian's will was non-specific and overly vague.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Cautionary Tale: Overly Vague Language in Robin Williams Will

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

When high-profile celebrities pass away, their estate disputes often make headlines. However, the legal challenges their estates face are not exclusive to those of the rich and famous.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Prevent Costly Missteps: Lessons from Celebrity Estate Disputes

Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Lessons To Be Learned From Failed Celebrity Estates

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

Paris Jackson has gone public with allegations that the longtime trustees of her late father’s estate have been misappropriating funds and mismanaging one of the most valuable entertainment empires in history.
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Jackson Estate: Is Michael’s Daughter Receiving Terrible Advice?

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

Inside Billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s Family Trust Battle

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

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

Inside The Bitter Feuds of America’s Richest Families

Succession-style feud settled as court sides with Edward Rogers: The fight for Rogers Communications has riven one of Canada’s richest families— and it began with an accidental 'butt dial'...
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Succession-Style Feud: The Fight for Rogers Communications

The Will of Marlon Brando: A Lesson in Estate Planning | Inheritance Disputes | Celebrity Estates | Court Battles | Estates Gone Wrong
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

The Will of Marlon Brando: A Lesson in Estate Planning

Tori Spelling, daughter of TV producer Aaron Spelling, received an inheritance of $800,000 from his $500 million estate, not the substantial sum some might have expected. 
Celebrity Estates Generated Content

Aaron Spelling: Reasons Behind the ‘Unequal’ Estate Distribution?

A French court has found eight people guilty of exploiting 92-year-old L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, one of the world's richest people. The verdict brings to an end a long-running case that began with a feud between Mrs Bettencourt and daughter.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

The Exploitation of L’Oreal Heiress Liliane Bettencourt

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

By ensuring that your intentions are documented, accounting for all family members, and keeping the will simple, you can help your loved ones avoid legal battles and ensure your estate is handled smoothly.  
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Valuable Lessons in Clarity & Intent from Canadian Celebrity Estates

Six Estate Planning Mistakes Celebrities Made | Curated Content | Celebrity Estates | Estates Gone Wrong | A will isn't enough...
Celebrity Estates Curated Content

Six Estate Planning Mistakes Celebrities Made

The Barclay family feud started with accusations of privacy breach at the family-owned Ritz hotel. Open discussions about succession, good structuring and mediation could help a family business avoid going the same way as the Barclay's.
Curated Content Infamous Feuds

Rise and Fall of an Empire: The Barclay Family Feud

real repercussions of inheriting real estate

Property Pitfalls

Tax Considerations for Inherited Properties: What You Need to Know | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Tax Considerations for Inherited Properties: What You Need to Know

  • February 15, 2023
  • 1 minute read
Selling or transferring an inherited cottage in Canada often triggers capital gains tax, even though Canada does not have an inheritance tax. If you are administering an estate or planning a future transfer, early tax clarity can prevent costly mistakes later.
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Selling or Transferring an Inherited Cottage in Canada

  • January 12, 2026
  • 1 minute read
Inheriting a Home With Your Siblings: A Cautionary Tale | Property Pitfalls | Real Estate | Family Disputes | Estates Gone Wrong
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Inheriting a Home With Your Siblings: A Cautionary Tale

  • September 14, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Testators should know the risks before using joint ownership as an estate planning tool. 
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Joint Ownership of Property: Know the Risks

  • February 16, 2024
  • 1 minute read
Many Canadians dream of buying a property by the sea in Florida or a golf course in Arizona. But what happens at the time of death? Buying a property in the United States takes planning...
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Canadian Will & U.S. Property: Avoiding Probate Takes Planning

  • February 10, 2025
  • 1 minute read
Inheriting Real Estate in Canada: What You Need to Know
Curated Content Property Pitfalls

Inheritance Tax & Cross-Border Rules: What Canadians Need to Know

  • December 20, 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

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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

46
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

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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
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