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  • Estates Gone Wrong
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  • Legacy Lexicon
Estate planning is about making sure the people you love aren’t handed a legal and financial mess on the worst day of their lives. None of these steps are complicated, and most can be started this month. The only truly expensive option is waiting. 15 Jul
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Common Mistakes, Curated Content

5 Estate Planning Steps Canadians Delay The Most

Talking with family about estate planning is one of the most loving conversations you can have. Because it’s so important to have these conversations, here are six key things to keep in mind when discussing estate planning with your loved ones... 13 Jul
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

6 Tips to Help You Talk to Your Family About Estate Planning

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... 03 Jul
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Common Mistakes, Curated Content

Cautionary Tale: When Poor Administration Comes at a Cost

Effective succession planning for family business isn't just about paperwork; it's about securing your future and your family's peace of mind. In this guide, you'll learn how to protect your legacy and minimize tax liabilities when transitioning your company under current regulations... 02 Jul
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Succession Lessons

Guide to Family Business Succession Planning for Canadians

The spousal rollover applies differently across property types. Understanding how this rule functions and knowing exactly when an executor should strategically elect out of it is one of the most vital components of estate planning.  30 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Tax-Smart Strategies

Understanding How “Spousal Rollover” Works in Canada

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... 26 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Frequently Asked Questions

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... 21 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

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

An estate freeze is a highly effective tax strategy that allows business owners to lock in the current value of their company shares. By doing this, you generally freeze your future capital gains tax bill at today’s amount, while safely passing all future business growth to your children tax-free. 21 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Succession Lessons

Estate Freeze: Passing Your Ontario Business to the Next Generation

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… 18 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Frequently Asked Questions

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

Unless robust estate planning has been done in advance, bereaved families are often left with legal and financial headaches. Here are "5 Estate Planning Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make" and actions you can take, now, to avoid them... 16 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Common Mistakes, Curated Content

5 Estate Planning Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

This article provides general information only. Estate administration rules and procedures vary across provinces and territories, and legal advice is recommended in most cases. 12 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Estate Administration: Practical First Steps for Executors

Handling digital assets during probate in Ontario presents a unique legal challenge. This guide outlines the legal and practical steps for executors to manage a modern digital estate. 11 Jun
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Digital Distress

Handling Digital Assets & Accounts During Ontario Probate

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Long-Term Care (LTC) is expensive, unpredictable and often prolonged. The projected “great wealth transfer” may therefore become far more concentrated among families who are wealthy enough to absorb years of care costs without exhausting their assets.

US Long-Term Care Costs ‘Eating into’ Family Wealth

Have Canadian boomers saved enough for retirement? It doesn't seem like it... And the numbers suggest this isn’t just a handful of unlucky families. It’s a structural problem with how an entire generation approached retirement.

Why Canadian Kids Are Bailing Out Boomer Parents

A handshake promise to leave the family farm can legally override a written will in New South Wales. The legal mechanism is equitable estoppel, and courts have enforced it in farm succession disputes where the evidence is strong enough.

NSW Inheritance Law: Can a Verbal Promise Override a Will?

Washington Post analysis finds that the "great wealth transfer" narrative is largely a story about the very top of the income distribution. For many in the middle, retirement savings are being consumed by care costs, not passed on.

Cost of Eldercare Obliterating Expected Inheritance

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