With proper planning and guidance, estate matters don’t have to be stressful. This post will walk you through everything you need to create a solid estate plan in Ontario. 02 Apr

Estate Planning Ontario: A Simple Guide to Getting It Right

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... 01 Apr

Family Members Clash Over Director Norman Jewison’s Estate

5 Key Steps for Retirement and Estate Planning in 2025 28 Mar

5 Key Steps for Retirement and Estate Planning in 2025

Early inheritance is an increasingly popular route towards homeownership: a way for Canadian families to support younger generations... 27 Mar

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

Recent court ruling underscores a fundamental lesson for charities involved in property or trust matters: clear, formal documentation is essential. Without a properly executed declaration of trust, even well-intentioned trust arrangements can fall short in court. 27 Mar

The Case of The Property Trust: a Cautionary Tale for Charities

Estate disputes can tear families apart and leave valuable assets in limbo. When tensions rise and estate administration becomes impossible, there is a powerful legal solution that many people do not know about: an Estate Trustee During Litigation (ETDL). 25 Mar

“Estate Trustee During Litigation” (ETDL): Benefits & FAQs

A contingent beneficiary is a backup beneficiary who inherits assets if the primary beneficiary is unable to, for example, if they predecease you or are unable to accept the inheritance. You likely need a contingent beneficiary to ensure your assets are distributed as intended, even if your primary beneficiary can't receive them.  19 Mar

What is a Contingent (or Secondary) Beneficiary?

An advance directive is a broad term for legal documents outlining your wishes for medical care if you become unable to make decisions, while a living will is a specific type of advance directive that focuses on end-of-life medical treatment.  19 Mar

What is the Difference Between an Advance Directive & a Living Will?

Most individuals consider purely domestic estate matters to be complex and challenging.  Add another country into the equation and the legal complexity quickly multiplies. 19 Mar

Navigating Cross-Border & Multijurisdictional Estate Matters

There can be sentimental reasons to keep inherited real estate, but —unless you plan to use the property personally— you should ask yourself: would you buy that real estate with an equivalent amount of cash? 17 Mar

Inheriting Real Estate: Ask Yourself “Would You Buy it?”

A common misconception about donor advised funds is that they are trusts, charitable purpose trusts. At times, lawyers, especially those with expertise in trusts and estates, struggle with this distinction, as do donors. 13 Mar

Donor Advised Funds vs. Charitable Purpose Trusts

Economic uncertainty, inflation and the decline of workplace pensions have left growing numbers of Canadian seniors unable to leave their jobs. What can aspiring but anxious would-be retirees do? 13 Mar

Why “Unretirement” May Be the Fate of So Many Canadians