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  • Legacy Lexicon
The penalty for stealing from an estate in Canada can include criminal charges for theft, fraud, or breach of trust, with consequences such as fines, restitution, and imprisonment under the Criminal Code.  22 Dec
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

The Penalty for Stealing from an Estate in Canada

Being an executor doesn’t end when you hand out the last inheritance check. Your legal liability stretches far beyond the day you think you’re done, and the mistakes that trigger lawsuits aren’t always obvious when you’re making them. 28 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Executor Personal Liability: Mistakes That Trigger Lawsuits

If you’ve ever wondered whether your executor is prepared, whether your business could run without you, or whether your family is set up for clarity instead of conflict, this conversation will hit home. 24 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Canadian Wealth Secrets Podcast: “Why Your Will Is Not Enough”

It is generally unreasonable to expect an executor to work for free, or for less than the standard rate, given the considerable amount of work involved. For potential executors, clarity about compensation helps them make informed decisions about accepting the role. 04 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Frequently Asked Questions

Is it Reasonable for an Executor to Expect Compensation?

This article explains exactly what a letter of wishes is, why you need one, what to include, and how to write one that truly reflects your intentions. 04 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

How & Why To Write a Letter of Wishes: UK Guide

As digital wealth continues to grow, these assets will increasingly appear in estate files. Understanding how to value and administer them will be essential. Markets change, assumptions fail, and good planning remains the best defence. 30 Oct
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Digital Distress

Valuing Digital Assets: Lessons from the World of Online Gaming

When someone dies owing more money than their estate contains, the situation becomes an insolvent estate. Understanding the laws governing insolvent estates is crucial for anyone appointed as an estate trustee. 23 Oct
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Complete Guide to Understanding Insolvent Estates in Ontario

Being an executor is an important job and frankly, some people are going to be better at it than others. Avoid making a big mistake by heeding this advice from Patrick O’Brien, CEO and co-founder of Executor.org 03 Oct
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Common Mistakes, Curated Content

Warning Signs That You’re Choosing The Wrong Executor

Estate disputes rarely arise from money alone. They are often triggered by conflicting instructions, unclear drafting, or overlooked provisions. The best protection is clarity, coordination, and regular review. 02 Oct
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Common Mistakes, Curated Content

Ambiguous Wills: How Fragile an Estate Plan Can Become

Relocating to a new province or country can have significant legal implications for your estate plan. This article explores when and why you may need to update your will after a move, along with key considerations for cross-jurisdictional estate planning. 26 Sep
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Frequently Asked Questions

Can Moving Affect the Validity & Effectiveness of Your Will?

An estate trustee is required to act impartially between all the beneficiaries and to not favor one or more beneficiaries over others. This is colloquially described as the duty to ‘maintain an even hand’. 19 Sep
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Beneficiary Rights, Curated Content

Treating Beneficiaries Equally: The “Even-Hand Rule”

Estate planning is full of jargon and look-alike terms that can trip people up. A few small words can make a big difference. Here’s a Plain-English Guide to The Most Commonly Confused Estate Planning Terms... And What They Really Mean! 17 Sep
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Legacy Lexicon

Commonly Confused Estate Planning Terms: Florida Law

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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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