Skip to content
Browse All Posts
  • Estates Gone Wrong
  • Featured Topics
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Related Resources
  • Legacy Lexicon
  • Estates Gone Wrong
  • Featured Topics
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Related Resources
  • Legacy Lexicon
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

Undue influence is not mere persuasion or advice. It requires coercive elements that override the testator’s free will. Courts look for a combination of susceptibility, opportunity, and improper pressure that causes the vulnerable person to act contrary to their true wishes. 27 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Proving or Disproving “Undue Influence” in Court

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”

Major life transitions can cause stress that makes it hard to think clearly, leading to poor financial decisions. A Certified Financial Transitionist can help you manage the financial and emotional aspects of these events. 18 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Generated Content, Life Events

The Financial and Emotional Challenges of Major Life Changes

Staying informed isn’t just good practice. It protects relationships, builds trust, and ensures clients feel safe and supported. Consider bookmarking the BankSafe Dementia Hub as a go-to reference when navigating delicate client situations. 17 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Dementia Hub: Fraud Prevention Resources from AARP

If you have financial ties in multiple countries, your U.S. estate plan may not be enough. This article —How Living Abroad Can Complicate Your Estate Plan— covers five ways international ties can complicate your best-laid plans... 14 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Five Ways International Ties Can Complicate Your Estate Plan

There are many people who have an estate plan but haven’t taken the initiative to talk about it with their loved ones. These “conversation cues” can help your family have heartfelt and constructive estate-planning discussions. 11 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Related Resources

Conversation Cues For Constructive Estate Planning Discussions

Trust distributions fall into two categories, and the difference is significant. Mandatory distributions versus discretionary distributions: the difference the trust document makes... 10 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Legacy Lexicon

Trust Distributions: Mandatory vs Discretionary

05 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Beneficiary Rights, Curated Content

Understanding the Rights of Beneficiaries in Estate Litigation

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

A multijurisdictional approach uses one document, whereas a cross-jurisdictional approach uses multiple, separate documents. Both require specialized legal advice to navigate differences in foreign laws, such as forced heirship rules, and to ensure wishes are carried out effectively.  03 Nov
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Generated Content, Legacy Lexicon

Multi-Jurisdictional vs Cross-Jurisdictional Estate Planning

It’s one thing to talk about the importance of succession planning. It’s another to see the transformation happen in real families, businesses, and lives. Here are real-world lessons from business-owning families who faced the fire—and came through stronger. 31 Oct
  • by Estates Gone Wrong
  • Curated Content, Succession Lessons

Family Business Succession: Lessons Learned from Real Families

  • 1
  • ...
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • ...
  • 30

Search

Topics:

  • Beneficiary Rights (26)
  • Bizarre Bequests (30)
  • Celebrity Estates (56)
  • Charitable Misgivings (32)
  • Common Mistakes (52)
  • Communication Breakdowns (42)
  • Digital Distress (56)
  • Family Disputes (68)
  • Guardian Safeguards (38)
  • Infamous Feuds (34)
  • Law Reform (36)
  • Life Events (32)
  • Long-Term Care Crisis (36)
  • Property Pitfalls (54)
  • Squandered Fortunes (24)
  • Succession Lessons (42)
  • Tax-Smart Strategies (36)
  • Unique Assets & Interests (28)

Recent:

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

Estate trustees (Executors) have a duty to keep accurate records of estate assets and transactions throughout their administration and to account to beneficiaries at appropriate intervals.

Keeping Meticulous Records: Practical Tips for Executors

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?

Story Submission

We know, this can be a very sensitive topic. If you have a personal story or a cautionary tale —a link to a specific article, blog post, or recommended resource that you found particularly helpful in your own estate planning and administration journey— anonymous submissions are welcomed and encouraged.

Share Your Story

Search:

Follow:

Explore:

Administration Canada Capacity Court Battles Court Rulings Debt Definitions Designations Eldercare End-of-Life Planning Estate Tax Executor Fiduciary Duty Glossary Guardianship Guide High Net Worth Industry Expert International Jurisdictions Law Reform Lawsuits Litigation Philanthropy Powers of Attorney Probate Professional Advisor Real Estate Resources Roles Siblings Statistics Strategies Succession Survivorship Tax Technology Terminology Testator Intent Transparency Trustee Trusts United States Vulnerable Adults Watchable
©estatesgonewrong.com