A spousal trust can be very beneficial for your family’s financial future. But the execution of such a trust requires careful consideration and planning as trustees must balance the current needs of the surviving spouse with the future inheritance of the heirs. 06 Oct

Spousal Trusts: Selecting the Right Trustee

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

Ambiguous Wills: How Fragile an Estate Plan Can Become

One of the biggest estate planning mistakes you can make is failing to have Health and Financial Powers of Attorney. Protect your wishes. Select someone you trust implicitly to manage your affairs and make personal decisions on your behalf.  30 Sep

Why Powers of Attorney (POAs) are Crucial

Your estate plan is your final gift to your family. It’s an opportunity to show your love and care in a lasting way. By pairing open conversations with strong legal planning, you can feel confident that your legacy will be one of harmony and understanding, not conflict. 22 Sep

Preventing Family Fights Over Inheritance: Alberta

Baby boomers are set to give a staggering $124 trillion through 2048 to heirs, according to market researcher Cerulli Advisors in a 2024 report. But are the next generations prepared to accept it or will they become “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”? 18 Sep

Is the Inheriting Generation Prepared for “The Great Wealth Transfer”?

While a verbal promise might be enforceable in certain circumstances, it’s best to have the promised inheritance in writing. This article explores the legal obligations that come with promised inheritance in British Columbia.  09 Sep

Protecting Your Verbally Promised Inheritance

Conditional bequests are provisions in a will that make an inheritance contingent on a beneficiary fulfilling specific requirements. These conditions must be clear, possible, and not violate public policy or the law to be valid.  08 Sep

Conditional Bequests: Criteria for Legal Validity

Recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision provides an important lesson to farming families and their professional advisors: good intentions and family loyalty, while laudable, are no substitute for clear, enforceable agreements. 05 Sep

Court Decision: Important Lesson for Ontario Farming Families

You only have so many hours in the day, days in a week, or patience in being pulled in different directions. Being proactive may seem like extra work now, but it will pay dividends— plan ahead, and the journey will be much smoother. 05 Sep

Balancing End-of-Life Planning for Your Aging Parents and for Yourself

It is important to clearly document and communicate intentions when making either a loan or a gift to a family member. Sometimes we assume a verbal agreement is sufficient but having clear written documentation removes uncertainty and mitigates the risk of disputes arising after the fact. 05 Sep

A Family Feud Unwrapped in Court: Gifts vs Loans

A "letter of wishes" can also be known as a memorandum of wishes, a precatory memorandum, an expression of wishes, or a letter of intent. It serves as a non-binding document to provide guidance to executors and trustees regarding the administration of an estate or trust.  02 Sep

Letter of Wishes: Common Synonyms & Primary Use Cases

Baby boomers are expected to pass down $124 trillion by 2048, and women are positioned to inherit much of that wealth. But many say they feel unprepared to manage an inheritance... 27 Aug

Statistics: Majority of Women Confess ‘Inheritance Anxiety’