The passing of a loved one can be an emotional and difficult time for everyone involved. In addition to the emotional turmoil, there are legal and financial obligations that must be addressed. One such responsibility is the role of the executor of an estate. In this...
Estate Administration Tax (“EAT”) formally known as probate fees, is a tax charged on the total value of the deceased’s estate and is paid to the government of Ontario at the time that an estate is submitted for a certificate of appointment of estate trustee or more...
An estate trustee owes a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries of an estate. Beneficiaries have the ability to force the estate trustee to perform their duties and obligations according to the law in Ontario. Duties As a fiduciary, the estate trustee, is held to a high...
The law in Ontario acknowledges that there is a moral obligation for the needs of dependants, including children, parents and spouse to be given adequate support from one’s estate. Ontario law has acknowledged that certain relationships trump a testator’s freedom to...
Every adult should have a will; however, many Canadians don’t. According to an Angus Reid Institute Survey from January 2018, 51% of Canadians had no last will or testament, while 35% of Canadians have one that wasn’t up to date. In Canada, if someone dies without a...
The mere fact that you were left out or treated unequally in a Will may not be enough to contest or challenge it. The law in Ontario stands for testamentary freedom – meaning the freedom of testators to distribute their estates as they wish provided that their...
