Mother lives to regret joint tenancy with child
Entering joint tenancy with a child is a common estate planning strategy, but many parents come to regret it long before they die. There are certainly good reasons for owning…
Gift to non-existent charity sends man’s estate to court
Simple errors in your will can land your estate with an unwanted date in court, as a recent Nunavut case shows. While inaccuracies such as a misidentified beneficiary or misspelled…
The perils of putting off your will-making
When it comes to estate planning, a little glimpse of your own mortality can be a powerful thing. For many people, a driving near-miss or a health scare can be…
Bare trusts exempted from reporting rules…for now
Bare trusts are getting one last reporting reprieve. The Canada Revenue Agency’s recent announcement that it did not expect bare trusts to comply with its general trust reporting requirements for…
Woman ordered to pay legal costs of $27k in fight over mother’s $27k estate
When your legal fees are the same size as the entire estate you’re fighting over, you know something has gone wrong. One of the enduring and recurring lessons that I…
Court orders $45k costs after resolving ambiguity caused by father outliving son
Testamentary ambiguity can arise at any time. In an ideal world, we would all make our wills on the day we die, so that every one of the choices we…
Judge imposes ‘moral’ duty on estate to support deceased’s estranged son
An estate’s legal obligations are not the end of the story when it comes to supporting the deceased’s surviving children. As a recent decision demonstrates, Ontario judges can enforce a parent’s…
Bank forms fail to eliminate joint account confusion
Bank forms fail to eliminate joint account confusion By Lisa Laredo, principal at Laredo Law. Joint bank accounts between parents and their children are often a recipe for estate litigation. …
Continuity plans a must for small and solo businesses
If there’s one disruption sure to give small business owners nightmares, it’s the death of the proprietor. But it’s a prospect that they need to consider if they intend to properly…
Common-law spouse sues partner’s estate after his estranged wife is appointed executor
Updating your relationship status? Update your will while you’re at it if you want your estate to stay out of the courts. Common-law spouses can often be left in a tricky…