Duelling sisters removed as co-trustees can add up to trouble
There is no such thing as strength in numbers when it comes to estate trustees. Considering how challenging the job of executor is, I can understand the logic of a…
Succession planning lacking among Ontario’s small businesses
Succession planning for small business owners is not a job that can be rushed, but a new survey suggests that many Ontario employers need to get a move on. According…
Will’s disappearance sparks estate litigation
Having gone to the trouble of drafting a will, you don’t want to undo your good work by letting it get lost. If the original version of your will can not…
Charity accuses executor of misappropriating $400k from estate
A charity’s pursuit of $400,000 in missing estate funds should remind testators just how important it is to choose the right executor. According to a recent CBC news story, the…
Stepfamily growth calls for estate planning action
Estate planning should be a priority for Canada’s growing stepfamily population. With more and more people finding relationship success at the second or third attempt and welcoming their children into fresh…
$1.9-million estate goes unclaimed in B.C.
Normally when I write about a multi-million-dollar estate, it’s in the context of an ugly fight between the beneficiaries of a wealthy person that has made the news or ended…
Court allows son to pay 1985 price for farmland set in mother’s will
Anyone who has been shopping for groceries has had a recent reminder of the powerful effect of inflation. The purchasing power of your money falls as the years pass, which…
Little joy in Bob Ross’ estate battle
Anyone who has ever seen The Joy of Painting will understand why Bob Ross remains a cult hero to many. Although the PBS show only ran between 1983 and 1994…
Surprise beneficiary of $1-billion estate sparks potential litigation
Unexpected beneficiaries are a recipe for estate litigation, as the simmering dispute over a publishing magnate’s $1-billion estate shows. Following his death this summer, it was revealed that Richard Robinson,…
Senior old man elderly examining and checking last will and testament
Avoiding the hassle of administration bonds
Testators can do their bit to ensure executors don’t have to post an administration bond. Ontario’s Estates Act requires some foreign-based estate trustees to obtain a bond worth twice as…