Wills + Estates

Peace of mind is priceless, and there is no better way to deliver it for yourself and your loved ones than by drafting an estate plan. 

Having a will in place not only ensures that your assets are protected after your death, but it will give your surviving friends and family some much needed certainty at a time of emotional and financial volatility. 

At Laredo Law, we help clients take control of their own legacies, translating their final wishes into an estate plan that will live on long after they are gone. 

Whether they are old or young, rich or poor, everyone needs an estate plan. Still, no two people should ever have the same one. That’s why we tailor our approach depending on the unique legal needs of each client, building a customized product from the comprehensive suite of wills and estates services on offer from our experienced legal counsel, which include the following:  

Preparation of wills: A properly executed and accurately drafted will is the cornerstone of any estate plan, ensuring that the testator’s wishes regarding gifts, guardianship, funeral preferences and much more are honoured.

Creation of trusts: Trusts are among the most powerful instruments in an estate planning lawyer’s toolbox. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including the reduction of tax liabilities, protection of assets, or for the care of a child with disabilities. 

Tax planning: Nobody likes paying more tax than necessary while they’re alive, and the same should go for those who have left the land of the living. A large part of an estate lawyer’s job revolves around minimizing the tax burden on a client’s estate, including techniques for avoiding the Estate Administration Tax – also known as probate fees – the 1.5-per-cent levy that applies to a deceased person’s assets over $50,000 in Ontario.

Powers of Attorney: Some of the most underrated documents in the legal world, POAs are designed to kick in when a person becomes incapable of handling their own affairs. There are two kinds of appointments a person can make: attorneys for property, who take care of the grantor’s finances, and attorneys for personal care, who handle decisions about health care, nutrition, shelter, hygiene and more.

Succession Planning: For many proprietors, their businesses are like one of their children that they want taken care of after they are gone. Whether they hope to keep the enterprise in the family or sell up to fund their retirement, Lisa calls on her extensive experience in real estate and corporate law to help clients with decisions about matters such as the structure of asset ownership or any related transactions. 

Probate and estate administration: There is no training manual for dealing with a loved one’s estate, and many estate trustees – also known as executors – require professional help to get through the complicated business of estate administration. Our firm also helps with the preparation of certificates of appointment for estates where probate is required.