Today I met with a client who was joint executor with his brother on his parent's estate. He has found that his brother's help has been no help at all - in fact, it has frustrated him. What has his brother done? Nothing that that is too bad. He has come to all the meetings and done the bare minimum to be an adequate executor. The client I met with took his position very seriously and diligently took notes on the actions he had made, advised family members of where the estate was at and...

One of the most abused legal documents is the Power of Attorney. It can give power to a person who might misuse it and leave you powerless in controlling your own life. Same goes for a Personal Care Directive because if this document is ill-prepared, you could end up receiving medical care in a way you never wanted. However, without these documents, you and your family could face costly litigation to unfreeze your assets, or you may be resuscitated when you didn’t want to be. At Estate...

Death and taxes. You might be able to avoid taxes, but you cannot escape death. It is not a topic most people want to talk about, so many of us are not prepared for the legal issues that come with dying and incapacitation. That is why making your Will and other estate planning documents are important.

At Estate Connection Law Office, we can help relieve that stress for you and your loved ones. I have been practicing law in this community for 12 years and spent the last 8 years at Weary &...

1. Do you have the original Will?
2. Is there an Affidavit of Witness attached to the Will to show that the Will is genuine?
3. Is your estate still being distributed the way you would like, including charities to provide a tax benefit?
4. If you have minor beneficiaries, do you have a trust in the Will?
5. Have you indicated funeral instructions or information on organ donation?
6. If you are contributing to someone’s RESP, have you planned for someone to be an alternate contributing subscriber?
7. Are...

Many assume that if they make a Will all their worries are over. While that may be true for some, if your Will wasn’t properly prepared, your family may face expensive and lengthy litigation. Upon your death, your executor has a long list of things they must do to start safeguarding your estate. These include informing family and friends, locating the Will, preparing the funeral, contacting your banks and utility providers, and dealing with his or her own grief. All these duties are...

Typically most people do not think about estate planning until they get older and are about to retire. That is because age puts you closer statistically to death. However, you need to think about estate planning much earlier, such as when you get married, have children, or get divorced. If you die, how will the people you love and care for carry on for the rest of their lives?

Many people say they don’t have to do any estate planning because they don’t have any money. I can...

No matter how much Estate Planning you engage in, there will almost always be some level of estate administration which must be performed after your passing. Estate Connection can assist in numerous aspects of Estate Law services and help remove the burden from the shoulders of your loved ones.

Grants of Probate

When a loved one passes and leaves a will, that person’s estate is considered to be a “Testate Estate.” The estates executor, or the personal representative named to...

When it comes to your Will, a Lawyer should always take your needs and wishes seriously. Estate Connection takes that philosophy one step further by taking the time to know you. After all, a Will gives you the legal power to resolve disputes before they even happen. It requires the right amount of time, care, and knowledge before it can be implemented properly. With our estate planning services, you can ensure that your wishes are treated with the respect they deserve.

Wills

Put simply, a...

June 26, 2018, was a big day in my office?

Why?

Well on this day we were told that another bunch of Alberta Community papers was being shut down. Six local community papers to be exact. Now you may ask yourself why does a lawyer who spends a couple of hours a day online care that a bunch of Alberta newspapers were shut down. I mean I live in St. Albert. We have the most significant community newspaper in Alberta - The St. Albert Gazette!

The answer is simple,  myself and my...

How would you react if I told you that after you depart, your children would never speak to each other again because you left the house to all three of them? What if I told you that your son, who was named your executor, took control of all your assets and his siblings had to sue him to get the money back? You may say to me “No! Not in my family!” Au contraire. In my 18 years of practising law and managing estates, I have witnessed many cases ending in permanent damage within...