Estate planning and administration

My goal is to bring you peace of mind, knowing that your family is protected and your wishes will be fulfilled if something happens to you.

Estate planning services

While a will is the most well-known estate-planning document, making sure your
family is taken care of and ensuring your wishes are carried out if you die or become incapacitated also requires other important documents.

Wills, trusts and powers of attorney

Our full suite of estate planning legal services includes:

wills
powers of attorney
end of life directives
guardianship applications
trusts (life insurance, trusts for children, “alter ego”, joint partner)

What to expect from our estate planning services

When we get together to plan your estate, it’s important that I learn more about you. We might meet several times to discuss your financial situation and your assets. Most importantly, I work to get a clear understanding of your wishes for your legacy.

Here are some things we will need to discuss.

We will talk about your real estate.
If you have life insurance, we discuss the benefits of a life insurance trust.
If you have children, we talk about them. We’ll explore any special needs your children or other potential beneficiaries might have. We discuss whether you might need a Henson trust (a special trust for beneficiaries with disabilities).
I will need to talk to your financial advisor and your accountant, because
an important part of what I do is help reduce your taxes and probate fees.
If you are considering leaving bequests to your favourite charities, we will talk about that, too.
If you own an incorporated business, we will review whether you might be able to reduce estate administration tax (probate fees) by having both a “public asset” will and a “private asset” will.

The fact is, if you don’t do appropriate estate planning, provincial law may decide your legacy for you.

Your circumstances are unique, and I want to make sure you have the protection you need for the people you love, and that your legacy is what you want it to be.

And because your circumstances will keep changing, it is critical to keep all your estate planning documentation up to date.

Start your estate planning now

To start the estate planning process, call me at (613) 563-7114 or complete our secure online form.

Any information you provide is secure and confidential.

Estate administration services

When a loved one dies, I can also help with estate administration. This includes applying for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee and working with the estate executor to administer the estate.

It also includes handling the estate administration tax (often referred to as probate fees), which is calculated on the total value (in Canadian dollars) of a deceased person’s estate. (Watch for changes anticipated in January 2020.)

The following assets can be used to evaluate the amount owing in estate
administration tax:

Ontario real estate (minus encumbrances)
bank accounts
investments (e.g., stocks, bonds, trust units, options)
vehicles and vessels (e.g., cars, trucks, boats, ATVs, motorcycles)
all property of the deceased held in another person’s name
all other personal property, wherever it is located, including:
- goods
- intangible property
- business interests
- insurance, if proceeds pass through the estate (e.g., if there is no named beneficiary other than the estate)

The estate cannot avoid paying estate administration taxes that are properly due. But if you are the estate trustee/executor, we can help you avoid the stress involved in taking care of them correctly and efficiently, so that you can focus on more important things.

Expert advice and service you can trust!

To get started, call me at (613) 563-7114 or complete our secure online form.