Corporate Executor – When to Use One

IS A CORPORATE EXECUTOR RIGHT FOR YOU?

When you prepare your Will you will need to select one or more executors to administer your estate . People will often select their spouse as their initial executor and their children as their alternate executors.

There may be situations where having a “corporate executor” makes sense for you. A corporate executor consists of executor services provided through a trust company. Many Canadian financial institutions offer corporate executor / estate trustee services. Continue reading

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Lost Will?

ALL IS NOT LOST WHEN AN ORIGINAL WILL IS LOST

Executors and the beneficiaries of an estate may panic when they discover the deceased’s original Will has been lost or destroyed or they just cannot find it. The courts may allow a copy of a Will to be probated in the place of the original Will in the right circumstances.

You must be able to show:

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ODSP Eligibility and Assets

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ASSET IMPACT ON ODSP INCOME

The Ontario Disability Support Program provides eligible people with disabilities with income support to pay for living expenses such as food and housing. Eligibility for this program, as well as the amount of income support you can receive, is directly affected not only by a person’s income, but also the assets they own. Continue reading

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Oustanding Claims Against an Estate

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OUTSTANDING CLAIMS AGAINST AN ESTATE

If you are acting as an Estate Trustee, you may have to deal with a person who decides they want to make a claim against the estate for money they believed the deceased person owed them, for any reason. Sometimes a person may only make a suggestion that they will file a claim but have yet to follow through on actual court documents. In any event, an Estate Trustee could be liable if they distribute the estate with the knowledge that the claim is a possibility and that person later files a claim. Continue reading

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Assuming Rental Items in a House Purchase

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RENTAL ITEMS AND A HOUSE PURCHASE

In Ontario, it is not unusual to find rental items in a home that is being sold. Such items may include the hot water tank or an alarm system. It is also common for the new owner of the home to agree to assume the contracts of these rental items when they purchase the house. Continue reading

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The Importance of Power of Attorney for Property …

WHY YOU NEED A POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR PROPERTY

A Power of Attorney for Property appoints one or more people to act for you (they are called Attorneys, even though they may not be lawyers) in relation to your various assets and liabilities. A Power of Attorney for Property may authorize the attorney to do anything you can do except make a Will. You can restrict the nature of the Power of Attorney, either with respect to its commencement and/or expiry date, or with respect to which of your assets and liabilities the attorney can deal with. Continue reading

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Lawyers and their support team working remotely

LOGMEIN REMOTE WORK SOLUTION

LogMeIn is a computer application that allows you to remotely control a computer. If you have LogMeIn installed on your office computer, you can remotely access and control that computer from any other computer that also has LogMeIn installed on it. LogMeIn can also be installed on portable devices like an IPad or IPhone (the IPhone screen is a little small however). Continue reading

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Planned Charitable Giving can be a key Estate Planning Tool

CHARITABLE GIVING

Planned or charitable giving is a unique opportunity to “have your cake and eat it too”. A gift to a charitable organization can help you take full advantage of incentives offered by governments as it relates to estate planning and estate taxes while allowing you to provide for charitable organizations that are close to your heart. Continue reading

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