How Much Estate Planning Risk Can Your Family Absorb? There’s a moment in every new client meeting where the conversation turns to risk. How would you feel if this dropped fifteen percent in a quarter? Twenty-five? What would keep you up at night? I spent years working alongside financial planners, Read more
The Problem Isn’t the Will. It’s Everything Else. When Priya’s mother passed away in February, she had a will. Signed, witnessed, stored with a lawyer. By every standard measure, her mother had done the right thing. But when Priya showed up at the family home the following week to begin Read more
What MAID Means for Your Estate Plan Margaret had been thinking about it for two years. After her ALS diagnosis, she’d done her research, spoken with her doctor, and made her decision. She knew the date. Her family knew the date. What nobody had gotten around to was her will. Read more
How Small Decisions Can Shape What Happens Later You’ve probably heard the butterfly effect described as the idea that something tiny, almost insignificant in the moment, can set much larger things in motion down the road. It’s usually used to explain how one small event can change the course of Read more
Trusts for Minors and Vulnerable Beneficiaries Most wills divide assets clearly. Beneficiaries are named. Guardians are appointed. On paper, everything appears settled. But when beneficiaries are minors or financially vulnerable adults, a simple outright inheritance may not provide the protection families assume it will. An 18-year-old may legally receive funds but Read more
Probate in Canada: How It Works and Why It Matters Many people feel uneasy when the topic of probate comes up, often because they’re unsure what it actually involves. Some people worry they’re doing something wrong if probate is required. Others assume probate should be avoided at all costs. And Read more
Beyond the Will: Prepare Your Executor for What’s Ahead Naming an executor in your will is a vital step in estate planning. But what happens after the ink dries? Many people think naming a trusted family member or friend is all that’s needed. But your executor’s responsibilities begin when yours Read more
Family Conflict and the Executor’s Dilemma Being named an executor can feel like both an honour and a burden. It’s a sign of trust. Someone believed in your judgment enough to put you in charge of managing their final wishes. But when grief and family conflict intersect, even the most Read more
The Worst Estate Planning Advice of All Time In recent years, I’ve heard some of the worst estate planning advice that people have been given. Because estate planning can feel complicated, people often latch onto simple-sounding advice. Unfortunately, “simple” doesn’t always mean good. In fact, some of the worst estate Read more
DIY Estate Planning: Why “Doing It Yourself” Isn’t Always the Smartest Move I certainly understand the appeal of DIY estate planning. With online templates, how-to videos, and fill-in-the-blank legal forms, it can seem like a cost-effective, efficient way to get your affairs in order. After all, why pay for professional Read more
