Vanier & Associates
Ottawa West and Upper Ottawa Valley Lawyers
Wills
Our Services
- Guidance in drafting of your last Will and Testament that reflects what you want for your loved ones
- Production of “Probatable” and “Non-Probatable” Wills for those with corporations and larger Estates
- Safe storage of your Last Will and Testament in accordance with the Rules of the Law Society of Ontario
- To prepare your Estate for administration and distribution after death
- To make it easy for loved ones to handle your after death affairs
- To establish trusts for your minor children and have someone of your choice appointed to ensure that your children are cared for after your death
- Specify your funeral arrangements
- To Appoint your Executor and back-up Executor who will administer your Estate
- To name your beneficiaries who will receive your Estate after your death
What happens if you don’t have a Will?
- You would die “intestate” which means, according to Canadian law, your Estate would be distributed according to law and not based on your own preferences
- If you have a common law spouse they would not be entitled to any share in your Estate
- Typically, if you have a spouse, they will have to share a portion of your Estate with the children (which can cause a hardship for your spouse)
- Not having a Will means you do not have an appointed Trustee which can cause delays and high expenses
- If you are separated, but not divorced, your spouse may be entitled to a share in your Estate
Powers of Attorney
Our Services
- Guidance in drafting your Powers of Attorney for Personal Care and Power of Attorney for Property
- Safe storage of your Powers of Attorney documents
- Peace of mind knowing that your Powers of Attorney documents will only be released to your Powers of Attorney in accordance with your explicit instructions.
What is a Power of Attorney?
There are two different types of Power of Attorney: one for Property and one for Personal Care
1. Power of Attorney for Personal Care
- You appoint somebody to make medical and care decisions for you while you are alive.
2. Power of Attorney for Property
- You appoint somebody to make property and financial decisions for you while you are alive.
Why should I have a Power of Attorney?
Sometimes things happen in life, which we do not expect to happen. If you become hospitalized or become incapacitated then the ability to make every day decisions and transactions may become extremely difficult. Even day to day activities such as paying bills may become a hardship. Therefore, it is recommended that you make a Power of Attorney for both Personal Care and Property to allow someone you trust to make decisions for you if you become unable to do so.
Estates
Our Services
- Assist with the process of obtaining a letters probate from the Court for the Estate
- Assist you if the testator’s will cannot be found or if no Last Will and Testament exists
- Provide support and guidance when dealing with creditors and beneficiaries
- Assist the Executor/Trustee to conclude the administration of the estate and distribution to the beneficiaries
I am named as an Executor/Trustee. What do I do?
The Authority of the Executor is granted by the Will, not the grant of probate issued by the Court. An Executor has the full legal authority to deal with the assets of the deceased from the moment of the testator’s (or Testatrix’s) death. However, third parties may refuse to deal with the Executor until the Executor provides letters probate, as it protects third parties.
An application for probate can be time consuming. Trying to figure out what to do or which forms to use can be confusing. A completed application for probate provides the Executor with a Certificate of Appointment, which confirms that the Last Will and Testament is valid, confirms the Executor can administer the last wishes of the deceased and protects the Executor from liability.
“Rod is our new family lawyer. My wife and I were thrilled with Rod's way of making things easy to understand. My business and family are now well protected because of his recommendations.We were especially happy with his teams commitment to providing extraordinary service!”
Kahlid Mankal Family Law Client