Not as they intended: Estate plans gone wrong

Estate planners like me are always telling people to make their plans and get them onto paper in the right way. But even planned estates occ...

Corona Beer founder Antonino Fernandez makes entire village millionaires in his will

In August 2016, billionaire Antonino Fernandez died at age 98. In his will, he left his entire fortune to the folks who live in the village ...

French heir finds $3.7m gold hoard under furniture

How would you feel if you inherited a house from someone? Pretty good, I imagine. And what if the house was fully furnished and decorated? E...

My father was a beneficiary but died before the testator. Do I get his share?

Deciding who gets what under a will can sometimes be confusing. This is particularly true when a named beneficiary has passed away. A reader...

Newfoundland and Labrador Access to Justice free legal advice clinic

The Canadian Bar Association is holding a free legal advice clinic for the public this Saturday, November 19 2016 in St. John's, NL. We&...

A beneficiary was banished. Does he still inherit?

This letter from a reader is one of those questions that reminds me of why I blog in the first place. It reminds me of how much misinformati...

Lest we forget

This is my grandfather, John Ernest Butler, standing in front of the War Memorial in St. John's, NL, wearing the medals he won during WW...

Is it a good idea to act as executor and POA for someone I don't know much about?

It used to be that people felt honoured to be chosen as someone's executor. I have always thought that frame of mind to be a bit naive, ...

Catholic Church bans scattering of ashes as "pantheism"

As a regular part of my discussions with individuals, couples, and families about estate planning, I have conversations with them about the ...

Taking an elderly parent or grandparent to make the will YOU want them to have is elder abuse

I often hear about adult children who take their parent or grandparent to a lawyer and tell the lawyer that Mom or Grandad wants a new will....