I undervalued an asset on the estate inventory. Now what?

One of the tasks of an executor or estate administrator is to prepare an inventory of the estate. This is not always cut and dried, especial...

What does "a will speaks from death" mean?

Recently somebody asked me to explain the phrase "a will speaks from death". I thought it might be something others wondered about...

I'm 27 years old and the executors say they can keep my inheritance in trust if they see fit

I hear a lot of questions from beneficiaries whose shares are being held in trust. I'm surprised at how often the beneficiaries have not...

Access to Justice clinic a success

A few weeks ago I mentioned here in this blog that I had participated in a local Access to Justice clinic that offered free legal advice to ...

Obituary: Chris Connors attacked life; he grabbed it by the lapels, kissed it, and swung it back onto the dance floor

I have to say that I'm enjoying the trend towards self-written, humorous obituaries. This one, for Chris Connors who passed away on Dece...

Sibling squabble over late brother's Meccano set goes to court

There is a recent story from New Zealand about the estate of Bert van der Lubbe, who died in 2015. Mr van der Lubbe did not have a spouse or...

Artists and entertainers we lost in 2016

Doesn't it always seem that some beloved and/or famous person's death is in the news? Well, from Alan Rickman to Leonard Cohen, we d...

How can I leave my dog to my daughter when I die?

Plenty of people want to make sure that they've documented their wishes for the care of their pets so that once they're gone, their ...

A holiday treat for my readers - AMAZING gingerbread houses!

Take a look at these wonderful little gingerbread masterpieces by clicking here. Here's a sample from www.cakewrecks.com:

Woman who isn't named in lover's will can't get a penny from his estate, says PA court

This story is from Pennsylvania, but it could be from plenty of places including some parts of Canada. In this case, Ralph Tito died in 2013...

Financial elder abuse is on the rise

To those of us who work with seniors and their legal documents every day, this headline is hardly a surprise. I agree with the author of the...

Top 10 fun Christmas gifts for lawyers - 2016 edition

Christmas wouldn't be complete without my annual list of fun gifts for your favourite lawyer. I've always aimed this list at my fell...

Forget coffins! This company will swirl you into beautiful glass creations when you die

The funeral industry has come a long way and it seems to come up with more and more innovative ideas. The newest fad is have a spoonful of y...