I saw a client today whose wife has advanced dementia. Unfortunately, no one told him at the time she was diagnosed that she should sign powers of attorney for care and property. Because they didn’t know, she now is incapable of managing her affairs, incapable of...
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cesia@wall-arm.ca
Get it in writing
Many real estate woes can be solved by everyone being on the same page from the outset. Is there something that you thought you were buying with the house? Include it as a chattel, even if you think it’s a fixture. Conversely, exclude fixtures even if you think...
Death doulas
I came across this fascinating article the other day about a new trend call death doulas or death midwives. Essentially, this is a person who helps families navigate through the many and complex decisions that must be made toward the end of a loved one’s life, up...
A backyard oasis
It’s almost summer, and that means spending as much time as possible in our backyards. If you’re thinking about a new deck, keep these tips in mind so that you don’t have trouble down the road when you try to sell: Do you need a permit? Some decks do, and some don’t....
iWill
I just got back from ABA Techshow, which is one of the larger conferences on law and technology in North America. Spending three days immersed in technology designed for lawyers got me thinking again about the technology we use for wills. Specifically, a pen and...
A little bit late
It doesn’t happen often, but it does occasionally occur: 5pm rolls around, and your purchase is not yet closed. What happens? Most of the time, the answer is that it depends. If your mortgage money has not arrived, then generally speaking, you are going to have to...
Estrangement
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, particularly since a case a couple of months ago about a man who cut out his daughter from inheriting any portion of his estate; evidence suggests that it was because she, a black woman, had a child with a white man, and her...
Buying a cottage
Spring is in the air in southern Ontario; April has arrived with its showers, and it’s only a matter of time before we all break out our sandals and start dreaming about swimming outdoors. For many people, it is almost time to open up the cottage for the season. For...
Choose your executor wisely
Janice Specht was appointed as the executor for the estate of her cousin, a woman who lived modestly but was sitting on $12.5 million. Ms. Specht had never acted as an executor before, and so hired Mary Backsman, the lawyer who drafted the will, to assist her with the...
Happy Easter!
It's officially a holiday in Ontario, so I hope you are able to enjoy some time with your family.