We got an interesting call at the office a few weeks ago: my partner's client was told by the seller of his home that the furnace was going with them. When my partner called the seller's lawyer to ask for an explanation, he explained that the furnace was a chattel,...
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cesia@wall-arm.ca
Signing a will in a language you can’t speak
Last week, I blogged about signing a will when you have visual impairment that prevents you from reading the will. This week, I thought I would write about something related: what happens when you need to sign a will (or other document, for that matter) but you can't...
Signing when you can’t see
I was asked a very interesting question by a client today: how do you sign a will if you are blind? There is a provision in the Succession Law Reform Act that requires the will to be in writing and signed. However, it can also be read to the client and signed at his...
Beware of falling glass
On June 21, Kathleen Wynne, the Ontario Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing, announced changes to the Ontario Building Code that would take effect on July 1, 2012. There were a number of incidents in Toronto where glass fell from balconies, sometimes up to 30...
An update on taxes for Americans outside of America
I've written several posts before on tax planning for Americans in Canada (you can see them here, here and here). The Globe and Mail published this article a couple of weeks ago on what the IRS is now doing to assist Americans living outside of the U.S. who have not...
The horror! The horror!
I came across this very interestingly titled article the other day. The entire article goes through a series of possibly devastating errors made in wills - both DIY jobs, and ones by lawyers who do not focus on estates law. From someone copying and pasting a name into...
Happy Canada Day!
The last Friday in June is generally a busy one in real estate, and this year is no exception. We'll be working hard all day, and then celebrating Canada's birthday this Sunday. I hope those of you in Canada enjoy the long weekend!
Can you afford to die?
I came across this fascinating, if a bit morbid, infographic today. Essentially, it strips funeral, cremation and other burial services down to their basic costs. I think what I found most interesting was the extreme rise in funeral costs from an average of $709 in...
Providing for children conceived after death
Karen and Robert Capato married in 1999. Robert was diagnosed with cancer soon after their marriage; they knew they wanted children, so they began trying and also froze some of Robert's sperm. They had a son, but knew that they wanted more children. After Robert's...
How to find a real estate lawyer
In Ontario, if you want to buy or sell a home, you are required to go through a lawyer as only licensed and insured real estate lawyers are entitled to register transfers of property. There is extra insurance required to practice real estate law in Ontario, and so not...