I have blogged before about arranging for a power of attorney in case anything needs to be done on your transaction while you are away. Today, I wanted to talk about running the entire deal through a power of attorney – when you are the purchaser. As a vendor, using a...
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Reviving the debate on physician-assisted suicide
Last week, I blogged about the Globe’s death series and the importance of living wills. This week I wanted to draw from that series again, but this time on a very different topic: euthanasia. This past summer, the British Columbia Superior Court released its decision...
Controlling your care
Late last year, the Globe and Mail ran a whole series of articles on death. They discussed many topics related to death and dying, generally and specifically within Canada. In this particular article, the question is on end-of-life care: what happens when someone is...
Young, no kids, no assets: why do I need a will?
Historically, I have generally been of the view that you start needing a will when you have assets or dependants. So here is the question: what, exactly, constitutes having assets? Most of us think of assets as being a house, a car, maybe some investments. However,...
Need a will, ask your doctor?
I unfortunately get calls occasionally from people who are at the hospital, or who have loved ones at the hospital, who have discovered their illness is terminal and suddenly realize that they need to have a will drafted. It was no surprise to me, therefore, to read...
Donate your organs via Facebook
With all the hubbub about Facebook's IPO last week, I thought I would write about something Facebook-related, namely donating your organs. Seriously. Facebook users in the US and UK can now use a new feature to sign up, via Facebook, with their local organ-donor...
An update on the Rasouli case
Last summer, I blogged about Hassan Rasouli, who had been in a near-vegetative state since contracting an infection after surgery in October 2010. His doctors had intended to remove life support against the wishes of his wife, who was named as his attorney in Mr....
Caring for your pet during incapacity
Laura West at the All About Estates blog posted last week about planning for your pet's care during your incapacity. I have blogged before about pet trusts on your death, but it is also important to set up a plan for what will happen in case you are unable to care for...
Protect your care
I recently returned from a much-needed vacation down south (which is also the reason this blog has been silent for a little while). On the plane ride home, I flipped through my movie options and came across The Descendants, which I was a little familiar with because...
Why plan when you’re going to live to 100?
Over the summer, I discovered the blog of the brilliant Candice Aiston, a lawyer out of Portland, Oregon who works in the area of estate planning. My favourite post of hers so far, by far, is her essay on planning for the unexpected. As Candice notes, asking whether...