Estate Planning & Administration

Estate Planning Do you know what would happen legally – to you, your loved ones, your money – if something unexpected happened to you? If you don’t have an estate plan, the province of Ontario has made one for you. When you hire one of the lawyers at Wall-Armstrong & Green, the first step is setting up a meeting to go over your assets, your family, and your wishes. This meeting lasts however long is necessary to fully understand your situation. Once we have all of the information we need, we draft documents tailored to you. Only then do you come in to sign anything. We offer customized, personalized service that is much more than simply filling in your name and asking if you want to leave everything to your spouse, with your children as alternates. At Wall-Armstrong & Green, we take the time to make your estate planning documents – your will and powers of attorney – exactly the right documents for you. We also take the guesswork out of fees. While particularly complex estate plans may vary, in most cases, our fees are based on a flat rate. What you are quoted when you call is what you will pay. Period. Estate Administration It is always a sad time when you face the loss of a loved one. We hope that the information you find on this page is helpful in easing any stress that accompanies a loss. “Application for estate trustee with or without a will,” or probate as it is more commonly known, is the process by which a court formally approves a person as the “estate trustee” or executor so that the person can deal with all of the assets. Probate is not legally required by the province of Ontario on every estate. Generally, it is necessary if a third party has control over the asset, and it was held only by the deceased. For ex ample, if you have an investment account that is not registered and does not have a beneficiary, the bank where it is held will want to know that the will you have is the right will. The only way to prove that is to apply for probate. When you meet with one of our lawyers, we will work through the assets of the estate to determine whether you need to apply for probate. If you do, we can help you with the process of getting probate in place so that you can move on with distributing the estate. Download our free guide.