Wills, Estates & Trusts

Our Wills, Estates & Trust team includes James MacLean, Janice Papp, Nicholas Narayan, Shea Chorney & Michael Dupuis

CBM has been handling estate matters for clients with dedication, commitment, integrity and discretion since 1977. Our team offers quality legal services that help you protect your family through effective planning. Our services include:

• Estate Planning & Wills
• Representation Agreements
• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Probate and Estate Administration
• Trust

Probate and Estate Administration:

Administering an Estate:

Being an executor of a will can be an honour, but also can be challenging. Executors and Administrators are responsible for far more than they probably realized upon agreeing to take on the role. Coping with the loss of a loved one while being faced with applying for probate, paying out debt of the deceased and distributing the assets, can be overwhelming.

An experienced Estate Administration lawyer can help navigate the administration process, applying for the grant of probate, prepare the required accounts, liquidate and/or deal with estate assets and ensure the Executor or Administrator is protected from later problems or outstanding liabilities by helping obtain approvals, releases and settlements from the beneficiaries as needed. They are also able to help you determine and obtain suitable compensation for the estate for all of your hard work.

Our team at CBM Lawyers can walk you through the estate administration process, whether simple or complex.

Estate Planning & Wills

No matter what stage in life you are in, it’s important to make sure that you’ve planned for the unexpected by keeping your will and estate documents current and up to date.

Whether you need a complex estate plan for your business, specific trusts for the management of an inheritance, or a modest will for you and your significant other, our wills and estate lawyers will guide you through the planning process so that you can prepare for the future and be confident that your loved ones are taken care of.

With our knowledge and experience, we will work with you to ensure that your assets are protected and managed as you wish.

Powers of Attorney

A power of attorney gives someone the ability to manage your legal and financial matters if you are unable to or at your specific direction.

There are many types of power of attorney: General, Specific & Enduring. It is important to note that a power of attorney can not be utilized to make health or personal care decisions. Without a power of attorney in place, your loved ones could be faced with needing to apply for a “Committeeship Order” so that someone is able to make financial and legal decisions. This is not only a costly process, but also one that could take months to complete.

At CBM, we can help you plan a power of attorney that is right for you.

Representation Agreements:

Who will speak on your behalf if you are no longer able to speak for yourself? Many people assume that their spouse or another loved one will have the legal authority to speak for them in the event that there is a medical crisis or if someone needs assistance in their later years. That is not always the case. In the absence of a representation agreement, loved ones may be forced to seek a Committeeship Order in order to enable them to make those healthcare decisions on your behalf.

Our experienced and knowledgeable team at CBM take the utmost care to ensure that the documents we prepare are consistent with our clients needs and wishes.

Trusts:

A trust is a legal arrangement whereby a person (the Settlor), transfers assets to a “Trustee” who is responsible for the management and distribution of those assets on behalf of beneficiaries. Trusts can be in place when a person is alive and can also be part of a person’s will.

There are many situations that call for special management of an estate. Families who have children with disabilities, a business they want to pass on to the next generation, blended families, or children under the age of 19.

While many may see a trust as a tool for the wealthy, people with modest incomes may also benefit from a trust. For many, a trust is designed for asset protection, tax effectiveness and to avoid the probate process and probate fees. It is also a way to make sure young beneficiaries have assets preserved for the long term, instead of receiving a large amount of money all at once.

With our experienced estate planning team at CBM, we can create an estate plan to protect and preserve your assets, keeping your wishes and the best interest of your loved ones, at heart.

Resources:

• Making a Will
• Planning for Unexpected Incapacity