Would a British Columbia Court R-E-S-P-E-C-T Aretha Franklin’s Handwritten Will?
By Dani Gorelov and Zachary Murphy-Rogers. A jury in Michigan decided that a notebook with scribbles found in Aretha Franklin’s couch is valid as the ... Continued
Legal Closure: Understanding the Presumption of Death Act in BC
By Vivian Thieu and Zachary Murphy-Rogers *This post was inspired by a similar post on the Declarations of Death Act, 2002 out of Ontario. The ... Continued
The Importance of Written Consent: Removal and Use of Human Reproductive Materials After Death
By Shiona Nickel In 2020, the BC Court of Appeal considered an important issue concerning the removal and use of human reproductive materials (sperm, ova, ... Continued
Navigating Jurisdictional Differences: Ensuring You Have a Valid Power of Attorney in British Columbia
By Zachary Murphy-Rogers and Hannah Plant A power of attorney is a legal document that grants someone the authority to act on behalf of another ... Continued
Wills Causing Spills: Caution – Pour-Over Clauses are Void in B.C.
By Pavneet Grewal and Zachary Murphy-Rogers If you are or know someone who moved to British Columbia and has a U.S.-style ‘pour-over will’, we strongly ... Continued
Can Unpaid Wages of a Deceased Person be Paid to a Surviving Spouse Directly?
By Simon Wu and Zachary Murphy-Rogers The administration of an estate is a complex process, and navigating its nuances can be challenging. This blog post ... Continued
Tom v. Tang, 2023 BCCA 221: Subjective Reasons and the Objectively Reasonable Will-Maker
By Polly Storey The Court of Appeal for British Columbia recently had an opportunity to consider, and resolve, a question that has been the source ... Continued
Kramer v. Kramer, 2023 BCSC 116: Fraudulent Conveyances and Alter Ego Trust Planning
By Polly Storey and Adrienne Adams In British Columbia, will-makers are required to make “adequate, just and equitable” provision from their estates for their surviving ... Continued
Probate Fee Avoidance: The Potential Benefits and Challenges of Using Multiple Wills
By Tadhg Bradford and Zachary Murphy-Rogers You may be familiar with the term “probate”. Probate is the process through which the BC Supreme Court issues ... Continued
The RESP in Estate Planning
If you have a Registered Education Savings Plan (an “RESP”), it is important to take this asset into consideration when undertaking your estate planning. In ... Continued
Michael Scott, TEP Speaking at The Great Wealth Transfer Event
Over the next 20 years, Canadians will inherit $1,000,000,000,000, but what does this unprecedented wealth transfer mean for Canada? On Thursday, April 20th, join guest ... Continued
Advisor’s Edge Interviews Polly Storey
Our Estates & Trusts lawyer Polly Storey has been interviewed and quoted in a new article from Advisor’s Edge, a national publication that provides news, analysis, practice management ... Continued