Unintentional disinheritance of children in blended family situations

Over the Fall 2025, Cairns Law ran a special thank-you promotion for teachers and school staff. It was one way for us to recognize the huge role educators play in supporting our children, our schools and our communities. Many educators reached out, asked questions and explored their options even when timing wasn’t ideal. November and early December were full with back to work orders, PT interviews and report cards, holiday planning, regular sicknesses, etc. The promotion was

When a person passes away, some of the first questions their loved ones ask is whether the person died with a Will and whether a Grant of Probate or Grant of Administration is required. In Alberta, when a person dies without a Will, no one has authority over the deceased's estate. This is called dying intestate . The Surrogate Court grants the necessary authority and responsibility to a person, or trust company, through a Grant of Administration . The Grant of Administrati

There is a saying: “The best time to plant a tree was yesterday. The second-best time is today.” Estate planning is like that. Most people put it off because life is busy, the future feels far away, or it’s hard to know where to start. But once it’s done, clients almost always say: “I feel so much better having that off my mind.” Whether you're starting a family, settling into retirement, or simply trying to get organized, it’s never too early, or too late, to plant that tree