From the Desk

Estate planning sits at the bottom of the typical to-do list. Many Albertans believe they “don’t have enough,” “aren’t old enough,” or simply “aren’t ready.” Or, if they are ready, there are a bunch of better things to do than estate plan today. The truth? Estate planning is for everyone and is better when done today than tomorrow. Estate planning is not just for the wealthy, not just for retirees, and not just for people with complex assets. It's also not just for the people

Estate administration after separation of spouses. Separation doesn’t always mean closure. Not individually, and not legally. Even after  years  of living separate and apart, if a spouse dies while still legally married, the law can treat the living spouse as a spouse of the Deceased. That treatment can create unexpected and painful complications for executors (aka " Personal Representatives " or "PRs"), children, and new partners trying to navigate estate administration. POV

When separation leaves your story unfinished. Many couples separate long before they finalize a divorce. Separation is sometimes for months; sometimes for decades. But here’s the legal twist: in Alberta, your "ex" may have a rights to inherit from your estate unless: you are divorced (with the actual divorce order from the Court); AND any estate plans you may have are updated after your separation / divorce. The relationship status of "separated, but not yet divorced" can cre

As with most things in life, estate planning also has options to get it done. DIY, generally guided will kits, online prompts and lawyer facilitated.

It’s a common question of lawyers: Should I add my adult child to the title of my home so that it passes to them automatically when I die, avoiding probate? At first glance, it sounds efficient. But in most cases, it’s not the best approach. I find myself advising clients against it more often than not. 1. Maintain sovereignty over your home Your home is likely your most valuable asset, whether emotionally, financially or both. Adding an adult child to title means you no long

When selling, buying or mortgaging property in Alberta, one often-overlooked issue is dower rights. These rights can complicate real estate transactions if not addressed early. Dower rights exist on the home when only only one spouse is on the home title. The spouses must be legally married. Dower does not (yet) apply to adult interdependent partnerships ("AIPs" for short; commonly known as common-law). Here are some common scenarios in real estate deals. Also view one of the

Promo has been extended to bookings made before Jan.31, 2026! There were lots of great follow up questions to this article which are now addressed within. The original Dec. 1, 2025 expiry date may have added pressure to the educator's plates that were already full: being forced back to work in November, continued updates from the ATA negotiation crew, report cards, PT interviews, sicknesses, the winter holidays, etc. So, we happily extended the timeframe to end of January!

In Alberta, the executor of an estate (also called the "Personal Representative" or "PR") has a legal duty to notify the people who are entitled to benefit from the estate. This is called the "Personal representative’s notice when acting without a grant". It comes from section 10(1) of Alberta's Estate Administration Act . Who receives the notice? Every person named as a beneficiary in the Will (see s.10(1)(a)) Possibly others depending on the estate. See s.10(1)) What does t

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