Estate Planning

A two-part look at separation, divorce and the legal stories we leave behind Divorce and separation are tricky emotional and legal landscapes. Within estate law and real estate law, there are challenges that arise on our files. A recurring problem? When the divorce order after separation hasn't been obtained. This situation may be far more common than you might think, and it can complicate everything from a new estate plan to the sale of your new home. Unfortunately, there's

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

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. The cost to obtain probate rarely justifies the legal complexity or future risk of joint ownership with an adult child. Here are some factors to consider: 1. Maintain sovereig

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!

Estate planning and administration can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve never been involved in it before. Part of the challenge is the unfamiliar language. In Alberta, some of the words you might read about have very specific legal meanings. Knowing what the words mean can make the process a little less intimidating. Estate Everything a person owns at the time of death. E.g. real estate, bank accounts, investments, cryptocurrency and other digital assets, business asse

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

Some of the most common things I hear from clients are: “I don’t know what the process is to get started.” "We want to keep things simple.” “We should have done this years ago.” Let me say this clearly: you’re not alone.  We are human , and we don’t often know the ins and outs of someone else’s profession or trade, and we don't often want to talk or think about our death while we're in the hustle of life. Estate planning, estate administration, and real estate law touch some