​Planning for the future is an essential step in protecting your loved ones, preserving your assets, and ensuring that your wishes will be followed in the event of incapacity.

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Wills:

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• Everyone over the age of majority needs a will.  A will allows you to be the one who decides what will happen to your estate. If you die without a will, Ontario legislation steps in and makes the determination of where your assets will go,  as ultimately, whatever you own at the time of death must be dealt with.  Of course, this means that your wishes will not be considered.  Your assets may have to be frozen for a period of time while someone applies to be permitted to administer your estate.  There may be taxes that must be paid, that would not have had to be paid, had you planned and made use of tax reduction strategies for your estate.  And, if you had not named a guardian for minor children, in the event of your death, a court will have to make this determination.  All of this can be avoided by creating and regularly updating your will.

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Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care:

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• These are legal documents where you appoint a trusted individual to make decisions about your personal care, such as health care and housing and your property such as paying your bills, managing your investments and collecting money owed to you, in the event of your inability to do so.  If you become incapable of making these types of decisions, and you have not created these documents, family members will have to apply to the court in order to become your guardian.  In the meanwhile decisions about you or for you may have to be made by the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee.

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Regular Review and Updates:

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• Estate planning is an ongoing process as nothing remains constant.  I will assist you in revisiting your plans at regular intervals and when major life events occur such as a marriage, a divorce, a major purchase or the birth of a child.  

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Estate Administration:

 

• I support executors by helping them to understand and execute what has to be done following the death of an individual. 

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