Planning For Beneficiaries With Disabilities

If you have someone that you plan to leave money or assets to who has special needs or a disability, special consideration should be given on how to deal with his or her interest in your Estate. This is particularly true if that individual is receiving Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits. As you may […]
Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee

In a properly drafted Will, there is an estate trustee or trustees named who will have the right to deal with the assets in the estate immediately upon death. On an intestacy (where there is no Will), there is no person who can act immediately upon the death. Someone must apply to the Ontario Superior […]
Estate Administration

What does this process involve? As the Executor of a deceased’s estate, your first obligation is to ensure that all funeral and burial arrangements are made and paid for, and to safeguard the assets of the deceased. The Executor is the only individual with the legal authority to contract for funeral and burial arrangements. These […]
What Is A Member Of A Not For Profit Corporation?

A member is arguably the most important and most commonly misunderstood component of a not for profit corporation. When I ask not for profit organizations who their members are, in most cases the response is “I don’t know” or “we don’t have those”. Such responses are surprising because every not for profit corporation has members, […]
What Is The Difference Between A Not-For-Profit / Non-Profit And A Charity?

Not-for-Profit Organizations and Limited Liability In everyday terms, not-for-profit or non-profit means an organization whose goal or purpose is something other than profit. It is a common misconception that the term means that the organization can’t generate a profit. Actually, a not-for-profit organization’s revenues can exceed its expenditures, the excess is instead referred to as […]
What Happens If I Die Without A Will?

f you die without a valid will and are resident in Ontario, the distribution of your estate will be prescribed by the Succession Law Reform Act (the