WILLS & ESTATES / PERSONAL PLANNING

Thinking about what might happen when you die or become incapable can be overwhelming. We help clients prepare for the unexpected and plan for the future. We can ease stress on you and your loved ones by helping to develop a plan that ensures your property is distributed and managed as you wish. We can also work with you to develop an incapacity plan in the event you suffer an illness or injury that leaves you unable to make decisions for yourself and requiring assistance from others.

Creating a valid will that achieves the goal of passing your property to your family or loved ones is an important, but not the only, part of the estate planning process. Many people make the mistake of putting off planning or drafting their own documents without a lawyer’s help.

At Laschuk Law, our in-depth interview of you forms the basis for drafting your will, representation agreement or enduring power of attorney. We help you avoid the pitfalls that come with a poorly-drafted will or personal planning document.

We can help you:

• Draft a will – We will write it so your wishes are clear and easily followed, which helps to avoid confusion or litigation at a later time. We will discuss with you what your legal obligations may be. Having a will lets you avoid the arbitrary and predetermined rules of intestate succession set out in Part 3 of BC’s Wills, Estates and Succession Act, where only your closest relatives inherit your property. Read More
• Prepare for incapacity – We canvass the subject of mental incapacity with you. There are often unexpected costs and difficulties if you become incapacitated before you die. If this is something that concerns you, we can draft personal planning documents now that will let a trusted friend or family member help you make important decisions after you have become incapable of doing so:

         -healthcare decisions (you should do a “Representation Agreement”)  Read More

         –property and financial decisions (you should do a “Power of Attorney” or an “Enduring Power of Attorney”) Read More

• Start the process of taking care of an estate – An application for probate (i.e. to ‘prove’ a will) is not straightforward. Nor is an application for letters of administration (where there is no will). There are many pitfalls. If you are an executor or administrator of an estate, we can help you to obtain a grant of probate or a letters of administration.
• Administer an estate – You have duties as personal representative (executor or administrator). Distributing an estate and ensuring your duties to creditors and beneficiaries are met are not easy tasks. We can not only help you understand your duties, but also help you carry them out, so your risk of personal liability is minimized. 

We are here to help you – with straightforward advice, support with specific tasks, or fully managing the required duties.  Call 604-948-7200 to arrange an initial consultation.