If you are the executor of someone’s estate, it’s incumbent upon you to preserve and protect the assets that now belong to the estate. Sometimes this is relatively simple, such as locking up the decedent’s former home with their property safe inside. But other times, it may be far more difficult. For instance, if there are valuable pieces of jewelry … Read More
Professional Guidance During Probate
Dealing with probate matters can be one of the hardest things you’ve ever done because it necessarily comes after what might be a great loss. At a time when you are grieving for a loved one or caught up in the shock of loss, you are also asked to begin a sometimes complex and detail-imbued legal process. Having a professional … Read More
Timeline of Estate Administration, Part 2
Last month we reviewed the timeline of estate administration in the days and weeks following the death of the decedent. Today, we pick up the timeline where we left off — several weeks after the person’s demise. By this point, the estate administrator should have obtained contact information for all heirs and estate beneficiaries for the purpose of sending a … Read More
Administering an intestate estate
If you are the spouse, adult child or other relative of a person who died without leaving a will, you could wind up applying to the court to administer that person’s estate. If the decedent dies intestate and has no spouse, parent or children to handle these duties, or if those relatives are not willing or able to execute the … Read More
Timeline of estate administration, Part 1
If you are newly appointed as the administrator of an estate, it can be confusing knowing what needs to be done when. Below is a list of the duties you will be responsible for performing and the approximate time you will need to do them. Immediately after the death of the decedent, you will need to: Arrange to donate the … Read More
Important things to know about probate for the executor
Being named as executor of an estate is a solemn responsibility. While it may be a source of some pride to be named to such an important position, many would-be executors are understandably daunted by the enormity of the task. Estate law is fairly complex, and the process of probate can be confusing and possibly lengthy. For those British Columbia … Read More
Why might a will be challenged during estate administration?
At the best of times, being executor for an estate can be time-consuming and emotional. All administrators hope for a smooth and expeditious execution of their duties. Unfortunately, there are times when surprises during estate administration can throw a wrench into the works. One such wrench is a challenge to the will, which can happen for one of a few … Read More
Check a will carefully before going through probate
There are many responsibilities thrust upon an estate administrator in British Columbia. Chief among them is putting the will through probate. This is an important process and requires completion before the estate can be administrated. However, it may be that not all the listed assets will need probating. Here are a few things to look for before getting started. Some … Read More
Funeral costs are often the first matter of estate administration
There are many responsibilities suddenly heaped upon the executor after a person dies. The order in which these responsibilities need to be handled is not always readily apparent. However, one of the very first tasks of estate administration In British Columbia is arranging the funeral. It is quite possible the deceased left instructions for his or her funeral in the … Read More
Submitting the proper documents during probate in BC
There are many stages the executor of an estate must navigate through when administering a will in British Columbia. One of the most important is probate. The purpose of probate is to convince a judge of the veracity of the will so that the rest of the process can unfold. In order to do so, several key documents must be … Read More