Wills & Estates

Landmark Law recommends that everyone, including those with simple estates, prepare a will to save them from the mess that can result from you dying without a will.

Having a will helps to ensure that your wishes are honoured, allows you to better care for your loved ones, and reduce future costs and burden.

In Ontario, with or without a will, the majority of estates must go through the probate process. Furthermore, when you have an estate without a Will, the probate application is more complex than when you have an estate with a Will, leading to higher probate-related fees. The probate court may be the one to decide how to administer your estate without your input. The cost of fixing the chaos that can result from dying without a Will (the extra fees, time, effort, and stress) usually exceeds the cost in having a Will prepared in the first place.

Wills & Powers of Attorney Services

1. Standard Mirrored Wills and Power of Attorneys (Property and Personal Care) [Click Here]
2. Complex and Uneven Distribution Will and Power of Attorneys (Property and Personal Care) [Click Here]
3. Dual Wills (Primary and Secondary Wills) and Power of Attorneys (Property and Personal Care) [Click Here]
4. Probate or Letters of Administration Application [Click Here]
5. Guardianship Application [Click Here]
6. Limited Powers of Attorney

Note: Landmark Law offers flexible signing of Wills and Powers of Attorney and 3 social distancing signing options: a) Outdoor Patio, b) Remotely, and c) Video. We prepare Primary/Secondary (aka Dual) wills for medical professionals and business owners, and standard wills and powers of attorney (non-corporate)

As a regular presenter of wills and estate law seminars, we are delighted to cater towards your needs for quality legal services.

For our affordable Standard and Specific Wills and Powers of Attorney packages, please click our Price Calculator. To get started, please review and complete the Client Kit.

*The Commissioner’s Exhibit stamp (which is often missing on wills) is required for probate and having this on your will from the onset will help save fees and expedite the probate process.

**The Written Memorandum clause in the will allows you to later add or change morally suasive instructions for the Trustee without the assistance of a lawyer or changing your will to help save future fees and time. For eg, you might distribute your assets equally to your family, yet you may determine in your Written Memorandum that there are specific cash gifts you wish to distribute to friends that you would like your Trustee to honour. The Written Memorandum is not legally binding but is hand-written by you and morally suasive in expressing your desired wishes for your Trustee to honour.

Webinars

• August 24, 2022, Probate and Estate Administration on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)
• September 18, 2020, Corporate Wills Webinar for U of T Lawyerup! Case Competition on Facebook/LandmarkLawPc (watch here)
• July 29, 2020, 共同資產視頻在Facebook/LandmarkLawPC上 (中文) (點擊此處)
• July 20, 2020, 企業遺囑視頻在Facebook/LandmarkLawPC上 (中文) (點擊此處)
• July 17, 2020, 標準遺囑及授權書視頻在Facebook/LandmarkLawPC上 (中文) (點擊此處)
• June 8, 2020, Corporate Wills Webinar on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)
• June 6, 2020, Naming Trustees/Beneficiaries/Guardian/Attorneys Webinar on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)
• June 3, 2020, Jointly owned Assets Webinar on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)
• May 24, 2020, Standard Will & POA Webinar on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)
• May 2, 2020, Wills & Estate Legal Education Webinar on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)
• April 21, 2020, Wills & Estates Webinar on Facebook/LandmarkLawPC (watch here)

Major Articles

Wills and Power of Attorneys

• Wills Involving Minor Children

Probate and Estates

• Probate and Estate Administration
• Estate Sale of Real Property

Taxes

• Taxes and Your Principal Residence

Other Articles

• Inconsistent Ownerships in Wills and Deeds
• Wills & Estates
• 遺囑及遺產
• Compliance Questions – Arranging for or Bringing the Client to Prepare a Will and/or Powers of Attorney
• 合规性问题 – 由第三方安排及陪同客户前往律所商谈有关遗嘱及/或授权书事宜
• Compliance Questions for Non-standard Will and Powers of Attorney
• 非标准性遗嘱以及授权书的合规性问题
• What's are "Standard" Wills and Powers of Attorney
• 甚麼是標準遺囑及授權書
• "Jointly and Severally"
• Client Kit: Standard Wills and POA
• 文件包 Client Kit: 標準遺囑和授權書
• Personal Data Sheet - Wills & Powers Of Attorney
• 個人資料紀錄: 遺囑和授權書
• Where there's a Will there's a Way
• Where there's a Will, there's a Way 凡有意願 (遺囑)，總有辦法
• Joint Retainer: Mirror or Reciprocal Wills for Couples
• Joint Retainer: Mirror or Reciprocal Wills for Couples 聯名法律代表：夫妻或伴侶的互惠遺囑或鏡子遺囑
• Choosing your Estate Trustee
• Trustees Statutory Compensation
• Basic Estate Planning and Estate Administration Taxes
• Basic Estate Planning 基本遺產計劃
• Advance Care Planning
• Continuing Power of Attorney for Property
• Affidavit of Execution x
• Affidavit of Execution 遺囑執行宣誓書
• International and Multiple Wills: Owning Estate in Different Countries
• Taxation and Gifting of Ontario Estate to Non-Residents of Canada
• Alter Ego Trusts, an Estate Planning Strategy for Seniors
• Creating Family Trusts within Your Will
• Dual Wills 雙遺囑 (平安書)
• The Joint Spousal and Common-law Partner Trust, an Estate Planning Strategy for Seniors
• Henson Trusts to Protect ODSP Entitlement
• 利用Henson信託保障安省殘障支援計畫(ODSP)津貼
• Assets that Do Not Affect ODSP Entitlement
• 不影響ODSP津貼的供款
• Primary & Corporate Wills for Medical Professionals and Business Owners
• Presentation Slides: Wills & Estate Planning (Ontario, Canada)

Wills Podcast Transcripts

• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 1: Are You In A Common Law Relationship?
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 2: Has Your Common Law Partner Passed Away Without A Will?
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 3: Introduction to Standard Wills & Power of Attorneys
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 4: 1st Standard Wills & POA Scenario
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 5: 2nd Standard Wills & POA Scenario
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 6: 3rd Standard Wills & POA Scenario
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 7: 4th Standard Wills & POA Scenario
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 8: Final Standard Wills & POA Scenario
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 9: "Jointly" & "Jointly or Severally"
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 10: The Importance of Having a Will
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 11: Recommended Times to Update Your Will
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 12: The Importance of Affidavits
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 13: Choosing Your Estate Trustee
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 14: Wills Involving Minor Children
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 15: Family Law Considerations
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 16: Family Law Considerations Part 2
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 17: Trustee Considerations
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 18: Henson Trust
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 19: Appointing The PGT
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 21: International Wills
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 22: Multiple Wills
• Just A Minute - Podcast Episode 23: Taxation and Gifting of Estate to Non-Residents
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 26: Alter Ego Trusts Part 1
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 27: Alter Ego Trusts Part 2
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 34: Continuing Power of Attorney Part 1
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 35: Continuing Power of Attorney Part 2
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 36: Continuing Power of Attorney Part 3
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 37: Advance Care Planning Part 1
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 38: Advance Care Planning Part 2
• Just a Minute - Podcast Episode 39: Advance Care Planning Part 3