One in five Canadians who received a family inheritance say they experienced conflict with their siblings or other relatives over the division of assets.

Preparing for death can be overwhelming for anyone. Nobody wants to consider a circumstance where they won't be here to care for their bundle of joy.

Predatory marriages are unfortunately a growing phenomenon in Ontario. A predatory marriage occurs when a man or a woman enters into a relationship with an elderly individual exclusively for the purpose of gaining access to their estate.

Estate planning is essential but often overlooked. Having a will drafted by a professional is important at every age because it allows you to distribute assets as you wish. It also serves as the cornerstone of your overall estate plan that includes choosing an executor and power of attorney documents for health care and property.

Alternate dispute resolution ("ADR") has been on the rise as one of the primary ways to bring a dispute to resolution. Rather than spending significant time and money to litigate a case, the recent trend sees the increased use of ADR processes, such as mediation or arbitration, in the negotiation of a settlement outside of the courtroom.

It can be interesting to see how certain aspects of estate law can work in conjunction with other sectors, and a basic understanding of the related issues is often important when assisting clients in developing or implementing an estate plan.