estate administration

our services

There are two ways we help you with estate administration:

1. Filing the necessary paperwork with the Court after someone's death to have the executor appointed; and/or
2. Act on behalf of the executor as the Estate lawyer.

We also offer limited scope retainers in this area, which means you can hire us only for the parts you need help with.

court documents

In order to act as the executor/trustee of someone's estate you need to be appointed.  We work with you to obtain the Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee With or Without a Will from the Court.  We meet with you, draft the documents, and ensure they are properly received and filed at Court.  We do the paperwork needed to complete the estate matter.  

If you use this option, you will do all other trustee and executor duties yourself, or with other third parties you hire.  Manulife Financial provides an excellent Checklist of Executor Duties, as do many other financial institutions and online sources.  

act as the estate lawyer

If you use this option, we will act on behalf of the executor to take care of all executor duties.  This includes contacting financial institutions, locate beneficiaries, and determining amounts for beneficiaries and paying those out.  We provide advice along the way and ensure all legal obligations of the executor are completed.

fees

While most lawyers charge flat fees or percentages of the estate, we find it in almost all cases more affordable for you if you pay for our services based on the time worked on your matter.  Our fees will therefore fluctuate depending on the level of service and complexity of the estate.  Please book an initial consultation if you wish to discuss your situation, receive legal advice, a recommended plan of action, and receive a personal fee estimate.