01
Family Law
Separation, divorce, parenting and support — handled with clarity when things are hardest.
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Overview
Wills, powers of attorney, probate and the administration of an estate.
An estate plan is a set of instructions for the people you leave behind. Without one, Ontario's intestacy rules decide who gets what, and the people closest to you inherit a process instead of a plan. We draft the documents that keep control where you want it, and we guide executors through administration when the time comes.
Estate LawBuzi Law · Ontario
When to call
Any of these apply?
If one of these is true, the conversation is worth having now rather than after the next step is taken.
- You have no will, or one written before a major life change
- You have been named executor and do not know where to start
- A parent has died and the bank will not release funds
- You own property in more than one province or country
- A beneficiary is a minor or has a disability
- Someone is contesting a will, or threatening to
What we handle
The work, specifically.
01
Wills
From straightforward wills to plans involving blended families, dependants with disabilities and business interests.
02
Powers of attorney
For property and for personal care — the documents that matter most if you are alive but unable to decide.
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Probate applications
Applying for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee, with or without a will.
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Estate administration
Guiding executors through their duties: assets, debts, tax clearance, accounting and distribution.
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Estate disputes
Will challenges, dependant support claims, and disagreements between beneficiaries and trustees.
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Estate planning for property owners
Coordinating the will with how title is held, so the plan actually does what you intended.
Who we act for
The people on this file.
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People making a plan
First wills, updated wills, powers of attorney, and planning that accounts for property, business interests and blended families.
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Executors and estate trustees
Guiding you through duties that carry personal liability if they are done carelessly.
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Beneficiaries
Where an estate is being administered badly, slowly, or not at all, and you need to know your options.
How it runs
From first call to closed file.
01
Take stock
What the assets are, how each is held, who is named as beneficiary, and what actually passes through the estate versus outside it.
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Draft and execute
Wills and powers of attorney drafted to your instructions and executed with the formalities Ontario requires — the step most DIY wills fail on.
03
Probate where needed
Applying for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee, with the supporting material the court expects.
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Administer and distribute
Debts, tax clearance, accounting to beneficiaries, and distribution — in that order, because reversing a distribution is close to impossible.
Fees
What this costs
Wills and powers of attorney are fixed fee, quoted as a package for an individual or a couple, so you know the number before you book. Probate applications are fixed fee for straightforward estates and quoted per file where there is real property in several jurisdictions, a business, or a dispute. Estate administration is hourly, billed against the estate.
Get a written estimateQuestions
Answered plainly.
The Succession Law Reform Act decides. Your spouse receives a preferential share and the rest is divided by formula among spouse and children. A common-law partner inherits nothing automatically. The court also appoints the administrator, which may not be who you would have chosen.
No. Whether probate is required depends on the assets — banks and the land registry usually require it, while jointly held property with right of survivorship and assets with a named beneficiary often pass outside the estate. We assess it before you apply.
Ontario charges roughly $15 per $1,000 of estate value above $50,000, with no tax on the first $50,000. Planning that reduces the value flowing through the estate reduces that tax — but it has to be done carefully so it does not create bigger problems.
After any marriage, separation, birth, death, significant purchase or move between provinces — and otherwise every three to five years. An out-of-date will can be worse than none at all.
You can. A meaningful share of the estate litigation in Ontario starts with one. The common failures are execution formalities, wording that does not do what the testator thought, and no plan for what happens if a beneficiary dies first. The cost of a proper will is a fraction of the cost of arguing about a bad one.
Locate and secure assets, identify and pay debts, file the deceased's final tax return and obtain a clearance certificate, account to the beneficiaries, then distribute. An executor who distributes before clearing debts and taxes can be personally liable for the shortfall.
Related
Other practice areas.
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Real Estate Law
Purchases, sales, refinancing, title, mortgage enforcement and power of sale.
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Immigration Law
Permanent residence, sponsorship, work and study permits, citizenship and appeals.
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Speak with a lawyer
Tell us what happened.
We will tell you where you stand.
A short conversation costs nothing and usually saves a great deal. You will get a straight answer about whether you have a matter, what it is likely to involve, and what it will cost.