Wills

Having a will provides loved ones with instructions on what your wishes for your property are.  It will not only provide your loved ones with instructions on what to do when your health starts to deteriorate, but also on what to do with your assets and property when you have passed on. Wills and estates lawyers in Edmonton are experienced in guiding people through all of the steps in crafting the legal documentation surrounding a will.


A will is designed to keep your assets protected when you pass away. Without a will, your assets might not go where you’d like them to go. With a will, many family disputes can be resolved before they even begin. If you’d like more information on making a will, reach out to us today. We would love to assist you in everything that’s involved with your will.

Do I Need A Will?

If your health is starting to decline, finding a will lawyer in Edmonton is highly recommended. A will is a legally binding document that lists what you want done with your assets after you pass on. It’s extremely wise to get one done and you can contact us today to get started.

  • To get a will or not to get a will

    When you make a will, you hold the keys to who is in charge of your assets. If you don’t want your assets being passed on to someone, you can specify that in your will. 


    If you have young children, it will be your choice who will look after them in the event that you pass away. If you pass away without a will, then it will be up to the court to decide who will care for them. 


    A will makes the division of your assets much more straightforward, and we can guide you through it.

  • What types of wills are there?

    Depending on where you go, there are a variety of different wills that you can get, but a formal will is usually the most common route. 


    A formal will is also commonly known as a conventional will, and it requires two witnesses, and you’ll want a lawyer to prepare it for you. With a holograph will, you don’t require a witness. 


    These types of wills aren’t recognized in every area, so you’ll want to keep that in mind. If you’re married, you can also get a joint will made. 


    We try to keep our clients fully informed and educated so that they make the best decisions possible when developing their wills. 


    Throughout developing your will, you can expect us to communicate in a way that you’ll fully understand. Legal terms can get confusing, and you understanding your will is of the utmost importance. 

  • How complicated can a will get?

    If you’re going through a civil case then you’ll want a family lawyer in Edmonton in the same way that you’d want the best will lawyer to help you develop your will. 


    Wills can end up getting more complicated than most people would like. People live complex lives, and because of that, the distribution of assets collected throughout one’s life can become very difficult. 


    If you’re a business owner, you’ll especially want to consult with us regarding your will. There are also many family dynamics that can add even more layers to a will. 


    Second or third marriages, blended families, and other related factors will require you and your lawyer to carefully decide how things should be drawn up in your will. 


    The more you plan out your will, the fewer regrets you will have. Let us know how we can help you with your will.

  • Can I change my will?

    As a general rule of thumb, you’ll always want to keep your will as up-to-date as possible. If you’re currently working with a litigation lawyer in Edmonton and are trying to navigate stipulations regarding your marriage, your will should reflect the specific changes. 


    Some other reasons why you might want to change your will are if you’re newly separated, have just gone through a divorce, have just lost your spouse, or if you just had a child. Getting divorced doesn’t immediately revoke the will that you have drawn up. 


    If you’re unsure about changes to your will, you’ll want to consult with us as soon as you can. Your estate should go exactly where you want it to go, and we want to assist you in making sure it does exactly that. 

  • Inheritance

    When you have passed on, your inheritance should go where you want it to go. Carefully outlining where your inheritance will go in your will is very wise to do. 


    Every family dynamic is different, and that might mean that you want more of your inheritance going towards a certain child or grandchild more than the other. 


    If you currently have a real estate lawyer in Edmonton that has been assisting you with all of your real estate transactions and you’re wondering who will inherit your property after you pass away, you’ll want to reach out to us. 


    When real estate is involved, things can get complicated pretty quickly for those that aren’t well-versed in the laws surrounding it all. 


    Writing a will is something you’ll want to do properly the first time around. Our experience as in drafting wills for estates will have your stress levels reduced tremendously

Estates

Everything that you own is compiled into what is known as an estate. A will determines what is done with your estate, so they go hand-in-hand. When someone dies, the estate is what will typically take care of any debts that might be owing.

  • What is an executor?

    Getting an estate lawyer in Edmonton is one of the first things an executor will want to do when determining what will happen to your estate once you pass away. 


    Wills and estates can get fairly complicated depending on how many assets you have. When you’re drafting up your will with your lawyer, you will have to decide who the executor of your estate will be. 


    This will be the person that is responsible for making sure all of the stipulations in your will are carried out to completion. If you need help with your will, contact us today. 

  • Why should I worry about estate planning?

    Estate planning is aimed at keeping the ones you love protected after you pass away. Not many people are thrilled to spend their time estate planning, but if you don’t carefully plan your estate, you won’t get to select where your prized possessions go. 


    Estate planning will lower the amount of taxes that are owed after your death. If you have children, estate planning gives you the opportunity to select their legal guardian. 


    Dividing up your assets after you pass away can cause family division, but with estate planning, arguments and legal complications can be minimized.

  • How can estate planning protect my loved ones?

    Some people might have the misconception that estate planning is only directed towards those that are extremely wealthy. 


    No matter who you are or what walk of life you come from, you’ll want to plan your estate. If you have any assets at all, you’ll want a say in who your assets go to after you pass on. 


    This will provide a certain degree of financial protection to your loved ones. Designating certain assets to certain beneficiaries can go a long way in ensuring they are taken care of well into the future. Contact us to learn more.

  • Can estate planning prevent future arguments?

    When someone passes away, dividing up the assets can sometimes become a nightmare if there was no estate planning done. After a family member that has money passes away, siblings and other relatives might think they should be entitled to more than the other person. 


    These arguments could potentially even be brought to court and cause bitterness between family members. By carefully planning your estate, you can prevent many squabbles from happening after you pass away. 


    If you’ve had multiple spouses or children from two different relationships, estate planning gets a little complicated. That’s where we can help you out!

  • What to expect

    Planning out your estate can lead to a lot of frustration for some people. Our job is to guide you through the process in a way that you will be able to fully understand. 


    We don’t want you to feel compelled or forced to make any irrational decisions. We will carefully explain things like:


    • What your assets are.
    • What happens to your assets after you pass away.
    • Your legal obligations.
    • Your decisions.

    Throughout our consultation, we will highlight some of the most important things that you should be aware of for your estate plans.


Will and Estate Plans

No one likes to think about their own mortality, but everyone has to at some point in life. Planning your will and estate will make sure your possessions are passed on to future generations, and that means your legacy will live on to your children, grandchildren, and/or other relatives.


  • Do I include funeral wishes in my will?

    When someone passes away, the funeral arrangements are the primary focus of the family before anything else. Your estate is usually settled and taken care of after a funeral takes place. 


    Sometimes family members might not even be aware that you’ve had specific funeral wishes in your will until the funeral is finished with. 


    For that reason, you’ll want to discuss your funeral wishes with your loved ones. Some people like to list details on a separate document outside of the will on how they want their funeral to be. These details are then provided to the executor.

  • Are there conditions I can put on gifts in my will?

    Sometimes people like to include certain conditions on specific gifts in their will. An example of this is if your daughter finishes veterinarian school, she is entitled to your new car. 


    Or, your grandson is entitled to one of your properties if they use it to continue farming the fields surrounding it. 


    Some of the conditions that are put on gifts in a will aren’t exactly legal, so you’ll want to discuss these things with your lawyer. 


    Specific Conditions can end up complicating  things further than you’d like. Contact us for more information on wills and estates.

  • What about my pets?

    When drafting up a will, some people might wonder about what will happen to their pets and if they can leave gifts to them. 


    Pets aren’t able to own assets after you pass away, but you can determine who will take ownership and care over the pet. 


    You could also explain in your will that you want a specified amount of money to be only used for caring for your pet. 


    If you’re confused about what will happen to your pets and how to include them in your will, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

  • How long will it take to finish my will and estate planning?

    Your will and estate planning isn’t typically something that should be rushed. There are a variety of different factors that need to be considered while you’re estate planning. 


    Throughout the process, you might also require assistance from a number of other professionals. Accounts, financial advisors, and retirement planners might all be able to guide you in certain areas of your estate planning. 


    While we are experienced in will and estate law, you might be able to also get good advice from a tax expert on that side of things. Take your time to carefully plan and implement your will.

  • Can I make sure my beneficiaries don’t squander away the inheritance I leave for them?

    After someone passes away, it can be quite easy for beneficiaries to squander away a large sum of money in no time at all. 


    With a carefully designed estate plan, the decisions on where the money is to be spent become much more straightforward. 


    An example of this is specifying in your will/estate plan that money should only be spent on things like education, real estate, or a vehicle. 


    Highlighting these particular things in your plan will bring you greater peace of mind in trusting that your life’s work won’t be squandered away.

You Can Trust Us

Choosing us as your wills & estates lawyer to execute your estate plan is a step in the right direction.


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Why Tiffen Law Office?

At Tiffen Law Office, we bring the feeling of community inside of our walls. Due to that, our clients feel comfortable and relaxed while discussing their legal concerns with us. We realize that selecting a lawyer for any reason can be very intimidating.


It’s not easy to trust another individual with your personal information, and we will never break that seal of trust we develop with our clients. Our goal is to keep our clients as informed as possible during their legal services with us.


The more knowledge that we pass onto our clients, the better decisions they will be able to make for their wills and estates.


There are many facets of the legal system that can get very complicated to navigate, and we try our best to simplify things in a way that makes sense. If you are looking for an experienced Edmonton civil litigation lawyer, contact us today.


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