There are some people out there that can proudly boast “I have never been fired.” Unfortunately for many people this is not the case. Termination of employment is a great cause of stress in many peoples’ lives. The fear of being terminated often weighs in the back of employees’ minds. We spend the majority of…
Just over one half of B.C. adults have a valid Will, yet many of us fail to regularly review and update our estate planning documents to ensure that they continue to reflect our current situation and wishes. Updating your will is important. A comprehensive personal and estate plan for B.C. adults includes not only a…
There is no such thing as a “basic” or one size fits all estate plan. However, I rarely meet a new client who doesn’t think their situation is “very simple” and all they need is a “basic will”. In my experience the majority of clients have one or more special considerations for estate planning that…
Most people are familiar with the concept of making a claim for compensation for physical injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident. However, most people will not have experience with a mental injury claim. There is more than one classification of physical injuries. For example “soft tissue” injuries where there are no broken bones; orthopaedic…
As soon as the warm spring weather arrives, so do the scores of Albertans, seeking sun, golf, boating, great food and wine. It’s a well-understood phenomenon in the Okanagan that many Albertans choose to invest in a vacation property in BC. However, the implications of estate planning for Albertans who own property in BC are…
A number of years ago I wrote an article about the Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resources’ decision to direct additional resources towards reviewing foreshore rights and enforcing the use and construction of docks, retaining walls and other structures along the shoreline. Giving the ongoing flood event in the Okanagan, it seems an opportune…
Parenting a child who lives with mental illness or addiction can be heartbreaking, challenging and exhausting for parents and other family members. Once an adult, a child living with mental illness or addiction can create a lifelong emotional and financial commitment from the parents. When engaging in estate planning, a parent with a child living…
My family is very open about our story. We have been raising awareness and financial support for the Foundry Kelowna because we understand firsthand the challenge in finding the right care and resources for a young person to live a healthy and meaningful life. Many families include a family member with a mental, psychological or…
One of the more difficult parts of Estate Planning involves naming a guardian for your children. The task of appointing someone to care for your minor child (under 19 years in B.C.) after you are gone can be an understandably difficult decision to make. Nonetheless, this is a decision that will be critical in the…
Everyone knows that accidents happen. That’s why many of us carry insurance- on our homes, on our lives, and on our businesses. But, if you’re running a small privately held company, have you ever considered insuring your relationship with your shareholders? Maybe the answer is yes and you’ve wisely had a shareholders’ agreement drafted. Great. Now,…
