If you die “intestate”, meaning without a valid will, your assets will be distributed according to the law of the jurisdiction in which you live. In Ontario, relevant legislation outlines an order of distribution regarding who gets what if you die intestate and have no children or grandchildren. However, this order may not reflect your desires.
- If you have no children,your entire estate goes to your spouse.
- If you have no spouse or children,your estate goes to your parents in equal shares.
- If your parents are deceased,your brothers and sisters will inherit your estate. Any deceased brother or sister’s share goes to his or her children.
As you can imagine, the absence of a will can present many challenges for people who are at the same time grieving the loss of a loved one. Depending on the complexity of your estate assets, family relationships and other factors, these challenges could become an administrative nightmare. A valid will, ideally prepared by a lawyer, will help your estate to settle quicker and best ensure your assets go where you desire.
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Andrea Kelly, Lawyer, has extensive experience in wills, trusts, powers of attorney and estate administration matters. She provides clients with a high standard of timely professionalism and expertise, incorporating a very thorough fact finding process. This is quite often enlightening for her clients and facilitates individually tailored services. If you would like to know more, feel free to use the easy contact form or read Andrea’s bio.