Our wills and estates practice encompasses three main areas: helping clients plan for their own death or incapacity, guiding families as they carry out their loved ones' final wishes, and helping to settle disputes among beneficiaries.
We strive for efficiency and discretion in dealing with this sensitive area of law. We understand that for most of our clients, this is a challenging area, and the last thing they need is trouble and conflict or unnecessary expense and delay.
Guiding You Through
At Yigal Rifkind, Barrister & Solicitor, our lawyer can help you with:
- Estate planning: Whether you have a simple standard will or one that involves multiple bequests, planning your legacy requires serious thought. We will help you determine how to help your family after you are gone. You may be able to contribute to causes like your grandchildren's education, or help your children achieve their financial dreams. In general, we will encourage you to keep your will simple and easy to understand in order to minimize the possibility of disputes. We will also help minimize taxes for your beneficiaries, and discuss incapacity planning and powers of attorney.
- Probate and estate administration: Much of having to deal with a loved one's final wishes has to do with paperwork such as transfers of money and real estate. You must also deal with government agencies, such as the Canada Revenue Agency, banks and insurance companies. This can become confusing and tedious, particularly for people who are already grieving a loss. We can guide you through your tasks, and ensure that the process goes smoothly and you are not liable for any losses or irregularities.
- Litigation: When there is a dispute, either over the will or over how the will is handled, we can help. As with all litigation matters, we do not believe in taking on lengthy, expensive and emotionally draining litigation that is unlikely to be helpful to you or your family. We will use negotiation and mediation if possible to help you achieve your objectives in a timely and sensitive manner, especially if your dispute is with family members.
We offer free consultations for wills and estates.
Contact Yigal Rifkind, Barrister & Solicitor
Call us at 416-222-4597 or fill out our online form if you have questions about drafting your will, administering an estate or a possible dispute over a will. We serve clients and families in the Greater Toronto Area and nearby regions of Ontario.
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