Estate Administration

July 23, 2008

Why would a Seller be Offering Title Insurance to a Buyer?

When you flip through the real estate listings each week you regularly see that sellers are offering to provide title insurance to the buyer of their home.  Why would they do that and why would you want title insurance? First, […]
January 24, 2011

Executor 101

Being asked by a family member or friend to be the Executor (also called a Personal Representative [PR]) of their Will is a big honour.   It can be hard to say no to someone who trusts you and respects you […]
March 17, 2012

Fiduciary Responsibilities

Yes, you have been in a Fiduciary Relationship.  Even if you never used the word, it applies to your daily life more than you know.  It is a special relationship where the Fiduciary has special control or power over the […]
June 16, 2012

Prudent Purchasers Should Examine the Title to Their Property

The Standard Residential Real Estate Purchase Contract was developed by the Alberta Real Estate Association and is used by most, if not all, licensed realtors to evidence the agreement between the seller and buyer.  The contract identifies the three Ps […]
July 21, 2012

Prudent Purchasers Should Examine the Title to Their Property (Continued)

In our last article, we examined financial encumbrances or obligations that might appear on your title.  What about non-financial obligations?  Here are some common examples. An easement confers upon the owner of land the right to use the land by […]
April 25, 2013

Charging Personal Representative Fees

Have you been named as the Personal Representative (PR for short) in a Will? PR is the modern term used for the person who conducts the Executor and Trustee duties in completing the administration of an estate.  PRs and beneficiaries […]
August 5, 2013

I’ve been appointed an Attorney and Health Agent- What do I do?

Previous articles in this column have looked at the importance of having an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) and Personal Directive (PD) as part of an estate plan. These documents appoint a person to look after the financial affairs (Attorney) […]
January 16, 2019

I’ve been named a Personal Representative: what do I do?

A Personal Representative (a.k.a. Executor or Administrator) is a person or Corporation named in a Will to manage and administer the deceased’s estate in accordance with the terms of the Will.  A Personal Representative (PR) must act in the best […]
May 19, 2020

Signing Your Will in a Pandemic World

The Covid19 virus has led to many changes in our world. Physical distancing, self isolation, increased promotion of on-line purchasing and curb side pickups are a few of the changes we have seen not only in Medicine Hat but around […]