Wills & Estate Planning

Overview

Protect the people you love most.

A clear estate plan protects your loved ones, makes sure your wishes are respected and prevents avoidable disputes. We make the process simple, secure and personal.

Our Calgary estates lawyers prepare wills, enduring powers of attorney and personal directives, guide executors through probate and estate administration, and act in estate disputes for executors, beneficiaries and other parties. Everything we prepare complies with Alberta's Wills and Succession Act.

Services

Planning ahead, and settling an estate.

Wills & Testamentary Trusts

New wills, updates to existing wills and testamentary trusts that name your executor and set out exactly who inherits what.

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Enduring Powers of Attorney

Choose someone you trust to manage your finances and legal affairs if you can't. We explain enduring, general and specific powers of attorney.

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Personal Directives

Set out your wishes for health care and personal decisions, and name the person who will make them if you lose capacity.

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Probate & Grants of Administration

Applications for grants of probate or administration, whether or not there is a will, prepared correctly for the court.

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Estate Administration

Step-by-step guidance for personal representatives: gathering assets, paying debts, tax filings and distributing the estate.

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Estate Litigation

Will challenges, undue influence claims, family maintenance claims and executor disputes, for executors, beneficiaries and other parties.

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Our approach

Personal, clear and legally sound.

Estate planning can feel emotional. We take the time to understand your family, your assets and your wishes, then turn them into documents that are clear and that hold up.

A well-made plan today saves your family time, money and conflict tomorrow.

When a loved one has passed, we support executors and families through probate and administration step by step, and we work to resolve disputes efficiently when they arise.

How it works

Your estate plan in four steps.

Consultation

We talk through your family, assets and goals, and explain your options under Alberta law.

Drafting

We prepare your will, enduring power of attorney and personal directive for your review.

Signing

You sign with proper witnessing at our office, so every document is valid.

Safekeeping and reviews

We explain where to keep your documents and when to review them as life changes.

FAQs

Wills and estates questions.

What happens if I die without a will in Alberta?

Your estate is distributed according to the intestacy rules in Alberta's Wills and Succession Act, and someone must apply to court to administer it. The result may not match what you would have wanted.

What is the difference between an enduring power of attorney and a personal directive?

An enduring power of attorney covers your finances and legal affairs. A personal directive covers personal and health care decisions. Together they make sure the right people can act for you if you lose capacity.

Does every estate need probate?

Not always. It depends on the assets. Banks and Alberta Land Titles usually require a grant for assets held in the deceased's name alone, while jointly held assets and those with named beneficiaries often pass outside the estate.

Can a will be challenged in Alberta?

Yes. Common grounds include lack of capacity, undue influence and improper signing. Dependants may also claim family maintenance and support. We act for executors, beneficiaries and other parties.

When should I update my will?

After major life events such as marriage, separation or divorce, the birth of a child or a significant change in assets. In Alberta, marriage no longer automatically revokes a will, so a review is important.

What does an executor do?

An executor, called a personal representative in Alberta, gathers the assets, pays debts and taxes, and distributes the estate according to the will. We guide executors through each duty.

This information is general and is not legal advice. For advice on your situation, book a consultation.

From our Resources.

Guide

Grant of Probate in Alberta

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Article

Don't Plan Without This: 10 Key Elements of Personal Directives

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