A guardianship application involves applying to the court to be appointed as an incapable person’s substitute decision maker for property management and/or personal care decisions.

On February 6, 2025, Cara Zacks was a panelist at the Ontario Legal Conference hosted by the Ontario Bar Association.

Are you investigating property ownership or searching for uncovered claims, liens or encumbrances in Ontario? The province’s land registration services are ONLY available online through ONLAND (https://www.onland.ca/ui/).

In the winter of 2023, I had just finished my honours bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto and was ready to launch forward into adulthood. As a 22-year-old, I found the working world quite daunting, so the thought of having real ‘adult job’ was intimidating. Come the new year, I decided to put myself out there and apply to a variety of positions – one of which was a legal assistant at Casey and Moss.

Small talk as an articling student is predictable. Without fail, conversations with lawyers go something like this:

Them: “So how are you finding articling so far?”

Me: “I’m really enjoying it!”

Them: “Great! How many other students are at your firm?”

Me: “I’m actually the only student!”

Them: “Really?!? What’s that like???”

An important thing to consider when applying for a probate certificate (or a “Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee”) is the tax owing on the Estate. This tax is referred to as Estate Administration Tax (“EAT”), and it is based on the total value of all assets held by the deceased as of date of death. Payment of the EAT must be submitted along with your probate application at the time of filing.

One of my favourite parts of working as an estate litigator is that our files intersect with so many areas of law. Our clients come to us for our expertise and advice on estate and capacity law, but their complex legal problems often require answers outside our expertise.We work with our clients to find experts in areas of law like tax, employment, family, business, and real estate law, to provide a comprehensive answer to our clients’ legal problems.

It seems that the past few months have been full of guardianship applications, each with their own nuances and challenges. After a brief moment of respite, I thought this would be a useful occasion to document some of the things I have learned along the way. Below are some tips “from the trenches”

Billionaire and philanthropist Warren Buffet is one of the most successful businessmen of all time. In 2006, the “Oracle of Omaha” pledged to give away 99% of his wealth to charitable foundations and has asked other billionaires to commit to donating at least 50% of their wealth to charity.

Disputes involving Wills and Estates often focus on legal complexities, family dynamics, and the emotional challenges that come with the loss of a loved one. However, one important factor that deserves further recognition is the impact of mental health on the litigation process.