Estate planning is the process of determining the management and distribution of your estate. The tools involved in estate planning include:

  1. Wills
    A legal document that reflects your wishes on how your estate is to be distributed upon your death.
  2. Power of Attorney
    Gives your authority to trusted individuals to attend to your financial and legal affairs when you cannot do so.
  3. Representation Agreement
    Gives your authority to those you trust to manage not only your financial/legal affairs, but also your health and personal care matters.
  4. Trust
    An important tool to organize your assets for tax planning estate freezes, and other purposes.
  5. Committeeship
    If a person is deemed incapable of managing his or her personal affairs and in the absence of an enduring power of attorney and/or representation agreement, a committee (legal guardian) will be assigned, or appointed by the Court to make decisions for the well-being of such a person when and if required.
  6. Joint Bank Accounts
    Adding another family member’s name to a bank account for convenience, provided the right of survivorship is addressed before doing so.