Wills And Powers Of Attorney

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Wills

Estates

Trusts

Guardianship Applications

Powers of Attorney

Our lawyers have years of experience providing services to clients in the Ottawa area for Wills, Estates, Trusts, Guardianship Applications and Powers of Attorney

WILLS

The benefits of having an up-to-date Will in place are well known, however, we would like to remind you of a few:

An up-to-date Will instructs your executor (estate trustee) on how to distribute your estate in accordance with your wishes.

Drafting a Will provides you with the opportunity to review your funeral wishes, your life insurance policy, your wishes regarding charitable donations and plan ahead for your loved ones and dependents.

A Will permits you to choose the executor (and back-up executor) you trust to follow your wishes.

A Will can reduce the taxes payable by your estate.

When you die without a Will, you create more work for your loved ones and you require them to pay the necessary legal costs to go to court to appoint an executor and administer your estate. In other words, when you die with an up-to-date Will in place, there are substantial savings in legal costs and the administration of your estate is far less complicated for your loved ones.

Questions? We have answers

"Truly, the best money I ever spent! Patient, informative and knowledgeable."
Pasquale Iacono
"McGuinty Law Office provided us with outstanding service in the preparation of our will. Their staff answered all of our questions and educated us regarding the process, helping us to make more informed decisions."
Paolo Dell'Olio
"I have been extremely happy with McGuinty Law Offices."
Sawsan Tawfik
"We were impressed by how they could explain things in simple terms we could understand. And we very much enjoyed the humour they put into their explanations... We would not hesitate to recommend McGuinty Law Offices to anyone looking for top quality legal services."
Mike and Jill

THE TAX SAVING WILL

We have developed and trademarked The Personal Tax Saving Will™, The Executive Tax Saving Will™ for Business Owners, and The Professionals’ Tax Saving Will™ to save our clients thousands of dollars in probate tax at the time of death. It saves you taxes. You earned your assets. Protect them for yourself and your loved ones. Call us for a private appointment.

PROBATE TAX CALCULATOR

Use our probate calculator here to calculate the amount of your estate’s probate tax. We would be pleased to assist in lowering your probate tax burden to help you leave more to the ones you love.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR PROPERTY

A Power of Attorney for property appoints an individual(s) (usually with a back up legal lawyer) who will make decisions for you regarding your property. A Power of Attorney for property can be very useful but must be drafted carefully. Otherwise, there is a risk that it could be used contrary to your wishes or your financial well-being. A well drafted Power of Attorney for property safeguards against misuse or abuse by your legal lawyer and we would be pleased to provide this service to you.

POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL CARE

A Power of Attorney for personal care or health care appoints an individual(s) (usually with a back up legal lawyer) who will make decisions for you regarding your care and personal well-being when you are unable to make decisions on your own. This Power of Attorney often sets out your wishes and intentions regarding life support systems. A well-drafted Power of Attorney for personal care reflects your wishes and safeguards against misuse or abuse by your legal lawyer. We would be pleased to provide this service to you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEGAL ATTORNEY

Your legal Lawyer(s) will make decisions for you regarding your property and your health care. Choosing a legal Lawyer(s) is one of the most important and critical decisions you make during your lifetime and should not be taken lightly. We strongly recommend that you choose an individual(s) who is very well-known to you and who is trustworthy. Your legal Lawyer(s) must be capable of making decisions on your behalf which you would normally make on your own. Your legal Lawyer(s) must be very aware of your personal circumstances so that his or her decisions truly reflect your needs and wishes.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING CONDITIONS IN YOUR POWERS OF ATTORNEY

We strongly recommend that your Powers of Attorney clearly state when your legal Lawyer(s) may begin making decisions on your behalf. In addition, you may require your legal Lawyer to make decisions for you in consultation with certain individuals you designate such as your financial planner, your lawyer, your physician, your accountant, your spiritual advisor or a family member.

FOUR EASY GUIDELINES TO REMEMBER

Your Will and Powers of Attorney should be up to date. Review your documents periodically to make sure they continue to reflect your wishes. As your personal circumstances change, your wishes as set out in your Will and Powers of Attorney may very well require amendments.

Your executor(s) and your legal lawyer(s) must know how to locate your legal documents when the need arises.
Your Will and Powers of Attorney must be guarded and stored safely. Our fireproof vaults are available to our clients at no extra charge.
You must be careful to make sure your financial and legal documents do not conflict with one another. Documents such as Deeds for real estate, Wills, Life Insurance Policies, Registered Retirement Savings Plans, personal bank accounts, separation agreements and marriage contracts should be reviewed and amended if necessary to avoid a conflict with your wishes.
In addition, we strongly recommend that your Will and Powers of Attorney clearly indicate when and to whom your original Will and Powers of Attorney are released.

LEGAL FEES AND DISBURSEMENTS

The onus is on your lawyer to explain the cost of his or her legal services. A client should not have to ask. One of the most important elements of a good solicitor-client relationship is an up-front understanding of legal costs. More importantly, a client who has a firm understanding of legal costs is a client who is better prepared to decide on a course of action and instruct his or her lawyer on how to proceed. The truth of the matter is that when a client is facing his or her legal options, legal costs are an integral part of his or her decision.  Our clients tell us time and time again that they need a clear, concise and complete budget for our legal services, and we provide it.

LET US ASSIST YOU

We are always available to take your call and assist you with your Will and Powers of Attorney. Our commitment is to ensure that these important legal documents reflect your wishes and are safeguarded against misuse and misinterpretation. In addition, we will make ourselves available, if called upon, to provide assistance to your executor (estate trustee) and legal lawyer(s).