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Dispensing With A Bond/Administration Of Estates

Date: 11 Sep, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

If an executor lives outside of Ontario, or if the deceased left no Will, a bond is required to be posted by the proposed estate trustee before probate is granted. The normal course of action is to ask the court for an order dispensing with a bond. In most circumstances this is granted. The bond’s […]

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Executors Duties

Date: 24 Jul, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

The primary purpose of an executor is to bring in the assets of the estate, pay all of its debts and then to distribute those assets in accordance with the terms of the Will. On paper, a relatively straight forward and simplistic set of rules. However, the reality often is far more complicated and can […]

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Duties of executor also known as the estate trustee

Date: 24 Jul, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

Even if named, do I have to act as an Estate Trustee? The answer is no. At the outset, even if you have been appointed in a Will or are the most obvious candidate to apply to be appointed as estate trustee in the absence of a Will, you are not bound to take up […]

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An Unequal Division Of Net Family Property Or How Unfair Does Unfair Have To Be or What Property Division If Together Less Than 5 Years

Date: 18 Jun, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

The Family Law Act for married couples (not common law) contains a formula for the division of property upon separation. Sometimes simply applying that formula, especially when one person brought into the marriage the matrimonial home, can produce an extremely unfair result. The Family Law Act does provide a provision for a division other than […]

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Homemade Separation Agreement Penny Wise Pound Foolish

Date: 18 Jun, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

In the recent decision by Justice Lococo of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in St. Catherine’s, he rendered a decision after a 14 day hotly contested Trial. Numerous issues were percolating on the Judge’s stove, including retroactive child/spousal support, the income of the ex-husband, access and costs. This couple were together for less than […]

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Spousal Support Forever Or Does Support Ever End Or Does My New Wife Have To Reveal Her Income To My Old Wife Or Is Retirement Cause For Spousal Support To End

Date: 18 Jun, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

Spousal support while still solely at the discretion of the courts has a statutory starting point, namely the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (“SSAG”). The courts have held that the SSAGs should always be the starting point and a Judge must indicate why he or she is diverging from that perspective. The SAGGs not only provide […]

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The Courts Need To Be Run Like A Business

Date: 14 May, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

I am a lawyer that has practiced in Brampton Ontario for 40 plus years. While the judicial system is a fundamental pillar of our democracy, that is no reason for a businesslike approach not be applied to it. The Government for shortsighted economies has starved the support staff of the courts of funding, which in […]

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Forcing Your Spouse To Have An Expert Determine Their Income

Date: 14 May, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

The court does have the authority to order a party to obtainan expert’s report to determine their income for support purposes. Recently, Justice Tremblay in the case of Sargalis foundin limited circumstances the court does indeed have the authority to order a party to obtain an expert’s report determining the potential payors income for the […]

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Settlements Far More Flexible Than Court Orders

Date: 14 May, 2019| Author: Fred Streiman

On a practical basis, there is frequently a give and take in negotiations between spouses in which less of a property settlement is paid or received in return for an equivalent reduction or increase in a property settlement. However, in the event that the parties cannot settle, it is not within the courts’ jurisdiction to […]

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