Wills and Estates

A Will is a written declaration by which the person making it (the "Testator") provides for the distribution or administration of his or her property after death. Without a Will, the Testator's property is distributed according to legal rules of succession. Often these legal rules don't correspond to the Testator's wishes. A Will ensures that property passes to those who the Testator actually intends to benefit. At MacQuarrie Whyte, our lawyers can assist you with writing a Will from our office in Gloucester, Ontario.

 With a Will, the person(s) managing the estate is/are chosen by the Testator. Without a Will, the estate administrator is appointed by the court, and again, the legal rules which govern may not coincide with the Testator's true wishes. Even if your estate is of modest size, having a Will is a very good idea. There will be no long time delay in transferring assets to those you intend to benefit, and costs will be kept to a minimum. The lawyers at MacQuarrie Whyte can assist you with such services as:

Drafting a Will
Creating a living trust
Creating business, education, retirement and other trusts

If you would like to start planning your Will and need help from an experienced legal team, please call MacQuarrie Whyte today to book a free consultation.

No time can be more difficult than the passing of a loved one. With proper planning, administration of the Estate can be greatly reduced. Often the only service required is the preparation of Notarized copies of the Will and Death Certificate. But in the event that a Certificate of Appointment is required, we at MacQuarrie Whyte can help with the application process, which allows the executor to represent the Estate in financial matters. 

As Executor it is your responsibility to distribute the estate as the Will instructs, from paying for the funeral expenses and disposing of personal property, to filing of tax returns, paying the income tax and disbursing the residue of the Estate, as well as reporting to all the beneficiaries. As Executor you may be eligible for compensation from the estate. We can provide timely advice on details that need to be dealt with and prepare the necessary releases. If any of the beneficiaries opposes the Estate distribution we can prepare the necessary accounts in Court format for submission. We can walk with you through what can be daunting circumstances.

If you would like assistance after the passing of a loved one and need help from an experienced legal team, please call MacQuarrie Whyte today to book a free consultation.

We would be happy to discuss your Will with you. Usually this is done at the same time we meet to discuss your estate planning. Our standard fees are as follows (fees may be higher for complex Wills involving trusts or more esoteric tax planning techniques, or for complex Powers of Attorney, such as those that include more complicated end of life instructions):

For a Single Person   
Will and both Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care $600.00
Will $450.00

For a Couple
Wills and both Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care $900.00
Wills $700.00

Powers of Attorneys
Power of Attorney for Property or Personal Care $150.00 each

Discounts apply when multiple documents are prepared at the same time.