Stories by Gail Wartman B.A. J.D.
Meddling in-laws a sure-fire recipe for marital disputes
I watched a wonderful movie recently, Les Miserables, which is a story that has been presented on stage and in a number of movies over the years. Although the entire story is fascinating, the part that I found most moving was where the main character, Jean Valjean, discovers that his beloved adopted daughter, Cosette, has […] Read more
Joint account can be complicated; signatory is an alternative
Q: I would like to add my adult child as a joint account holder so he can help me with daily banking and bill paying. How will this affect my estate planning? A: How would you like it to impact your estate planning? The problem is that once someone has passed away, no one can […] Read more
Does joint ownership with right of survivorship help avoid probate fees?
Q: Is it true that adding my children as joint account holders on my bank accounts or as joint owners of any real estate will help avoid probate fees? A: Joint ownership with right of survivorship is a legal arrangement where two or more individuals jointly own an asset. When one of the individuals passes […] Read more
Update will if family circumstances change to avoid confusion
Q: I took my husband’s name when I got married and blended mine and his into a hyphenated name. After the birth of our first child we created a will. Years later, I am still married to the same person, but I have dropped his name and added two more children. Do I need to […] Read more
Threats to person, property violate criminal code
Q: I got into a heated argument with one of my neighbours last week. I was pretty angry, and at one point I told him I was going to shoot his dog and burn down his barn. One of the people who overheard that conversation told me she thought I was breaking the law. Is […] Read more