Vernon & Salmon Arm Estate Lawyers Assisting With Estate Planning

Estate planning is a critical part of every person’s life, and creating an up-to-date, valid Will is one of the most essential steps in creating a proper estate plan. Dying intestate (without a Will) in B.C. means the administration of your estate will be handled in accordance with the Wills, Estates and Succession Act. However, the law wasn’t written with your particular needs and desires in mind. Without a valid Will, you lose the ability to control the distribution of your estate and leave it in the hands of the government. 

At CM Lawyers, our skilled estate planning lawyers can assist you in creating a comprehensive, carefully thought-out Will and estate plan that addresses all of your personal and business concerns and ensures your estate will be treated as you wish upon your death. With a custom estate plan in place, you will have peace of mind in knowing the well-being and financial security of your loved ones are protected, potential conflict amongst beneficiaries has been minimized, and the economic burden faced by your estate has been reduced.

Practical, Comfortable & Accessible Estate Planning Services

Making a Will does not have to be a complicated process. At CM Lawyers, our approachable and friendly atmosphere is designed to reduce the unease of planning for the inevitable. At the start of the process, we sit down with clients in our casual, welcoming office and carefully examine all the factors needing consideration to ensure their interests and needs are protected and addressed. We take care to avoid unnecessarily complicated language; our focus is on clarity, not stilted formality, to ensure clients understand their Will and estate administrators understand their wishes.  

Clients leave our office with the relief of knowing they have taken the steps necessary to protect their family in the event of their death and that their instructions for administrating their estate have been clearly and thoroughly set out according to their goals.

The Importance of Continuous Estate Planning

A Will is one of the most important documents you will ever sign. A carefully drafted Will protects your property, your legacy, and the division of your assets. It allows you to plan ahead, ensuring that your wishes are honoured at the time of your death and that your family and heirs will not have to undertake an expensive and prolonged legal battle over the distribution of your estate. 

However, life is constantly changing; so too should your Will. Reviewing and updating your Will as your life and financial status evolves is important. The birth of a child, receipt of an inheritance, or the purchase of a family cottage can all significantly impact a person’s estate plan and should be addressed in their Will. A person who has gone through a divorce will most certainly want to adjust their Will to distribute assets directly to their children, for example, rather than their former spouse. We regularly advise clients on how to reconfigure their estate plan best to reflect their current circumstances at critical junctures.

Comprehensive, Custom-Tailored Estate Plans

CM Lawyers provides thorough, proactive estate planning services over and above simple Wills. Our knowledgeable estate lawyers have over 50 years of combined experience helping clients create both modest and robust estate plans, advising on matters such as asset distribution, business consideration, foreign assets, and trust considerations.

Aside from our individual Wills services, we draft and review the following estate documents for clients:

• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Representation Agreements (Advanced Directives)
• Trusts
• Corporate Wills

It is impossible to predict all of life’s variables, but having an estate plan in place takes a great deal of stress out of the unknown. 

CM Lawyers: Providing Custom-Tailored Estate Planning Solutions in Vernon & Salmon Arm

Everyone should have an estate plan that addresses their financial situation and family’s needs, no matter their stage in life or income bracket. The professional estate lawyers at CM Lawyers provide trusted guidance on all aspects of estate planning, helping maximize clarity and minimize financial implications for clients’ trustees and heirs.

CM Lawyers has convenient office locations in Vernon and Salmon Arm and proudly represents clients throughout the surrounding areas, including Northern Okanagan and Shuswap. To schedule a consultation, please call us in Vernon at (250) 308-0338 or Salmon Arm at (250) 803-9171 or reach out online.