Plain-language articles about Alberta law.
Learn the three ways to change a parenting agreement or consent order in Alberta: agreeing, a new consent order, or a court application, and what to file.
Read the article →Learn what an Alberta residential builder licence is, who needs one, and how to search the Builder Registry and Property Registry before you sign.
Read the article →Learn how to find out whether you own the mineral rights under your Alberta land: what to gather, where to search, and how to read your certificate of title.
Read the article →Paid off your mortgage but it still shows on title? Learn how a discharge is registered in Alberta, who prepares it, what it costs and what to do if stuck.
Read the article →Learn how to run an Alberta land title search, what details you need, where to search, and how to read owners, mortgages, caveats and easements.
Read the article →Learn how a Personal Property Registry search works in Alberta, what the results mean, and what to do if a lender has registered a claim on the assets.
Read the article →Find out whether you can email divorce documents to the Alberta Court of King's Bench, which file formats are required and what limits apply to you.
Read the article →See the main ways to finance buying a business in Alberta, including bank loans, CSBFP loans, vendor financing and investors, and what each requires.
Read the article →Can't find a will? Learn where to look in Alberta, how the Law Society lost wills inquiry works, and what happens if no will turns up.
Read the article →Learn how to order an Alberta death certificate through a registry agent: who can apply, what it costs, how many copies to get and how long it takes.
Read the article →Step-by-step guide to applying for an emergency protection order in Alberta: who qualifies, how to apply by day, evening or phone, and what happens next.
Read the article →Step-by-step guide to requesting a Certificate of Divorce from the Alberta Court of King's Bench, including the 31-day wait, delivery options and lost copies.
Read the article →A practical list of who to notify after a death in Alberta, from Vital Statistics and Service Canada to the CRA, with what each may ask for.
Read the article →Learn the 30-day deadline, the court forms and the Notice of Objection needed to challenge an Alberta Child Support Recalculation Program decision.
Read the article →Learn how a beneficiary in Alberta can review a personal representative's financial statements and object using Form ACC 3 before a passing of accounts.
Read the article →A step-by-step look at passing accounts in Alberta: the forms, who must be served, deadlines, informal versus formal passing and what happens at the hearing.
Read the article →Find out the routes to remove a lien from your Alberta property title: discharge, payment into court, notice to sue, and court applications.
Read the article →Learn when a beneficiary or co-executor can ask the Court of King's Bench to remove an executor in Alberta, what the Court can order, and how to prepare.
Read the article →A step-by-step guide to selling a business in Alberta, from choosing an asset or share sale to GST, registry searches, buyer financing and closing.
Read the article →Compare a private trust, the Public Trustee and the age of majority rules in Alberta when you want to leave or give money to a child under 18.
Read the article →Learn when you can file a family property claim in Alberta, which forms start it, the 2-year deadlines, and what sworn disclosure you must provide.
Read the article →Understand the process, tax, mortgage and family-law risks when you gift or sell a home or land to your child in Alberta, before you sign.
Read the article →Find out who can ask an Alberta court to change a parenting order, what must have changed, what the judge looks at, and the steps and forms to apply.
Read the article →Learn how temporary spousal support works in Alberta while your case is pending, who can ask for it, what a court weighs and what records to gather.
Read the article →Equal parenting time is not automatic in Alberta. Learn how best interests, the maximum contact principle and parenting plans decide how time is split.
Read the article →Learn when a gift from parents or relatives is exempt from property division in Alberta, how gifts to both spouses are handled, and how to show the source.
Read the article →Find out how to read a letter of intent when buying or selling a business in Alberta, and which clauses need a lawyer's review before you sign.
Read the article →Learn how Alberta's Family Property Act treats injury settlements and insurance payouts on separation, when they are exempt, and when they are shared.
Read the article →Learn what makes a separation agreement hold up in Alberta, how independent legal advice works for property terms, and the 2-year property deadlines.
Read the article →Learn when an Alberta trustee must personally make good a loss under the Trustee Act, what defences and court relief exist, and how beneficiaries can act.
Read the article →Find out when an Alberta executor can be personally liable for estate debts, how claims notices protect you, and the risks of distributing too early.
Read the article →Find out when an unmarried father is automatically a guardian under Alberta's Family Law Act, and how to apply for a Guardianship Order if he is not.
Read the article →Learn how Alberta's Family Property Act treats the increase in value of a home or investments owned before the relationship, and what the Court considers.
Read the article →Find out whether Alberta has a small estate exemption from probate. See why it depends on the assets and who holds them, not a fixed dollar cutoff.
Read the article →Does Alberta require an equal property split? Learn the equal-sharing starting point in the Family Property Act and when a court may depart from it.
Read the article →Find out whether Alberta charges land transfer tax or PST on a home purchase, and which Land Titles levies and GST rules apply instead.
Read the article →Does Alberta have a death tax? See how the final tax return, deemed disposition and RRSP rules work for an estate in Alberta, and the key exceptions.
Read the article →Wondering if you will be taxed on an inheritance in Alberta? Learn how tax falls on the estate's final return and when a beneficiary may report income.
Read the article →Alberta has no cap on how much rent can go up, but notice and timing rules apply. Learn what protects you from a rent increase as a tenant in Alberta.
Read the article →Learn how safe your registered ownership is in Alberta: the Torrens system, what a certificate of title proves, its limits, fraud, and compensation.
Read the article →Learn how joint tenancy and tenants in common differ in Alberta on survivorship, sharing, selling and what Land Titles records on your title.
Read the article →Learn who makes the big decisions about a child after separation in Alberta, how joint and sole decision-making differ, and how everyday choices are handled.
Read the article →Find out whether a jointly owned Alberta house passes by survivorship or through the estate, and what the survivor files at Land Titles.
Read the article →Wondering if Alberta lenders can sell your home without court? Learn why Alberta foreclosure runs through the Court of King's Bench and what that means.
Read the article →Seen 'Queen's Bench protection order'? Learn how an Alberta King's Bench protection order differs from an EPO, when it is used and what it can include.
Read the article →Learn how Alberta Land Titles calculates the levy to register a transfer and mortgage, with a worked example and the October 2024 rate change.
Read the article →Find out who usually owns the minerals under Alberta land, how to read a certificate of title, and what that means for you as the surface owner.
Read the article →Learn how the Alberta Land Titles mortgage registration levy is calculated, when it applies, who pays it, and which exceptions can change it.
Read the article →Understand what a municipal compliance stamp on an RPR confirms in Alberta, what it leaves out, how to request one and what if a problem turns up.
Read the article →See how a neighbour boundary dispute in Alberta is handled: fence arbitration, surveys, encroachment orders and why adverse possession no longer applies.
Read the article →Learn what Alberta's New Home Buyer Protection Act requires of builders, which homes it covers, and how to check a builder and warranty before you buy.
Read the article →See how a caveat stops a grant of probate in Alberta, how long it lasts, and how a Form C4 warning and Form C9 notice of objection fit in.
Read the article →See the Alberta order of priority for applying to administer an estate with no will, and what happens when relatives of equal rank disagree.
Read the article →Understand what partner support is in Alberta, who qualifies under the Family Law Act, and how it differs from spousal support under the Divorce Act.
Read the article →Learn how to request a payout statement, what prepayment charges may apply and how a paid-off mortgage is discharged from title in Alberta.
Read the article →Learn how an Alberta enduring power of attorney (money and property) differs from a personal directive (health and personal care), and whether you need both.
Read the article →Considering a non-bank mortgage? Learn how private mortgages are documented and registered in Alberta, how interest is limited and the risks for both sides.
Read the article →Prepare for your first meeting with a practical list of Alberta questions on title, conflicts, signing, closing costs and mortgage risks before you buy a home.
Read the article →Can your family or business lawyer handle your Alberta home purchase? Learn what Land Titles experience matters and what conflicts to check before you hire.
Read the article →Learn what to expect when you represent yourself in Alberta family court: required steps, forms, court fees, fee waivers, costs risks and where to get help.
Read the article →Learn what documents you can request from an Alberta condo corporation, the 10-day deadline, the fee caps, and what to do if the corporation does not respond.
Read the article →Find out how long you must have lived in Alberta before the Court of King's Bench can hear your divorce, what habitual residence means and what exceptions exist.
Read the article →Understand restrictive covenants on an Alberta title: what they limit, who can enforce them, how they bind later owners and when a court can discharge them.
Read the article →Learn the maximum security deposit a landlord can ask for in Alberta, what counts as a deposit, and how the money must be held and earn interest.
Read the article →Only your name is on title? Learn how the Alberta Dower Act requires your spouse's written consent to sell the family home, and when a court can waive it.
Read the article →Served with a foreclosure statement of claim in Alberta? Learn the time to file a defence or demand for notice, what happens if you do nothing, and what follows.
Read the article →Learn how the 40 percent shared parenting rule changes child support in Alberta, including both parents' table amounts and the added cost of two homes.
Read the article →Asked to sign an executor's release in Alberta? Learn what Form ACC 12 confirms, what to receive first, what signing changes and your options if you decline.
Read the article →Learn who can witness a land transfer or mortgage signature in Alberta, what changes if you sign outside the province, and why registration matters most.
Read the article →Learn how Alberta child support works when each parent has most of the time with a different child: the set-off rule, shared parenting, and disclosure.
Read the article →Find out what the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines are, how Alberta judges use them as a non-binding tool, and why results can differ from the formulas.
Read the article →Lived with a partner but never married? Learn how Alberta's Family Law Act and adult interdependent partner rules decide whether you can claim support.
Read the article →Understand the Alberta Statement of Claim for Divorce: what it is, the forms that go with it, how it is served, and how long your spouse has to respond.
Read the article →Learn what Alberta landowners can be paid by oil, gas, pipeline or power line operators: entry fees, prepayment, rent reviews, appeals and enforcement.
Read the article →Find out when the Parenting After Separation course is required in Alberta, how to register, what it covers, and what to do if you cannot complete it.
Read the article →Learn who Alberta's Protection Against Family Violence Act protects, what counts as family violence, and which orders the Act allows and how they are enforced.
Read the article →Find out the deadlines under Alberta's Family Property Act for spouses and partners, when the clock starts, and what to do if you may have waited too long.
Read the article →See the deadlines that can apply when challenging a will in Alberta, including the six-month family maintenance window and the risk of waiting.
Read the article →Suspect a caregiver or relative pressured a will-maker? Learn how undue influence disputes work in Alberta, the court steps, deadlines and evidence to gather.
Read the article →Learn when Alberta allows an urgent temporary guardianship or trusteeship order, the forms and $300 fee, the 90-day limit, and what must follow.
Read the article →Found an easement or utility right-of-way on your Alberta title? Learn what it allows, who it benefits, how it ends and what to check before you build.
Read the article →Follow a home purchase in Alberta step by step, from contract review and title search to signing, registering the transfer and mortgage, and getting the keys.
Read the article →Learn what a seller's lawyer handles in Alberta from accepted offer to possession day: title transfer, mortgage discharge, spousal consent and closing.
Read the article →Find out what Alberta's mandatory new home warranty covers, how exclusions work, and the steps to make a claim or dispute a decision in Alberta.
Read the article →Learn what an adult interdependent partner inherits when there is no will in Alberta, how it compares to a spouse, and how the relationship is proved.
Read the article →Locked out of the family home in Alberta? Learn what a court order can do, how exclusive possession works, and the practical steps to take next.
Read the article →Learn what a personal representative does in Alberta under the Estate Administration Act, from identifying assets to paying debts and final distribution.
Read the article →A plain-language Alberta checklist for buyers: registry searches, GST, financing and other checks to complete, and when to do each before closing.
Read the article →Learn which records an Alberta personal representative should keep, from receipts and ledgers to financial statements, and why they matter at accounting time.
Read the article →Learn what to expect at a first family docket court appearance in Alberta, from King's Bench to the Court of Justice, and what to prepare beforehand.
Read the article →Learn what happens in Alberta when a named beneficiary dies before the will-maker: alternates, descendants, the residue and intestacy under the WSA.
Read the article →Learn what happens to property when someone dies without a will in Alberta, who can apply to administer the estate, and how the court process works.
Read the article →Served your spouse and heard nothing? Learn how response deadlines work, what noting in default means and how an unanswered divorce can finish in Alberta.
Read the article →Learn how a mortgage is treated after an owner dies in Alberta, who is liable for it, how title passes, and what to ask the lender before you sell or keep the home.
Read the article →Learn what an Alberta personal representative can do when a beneficiary can't be found: Public Trustee notice, court directions, payment into court and more.
Read the article →Do jobs continue automatically when a business is sold in Alberta? See how asset and share sales differ for employees, notice and who the employer is.
Read the article →Learn what happens in Alberta when a gift in a will fails or part of the estate is left out, who inherits it, and what limits the executor must respect.
Read the article →Learn who holds your home purchase deposit in Alberta, how trust rules protect it, and why refund or forfeiture depends on your contract and the facts.
Read the article →Learn how Alberta handles an inheritance left to a child under 18: the Public Trustee's role, when money is paid out, and who can manage it.
Read the article →Find out what an Alberta executor must share with beneficiaries: notices, accountings and financial statements, and how to ask the court if information is held back.
Read the article →Learn what an Alberta certificate of title is, what the owner and registered interests mean, what it proves, and what it can leave out of the picture.
Read the article →Served with divorce papers in Alberta? Learn how a Demand for Notice differs from a Statement of Defence or counterclaim, and the time limits to respond.
Read the article →Learn what a desk divorce is in Alberta, who qualifies, which forms are needed and how a judge reviews your paper file without a court appearance.
Read the article →A plain-language explanation of the family maintenance and support claim in Alberta: which law creates it, who can bring it and what the court can order.
Read the article →Understand what an Alberta parenting order is, what it can cover, who can apply, and how it differs from a parenting agreement or consent order.
Read the article →Learn how a postnuptial agreement works in Alberta, how it is signed with separate lawyers, and how it differs from a prenup under the Act.
Read the article →Learn what a Real Property Report (RPR) is in Alberta, who prepares it, what a municipal stamp means and why buyers and sellers care.
Read the article →Learn how long the redemption period lasts in Alberta foreclosure, how the Court of King's Bench can change it, and what redeeming your mortgage involves.
Read the article →Learn how a spousal trust created by a will works in an Alberta estate, how the tax rollover applies, and what trustees owe the spouse and other beneficiaries.
Read the article →Learn what a testamentary trust is in Alberta, when it begins, who runs it, how it differs from a living trust, and the main tax points to know.
Read the article →Learn what an enduring power of attorney lets someone do with your money and property in Alberta, and how it differs from an ordinary power of attorney.
Read the article →Learn how civil contempt works under the Alberta Rules of Court, how an application is served, and the penalties a judge can order in family cases.
Read the article →Find out which property Alberta's Family Property Act exempts from division, including gifts, inheritances and some damages, and what is not protected.
Read the article →Heard about Family Justice Services in Alberta? See which court supports it may mean, who can use them, what they offer and what they cannot do for you.
Read the article →Learn how formal proof of a will (proof in solemn form) works in Alberta: who can apply, what it freezes, how the trial runs, and how costs are handled.
Read the article →Learn what the Alberta Condominium Property Act and its regulation cover, how bylaws work, and what rights owners and condo corporations have.
Read the article →See how Legal Aid Alberta fits into a family law case, how to start, what to confirm about eligibility, and what other low-cost help exists in Alberta.
Read the article →See the specific defects that can defeat a prenup in Alberta, from missing lawyer acknowledgments to unclear continuing intent, and what happens next.
Read the article →Learn what financial statements an Alberta personal representative must prepare for beneficiaries, from inventories and receipts to a compensation schedule.
Read the article →Understand what Alberta's Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee does in guardianship, trusteeship, investigations, personal directives and certain estates.
Read the article →A calm first-days checklist for Alberta families: registering the death, getting certificates, notifying government offices and when estate steps begin.
Read the article →If an Alberta executor is stalling or ignoring the estate, learn the escalation steps from a written request to an accounting and a court application.
Read the article →See the key clauses in an Alberta business purchase agreement, from price and assets to GST, conditions, non-compete and closing, and why each matters.
Read the article →Learn what counts as the start of separation in Alberta, how the date is shown, and why it matters for divorce, property and adult interdependent partners.
Read the article →Learn when an Alberta divorce actually takes legal effect, how the 31-day rule works, when it can be shorter or longer, and how separation timing fits in.
Read the article →Learn which court can grant a divorce in Alberta, why the Court of Justice cannot, and which parenting and contact matters can be heard elsewhere in Alberta.
Read the article →Learn that Alberta probate goes to the Court of King's Bench, which judicial centre to file at, and how online and paper filing work for executors.
Read the article →Learn how Alberta's Estate Administration Act sets the order for using estate assets to pay debts, and how mortgages and a will's wording change it.
Read the article →Find out who can apply to administer an Alberta estate when there is no will, how residency and bonds work, and what the application involves.
Read the article →Learn when an enduring power of attorney takes effect in Alberta, who must declare incapacity, and what happens if family members disagree with the attorney.
Read the article →Learn who receives the interest on a home purchase deposit in Alberta, where trust money must be held, and how new condo deposits differ.
Read the article →See which relatives inherit in Alberta when there is no will, in what order, and how spouses, partners, children, parents and siblings are treated.
Read the article →Learn who must be served when applying for a grant in Alberta, which GA forms to use, the 30-day deadlines, and the rules for minors and represented adults.
Read the article →Learn how debts are paid after a death in Alberta: the estate pays first, and when a personal representative or beneficiary could be personally on the hook.
Read the article →Alberta has no will registry. Learn how the Law Society's lost wills inquiry works, where a will may be kept, and what a search result does not prove.
Read the article →Worried about hidden debts or lawsuits when buying shares of an Alberta company? See what stays with the corporation and how due diligence and warranties help.
Read the article →Learn what an Alberta executor must tell you, when you can ask for an accounting, and what the court can do if a personal representative fails.
Read the article →Possession date slipping on a new Alberta home? See what the contract and the Condominium Property Act allow, including your right to rescind and refunds.
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