Plain-language articles about British Columbia law.
Understand what suspicious circumstances mean in a British Columbia will challenge, how they affect the burden of proof, and how a will's defender responds.
Read the article →See how British Columbia courts decide whether a will-maker was mentally capable: the age rule, case law test, burden of proof and timing.
Read the article →Learn what the $200 court filing fee on a British Columbia probate application is, when it applies, and how it differs from the probate fee on estate value.
Read the article →Understand Agricultural Land Reserve restrictions in British Columbia: permitted farm and non-farm uses, housing limits, subdivision and when approval is needed.
Read the article →Learn how the mortgage stress test works for British Columbia buyers, how it affects what you can borrow, and what to ask your lender.
Read the article →A plain-language guide to British Columbia's Patients Property Act: who it covers, how committees are appointed, their duties and how it can end.
Read the article →Learn how the Tataryn decision shapes wills variation claims in British Columbia: legal and moral obligations, priorities among claims, and the deadlines.
Read the article →Separated years ago and wondering if it is too late? Learn the spousal support time limits in British Columbia under the Family Law Act and Divorce Act.
Read the article →Learn the 180-day wills variation deadline in British Columbia, 30-day service, notice of dispute timing and what can happen if you miss a deadline.
Read the article →Learn which family law claims in British Columbia have a two-year deadline after separation, which have none, and why your separation date matters.
Read the article →Find out when the other guardian's consent matters for a trip outside Canada from British Columbia, what a consent letter covers and what to do if refused.
Read the article →How discretionary trusts and RDSPs are treated for British Columbia disability assistance, and what to weigh before leaving money to a family member.
Read the article →Named as a trustee in British Columbia? Learn how the Trustee Act treats investing, delegating, passing accounts, compensation and relief from liability.
Read the article →Understand when a water licence is needed in British Columbia, how domestic well use is treated, existing-use rights and whether licence rights pass on a sale.
Read the article →See what an attorney can and cannot do under a power of attorney in British Columbia, from financial decisions and gifts to wills and health care.
Read the article →Learn what an easement on title means for owners and buyers in British Columbia, who benefits, how easements and rights of way are created, changed or ended.
Read the article →Learn how far buyer beware protects home sellers in British Columbia, where it stops, and what your agent must disclose about hidden defects.
Read the article →Learn what a British Columbia court can order if a wills variation claim succeeds: lump sums, payments, property, trusts, who pays, and key deadlines.
Read the article →See which topics a British Columbia marriage agreement can cover, such as property, debt, business interests and spousal support, and which terms won't bind.
Read the article →Learn what a prenup, marriage or cohabitation agreement can and cannot settle in British Columbia: property, debt, spousal support, children and form rules.
Read the article →See what a British Columbia prenup or marriage agreement can cover, such as property and spousal support, and what it can't, like child support and parenting.
Read the article →A plain-language guide to how the British Columbia Family Law Act defines family violence, including emotional and financial abuse and children's exposure.
Read the article →Learn who counts as a guardian in British Columbia, what guardians can decide, and how guardianship differs from parenting time and contact.
Read the article →Learn how the significantly unfair test in section 93 of the Family Law Act works in British Columbia, the factors a court weighs and when it may not apply.
Read the article →Learn what BC's 2-5-10 new home warranty covers for materials, the building envelope and structure, what is excluded, and how to claim in British Columbia.
Read the article →Learn how a BC family law trial works: how it gets scheduled, which court hears what, how a judge decides, and the appeal deadlines in British Columbia.
Read the article →Learn how British Columbia law treats a gift to a beneficiary who died first: alternate beneficiaries, gifts to siblings or descendants, and the residue.
Read the article →See who holds an inheritance left to a child in British Columbia, the Public Guardian and Trustee's role, and what a trust can do until age 19.
Read the article →If debts exceed assets in a British Columbia estate, learn who gets paid first, what beneficiaries may receive, and what an executor can do next.
Read the article →Learn what executors can do when an estate owes more than it holds in British Columbia: liability limits, cut gifts, bankruptcy and CRA clearance.
Read the article →See who steps in under British Columbia law when an executor dies, renounces, loses capacity or cannot continue, and how removal and substitution work.
Read the article →Learn what to do if someone breaks a protection order in British Columbia, how police can act, and the criminal consequences of a breach.
Read the article →If your buyer fails to close in British Columbia, learn how deposits, damages claims, relisting and the 2-year deadline generally work for sellers.
Read the article →Missed mortgage payments in British Columbia? Learn what default means, what lenders can do, what relief options exist and how to act before court.
Read the article →Find out what can happen in British Columbia if a buyer misses the subject removal date, whether the seller can walk away, and how an extension works.
Read the article →If your spouse was served but filed no response, learn the 30-day deadline and how an undefended divorce can proceed in British Columbia without them.
Read the article →See what happens on closing day of a business sale in British Columbia: signing, funds release, key handover, tax clearances and what your lawyer does.
Read the article →Find out who legally looks after a dead person's dog or cat in British Columbia, how pets pass through an estate and what to do if no one can keep them.
Read the article →See when a jointly owned home passes by survivorship in British Columbia, when it goes through the estate, and what to file at the Land Title Office.
Read the article →How a mortgage or car loan is treated after a death in British Columbia, who bears the debt, and what a beneficiary who inherits the asset can expect.
Read the article →Learn how the order of heirs works, what happens when no relatives are found, and how an unclaimed estate can pass to the government in British Columbia.
Read the article →Learn whom to notify after a death in British Columbia, whether the last CPP or OAS payment must be returned, and how the death benefit and survivor's pension work.
Read the article →Learn how executors in British Columbia deal with email, social media, cloud photos and crypto, and how platform terms and general estate authority apply.
Read the article →Learn whether jobs continue after an asset sale or share sale in British Columbia, and what happens to length of service, wages and vacation pay.
Read the article →Learn how joint tenancy works when a co-owner dies in British Columbia, what the survivor must file at the Land Title Office, and when the estate may claim.
Read the article →Understand who keeps the family home after separation in British Columbia: ownership, who can stay, buyouts, sale and how to protect your interest.
Read the article →Learn who is in charge, what the court does and how the estate is divided under WESA when someone dies without a will in British Columbia.
Read the article →Suspect your spouse is hiding money or property? Learn how financial disclosure works in British Columbia and what remedies the court can order.
Read the article →Understand the Builders Lien Act holdback on a newly built home in British Columbia: what it is, who holds it, and how it protects against contractor liens.
Read the article →Find out what a cohabitation agreement does for unmarried couples in British Columbia, how the Family Law Act treats it, and when a court may set it aside.
Read the article →Find out what contempt means in British Columbia family court, when it is used, the penalties available and the Family Law Act options to consider first.
Read the article →Learn how the contingency reserve fund works in a British Columbia strata, the 10% minimum, what it can pay for, and what a low balance can mean.
Read the article →A plain-language look at desk order divorces in British Columbia: who qualifies, which forms are filed, and when the divorce takes effect afterward.
Read the article →Learn what a disclosure statement must contain for a new development in British Columbia, what to check before you sign, and what an amendment means for you.
Read the article →Heading to Provincial Court on a family matter in British Columbia? Learn what the first court date is called, how to get ready, and what must be done first.
Read the article →Learn who counts as a family dispute resolution professional in British Columbia, what duties they have, including violence screening, and how to check one.
Read the article →Learn what a family justice counsellor does in British Columbia, whether the service is free, and how needs assessments fit into Early Resolution.
Read the article →Learn what a family law financial statement is in British Columbia, which form applies, what to attach, and what can happen if you leave something out.
Read the article →Learn what a Form B Information Certificate discloses in a British Columbia strata sale, who must provide it, how fast, and which red flags to check.
Read the article →Learn what a Form F Certificate of Payment confirms about money owing to a British Columbia strata, who issues it, and why it matters at closing.
Read the article →A plain-language guide for executors in British Columbia: what a grant of probate is, what it proves, who relies on it and how it differs from administration.
Read the article →Learn what a judicial case conference is in British Columbia Supreme Court family cases, how it differs from a trial, and how to prepare for it.
Read the article →Understand how limited scope (unbundled) legal help works for separation in British Columbia, which tasks you can hand off, and the risks to watch for.
Read the article →Find out what counts as a change in circumstances in British Columbia family law, with examples for parenting, child support and spousal support orders.
Read the article →Understand the British Columbia Supreme Court notice of family claim: Form F3, service, the 30-day response, financial disclosure, fees and next steps.
Read the article →Learn who must receive the Form P1 notice in British Columbia, the 21-day wait before filing, how it is delivered, and how recipients can object.
Read the article →Learn what a presale condo contract is in British Columbia, what the disclosure statement does, your 7-day rescission right, and how it differs from a resale.
Read the article →Learn what a representation agreement does in British Columbia, which decisions it covers and when it takes effect under the Representation Agreement Act.
Read the article →Learn what a separation agreement covers in British Columbia, whether it must be filed with a court, and how filing affects enforcement.
Read the article →Find out what a State of Title Certificate is in British Columbia, how it differs from a title search, how to order one and what it does and does not prove.
Read the article →Learn what a statutory right of way on a British Columbia property is, who can hold one, what it allows and how an owner can ask to change or cancel it.
Read the article →How a will search through the BC Vital Statistics Agency works: who can apply, the cost, and what the result shows and does not show in British Columbia.
Read the article →Learn how British Columbia courts apply the adequate, just and equitable standard in WESA section 60 when a will leaves out a spouse or child.
Read the article →Learn what an enduring power of attorney is under British Columbia's Power of Attorney Act, what makes it enduring, who can make one and what it covers.
Read the article →Learn what an insolvent estate means in British Columbia, how an executor confirms it, and what happens to debts, gifts and bankruptcy steps next.
Read the article →Understand collaborative family law in British Columbia: how the process works, the participation agreement, who is involved and what if it breaks down.
Read the article →Understand what a committee is in British Columbia, when committeeship is needed and how the court process under the Patients Property Act works.
Read the article →Understand how a deceased person is treated as selling all capital property at death, and what that means for the final return of a British Columbia estate.
Read the article →Learn what counts as excluded property in British Columbia family law, how to prove it, and when it can still be shared after separation.
Read the article →Understand what counts as family property under British Columbia's Family Law Act, with examples, what is excluded, and why title does not decide it.
Read the article →Learn what a parenting coordinator does in British Columbia, how one is appointed, what they can decide and when a court can step in.
Read the article →Learn what testamentary capacity means under BC law, how it differs from signing rules, and how doubts are raised in British Columbia.
Read the article →What the executor's year means in British Columbia, how the 210-day rule in WESA actually works, and when an estate can be distributed sooner.
Read the article →Learn where an executor's authority comes from in British Columbia, how far it reaches over estate property, land and co-executors, and where it stops.
Read the article →See how SDE and EBITDA multiples work for small business sales in British Columbia, what moves them, and how a multiple turns into an asking price.
Read the article →A plain-language guide to an executor's early duties in British Columbia: searching for assets and debts, the wills notice, Form P1, banks and creditors.
Read the article →A plain-language checklist of the key clauses in a business purchase agreement in British Columbia, from price allocation and PST to employees and liens.
Read the article →An overview for executors of the final return, T3 returns, clearance certificates, probate fees and other taxes after a death in British Columbia.
Read the article →Learn what the LTSA runs in British Columbia, what it registers, how to search a title and what it will not do for property owners.
Read the article →A plain-language look at what British Columbia's Real Estate Services Act requires of realtors, and the protections it gives home buyers and sellers.
Read the article →An ordered checklist for the first days after a death in British Columbia: who to call, the funeral home, finding the will, and who to notify.
Read the article →Suspect an executor is hiding assets in British Columbia? Learn how to gather evidence, what the court can do, and the time limits that may apply to you.
Read the article →Waiting on your share of an estate? Learn when an executor can lawfully delay, and the steps from a written request to court in British Columbia.
Read the article →Learn your options in British Columbia when child support stops: BC Family Maintenance Agency enrolment, enforcement tools, arrears and first steps.
Read the article →Learn how British Columbia courts decide whether an equal split of family property is significantly unfair under section 95 and which factors they weigh.
Read the article →Learn when a British Columbia executor or administrator can legally distribute an estate: the 210-day rule, its exceptions, and the CRA clearance certificate.
Read the article →Learn when an unmarried partner counts as a spouse under British Columbia's Family Law Act, why the two-year rule matters, and the child exception.
Read the article →Find out when an enduring power of attorney takes effect in British Columbia, how springing powers work, and how incapacity is confirmed and proved.
Read the article →Learn whether child support in British Columbia stops automatically at a certain age, when it can continue, and how an order or agreement is changed or ended.
Read the article →Learn which assets can pass without a grant of probate in British Columbia, such as joint land and beneficiary designations, and when a grant is needed.
Read the article →Learn when a buyer's deposit is usually paid in British Columbia, where it is held, and what changes if the offer delays the deposit until subjects are removed.
Read the article →Probate in British Columbia is filed in the Supreme Court. Learn which registry to use, how to choose one, and what happens if you need to move it.
Read the article →See who has priority to act as administrator when there is no will in British Columbia, how the court decides, and what the application involves.
Read the article →Learn who can act as a representative under a British Columbia representation agreement, when a monitor is needed, who can witness, and how to raise concerns.
Read the article →Find out who has standing to challenge a will in British Columbia, including spouses, children, beneficiaries and others, and where the exceptions apply.
Read the article →Learn who inherits the family home in British Columbia under a will, on intestacy or through joint ownership, and what WESA says about spouses and children.
Read the article →Learn who must prove capacity or incapacity in a British Columbia will dispute, when the burden shifts, and how undue influence is treated differently.
Read the article →Learn who has the legal right to decide burial or cremation in British Columbia, how ties and family disputes are resolved, and when written wishes bind.
Read the article →Learn who carries the burden of proof when undue influence is alleged against a will in British Columbia, and how WESA s. 52 can shift it.
Read the article →Find out how a British Columbia estate is split between a surviving spouse and children or other relatives when a spouse dies without a will.
Read the article →Learn how a health care provider chooses a temporary substitute decision maker in British Columbia, the order of priority, and who does not qualify.
Read the article →Learn how British Columbia law treats the family home on separation: why title does not decide it, and how buyouts, sales and exclusive occupation work.
Read the article →Learn how British Columbia health care consent works when a loved one has no representation agreement, including who the temporary substitute decision maker is.
Read the article →Find out who must build and pay for a boundary fence in British Columbia, how the Trespass Act and bylaws apply, and what to do if a neighbour refuses.
Read the article →Not named on the title to the family home? Learn how British Columbia's Family Law Act treats your claim after separation, and what the titled spouse can do.
Read the article →If the estate cannot cover the funeral, learn how funeral costs are ranked, whether you are personally liable, and BC's Burial or Cremation Supplement.
Read the article →Learn how courts in British Columbia decide who pays legal costs in an estate dispute: the general rule, the exceptions, and what to ask a lawyer.
Read the article →Learn who pays the probate fee in British Columbia, when it is due, how it is worked out and what happens if you missed an estate asset.
Read the article →See how eligibility works for Legal Aid BC family law help in British Columbia, including case-type tests, income questions and the documents to prepare.
Read the article →Check each requirement for the British Columbia first time home buyers' exemption: residency, citizenship, prior ownership, price caps and moving-in rules.
Read the article →Find out who licenses and disciplines realtors in British Columbia today, what happened to the Real Estate Council of BC, and what BCFSA does for you.
Read the article →Learn who steps in when a British Columbia court removes an executor, what happens to the old grant, and how the Public Guardian and Trustee fits in.
Read the article →Learn why sellers often prefer a share sale over an asset sale in British Columbia, from the capital gains exemption to recapture, reserves and PST.
Read the article →A plain-language guide to wills variation claims under section 60 of WESA in British Columbia: who can claim, deadlines, what courts consider and orders.
Read the article →Learn what BC law says about property, debts, children, support and the family home when you separate, plus the time limits and agreements that matter.
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