15| O akville B eaver | T hursday,S eptem ber 20,2018 insidehalton.com What to do when someone dies? When someone dies, there are many important steps to be taken while dealing with the loss of a loved one brings. Being appointed estate trustee under a Will can be daunting. Estate trustees are often not clear what their role is or what steps to take first. It is not a role to take lightly, and understanding the task ahead can make things more manageable. 1. What does an Estate Trustee do? Some of the first steps for an estate trustee include making funeral arrangements, obtaining the death certificate and reviewing the Will. It is important to secure the deceased's assets, notify and cancel compensation, pensions and benefits, credit cards, etc., and arrange for the care of any pets. A separate bank account should be established quickly, as well. The estate trustee then determines (often with assistance of an estates lawyer) whether an application for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee with a Will is required (and makes that application); pays the deceased's creditors; prepares final tax returns and pays final taxes; makes final distributions to beneficiaries; and accounts to the beneficiaries and to the Court if necessary. 2. What is "Probate" and is it always2. What is "Probate" and is it always needed? In Ontario, when people mention "probate," they are referring to an application for what is now called a "Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee with a Will" (where the deceased had a Will). This Certificate is a document issued by the court that proves the authority of the estate trustee to administer the provisions of the deceased's Will. Whether such an application is required depends upon the type and nature of the estate assets. A financial institution holding the deceased's assets may require the estate trustee to obtain a court-issued certificate of appointment of estate trustee before the assets are released. Where the deceased owned real estate, the real estate cannot generally be sold or transferred without a certificate. Estate Trustees have a fiduciary duty to the deceased's beneficiaries, which requires the estate trustee to administer the Will solely in the interest of the beneficiaries. Where an estate trustee fails to perform his or her duties, he or she can be held personally liable for breach of trust. It is a huge responsibility to administer a person's estate, and a good estates lawyer can be of invaluable assistance in simplifying the necessary steps. If you have any questions about estate administration, estate planning, wills or Powers of Attorney, contact Berry Gage LLP at bgfamilylaw.ca or call 905-338-7941. Advertorial delmanor.com Delmanor Glen Abbey is more beautiful than ever. Come see our new look Join us for a tour and refreshments on Saturday, September 22nd and Sunday, September 23rd from 1-4 pm. (905) 469-3232 1459 Nottinghill Gate, Oakville Ranked "Highest in Investor Satisfaction with Full Service Brokerage Firms," 6 Years in a Row. 6 YEARS IN A ROW! Edward Jones received the highest score in the J.D. Power 2013-2018 Canadian Full-Service Investor Satisfaction Studies of customers' satisfaction with their full-service investment firm. Visit jdpower.com/awards IN A ROW! www.edwardjones.ca Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund MKT-1924H-C-FL2 EXP 31 MAR 2019 © 2018 EDWARD JONES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Marc Nutford Financial Advisor . 2387 Trafalgar Road Unit E2 Oakville, ON L6H 6K7 905-844-4043 www.edwardjones.com/marc-nutford Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund https://www.facebook.com/ejadvisormarcnutford/ tion in court on Feb. 21. In response, CN asked the court to dismiss the mat- ter, saying it should have to wait until after an ongoing environmental assessment by the federal Minister of the Environment and Cli- mate Change and the Chair of the Canadian Transpor- tation Agency.The Gov- ernment of Ontario argues that waiting until after that review would further bog down the process, and that the federal review panel could benefit from know- ing the results of Halton's case. "If Halton and all par- ties were granted clarity now on the extent to which provincial and municipal laws apply to the develop- ment, that would allow the panel to proceed with the knowledge of which pro- vincial and municipal laws apply and are therefore highly relevant to deter- mining the threshold for adverse effects, and to in- form the panel's recom- mendations for the federal minister," states the pro- vincial filing.The province has also argued that be- cause the jurisdictional disagreement is a constitu- tional matter, it can only be decided by a court, and could not be adjudicated by the federal review panel- .Milton MPP Parm Gill says local residents' con- cerns over the intermodal hub came up often on the campaign trail. "I made a promise to stand with the region and municipality and have followed through," said an email from Gill's office. "Many of those I spoke with at the doors during the election told me their frustration with the previous govern- ment for not taking a posi- tion on this... It was clear that Miltonians were looking for support from the provincial governmen- t."A Sept. 5 release issued by Gill's office quoted Mil- ton mayor Gordon Krantz. "This is not only a signifi- cant issue for Milton but all of Halton Region," Krantz said. "I am pleased to see the province step up and support our fight." Continued from page 14 A CN Rail bridge. Metroland file photo NEWS