When Should You Start Doing Estate Planning?

It’s human nature to shy away from the things that talk about our mortality. This is why many people don’t think about wills or estates. It just seems like something you don’t have to do until you get to an old age, right?

But life has a way of surprising us. The future is never really certain. We never know when our time is up. As much as we don’t like it, it’s a reality that looms above our heads.

This is why it’s better to face the music and think about estate planning. The best time to do it is now. Estate planning is more than just bequeathing your assets and properties to your loved ones. There is more to it such as reducing taxes or creating a living will. 

What happens if you get sick or injured and you are incapable of making decisions for yourself? Include a healthcare directive in your estate plan so your loved ones will know what to do.

Start with choosing the right lawyers in Vancouver to help you out. Look for lawyers in Vancouver BC that offer wills and estate planning. Law firms such as Lakes, Whyte LLP can help you out.

Take an inventory of your assets and properties. You don’t want to forget to include assets and properties in your will because those can go through a lengthy probate process.

You should also find an executor to your will. This is someone who will ensure that your will is carried out. Find someone who has the time to oversee the execution of the will.

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How to Find a Lawyer for Your Accident Claim?

Do you really need lawyers in Vancouver for your personal injury or accident claim? The straightforward answer is no. You don’t always need lawyers in Vancouver, especially if it’s a simple claim. However, for more complex claims, it is to your advantage if you hire lawyers from law firms like Lakes, Whyte LLP.

Lawyers in Coquitlam will represent you well, especially in the negotiation process, so you can get as close to the real value of your claim as possible.

To find a lawyer, make sure you choose one that has a lot of experience in dealing with personal injury claims first. Make sure your lawyer has gone through this process before and has represented many people in their injury claims. 

Find out how many cases they have won and what strategies they use to negotiate with insurance companies. Insurance companies can be tenacious in avoiding paying a large amount of money to their claimants. Unsuspecting claimants might just accept these initial offers just to get it over and done with.

Ask the lawyer how much time he or she can devote to the case. You would want to get as much help from the lawyer as possible and if they are too busy with other cases, they might not be able to devote that much time to your claim.

Check out their track record as well when it comes to representing clients in personal injury cases. Ask them what their fee structure is so you know if you will be able to pay them upfront.

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3 Mistakes to Avoid Making When Hiring Employees

The hiring process is very crucial to the progress of a company. Who you hire will have a big contribution to your business, so make sure you are doing it right and attract the right talents to your job openings.

When hiring employees, here are some of the things that you would want to avoid making:

1.   Being vague about the job description

It’s important to be very specific when it comes to the job description, so the candidates will know what it is the company expects from them. You will be able to attract the right people to hire to your job posting if you post an accurate and complete job description.

2.   Being discriminating in your job posting

You don’t want your company to be construed as discriminatory. When making your job posting, be wary of language that can be considered discriminating. This is also true when it comes to the interview process.  You don’t want to ask questions that pertain to gender, marital status, religion, and other topics that can be considered discriminating by many people.

3.   Only focusing on credentials

People can learn as they go. It’s better to hire someone hardworking and one who exhibits good team player skills than an employee who has an impressive resume but unmotivated and lazy. Also, check their work attitude to find out if they would be a good fit for your company.

If you want to make sure your hiring process will not violate employment laws, make sure you talk to an employment lawyer in Vancouver. Go to Lakes, Whyte LLP, and talk to their employment lawyer in Vancouver.

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How to Choose an Executor for Your Will?

There are a couple of people that you need to appoint when making an estate plan is one of them is the executor of your will. The executor is in charge of overseeing probate. This person is in charge of taking an inventory of the assets and properties of the deceased, finding the beneficiaries and heirs, and filing for taxes. If there are litigation issues when it comes to the estate, it is also the role of the executor to oversee the resolution of these issues.

Because of such an important role, see to it that your executor is someone who has the right skills and knowledge to do the job. Make sure the executor has a good educational background and has excellent managerial and problem-solving skills. The executor should also have good organizational skills in order to get the job done properly. 

Don’t just appoint anyone. It has to be someone who has the time to oversee the distribution of the estate and that can take up a lot of time. Always check the availability of the executor.

Choose an executor who is willing to do all these. If there is someone in your mind, talk to that person. Most people choose their spouse or an adult child.

When it comes to estate planning, make sure you hire lawyers in Vancouver to help you out. With the help of lawyers in Vancouver such as Lakes, Whyte LLP, you can be assured that you will cover all grounds and not miss anything in your estate plan. 

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When Should You Hire an Employment Lawyer – Tips for Employers

Employees are not the only ones who can get the help of an employment lawyer in Vancouver. Even employers dealing with employment issues can also benefit from consulting with an employment lawyer in Vancouver.

Here are the instances when you might need to get the advice of an employment lawyer in Vancouver:

1. You need help with bargaining

Before disputes become lawsuits, there should already be intervention. If you need help with collective bargaining, it’s best to use the services of an employment lawyer who will help determine the best way to do this.

2. You have been sued

For more serious lawsuits such as harassment, it’s best to let it be handled by a professional lawyer. These matters should never be resolved on your own as approaching the other party could potentially bring more problems.

3. You are going to lay off a lot of employees

Letting go of employees is always hard. But if you have to do that to a lot of employees, it’s even more difficult. Make sure it is done in such a way that your business will not be affected by lawsuits. This also applies if you want to terminate the employee benefits that you have promised or you want to make changes to the current pension plan your business is offering.

Find a good employment lawyer experienced in all these matters. Lakes, Whyte LLP can help you address your employment concerns so that you can escape the difficulties of a lawsuit. It’s better to avoid it as it will cost you more time and money.

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When Do You Need to Update Your Will?

Do you know what happens when you die without a will? Your estate will go through the probate process and it will take much longer for your surviving family members to get their inheritance.

It doesn’t matter how much wealth you have. It’s always a good idea to have a will just in case something happens to you. Lawyers in Vancouver from Lakes, Whyte LLP can help you in creating a will.

From time to time, it’s a good idea to check the will and see if it needs to be updated. You would always want the will to be up-to-date so that it matches the changes in your life.

Here are the times when you might need to update your will:

You Got a Divorce/Remarried

There have been instances in the past when testators forgot to change their beneficiaries and still included their previous spouses in the will. This can be hard to contest, which is why it’s good to change the will as soon as you get a divorce or you remarry.

You Have New Kids

When you get new kids, it’s time to update your will and include them as your beneficiaries. You can also add stipulations on guardianship.

You Acquire More Wealth

Make sure that is added to your will. Otherwise, it will go through the probate process.

Be sure to get lawyers in Vancouver to create your wills and estates. It might seem like such a simple task but there’s actually a lot more work involved in the process. It’s better that you cover all grounds and this is where a wills and estates lawyer can help you out.

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Wrongful Termination – What to Do After You Have Been Suddenly Dismissed From Your Job

You’ve been a good employee but suddenly, you are being dismissed without preamble. What should you do?

Many employees fall prey to wrongful termination without knowing what to do to handle these cases. Many just accept their fate and move on.

Understand the Legal Repercussions of Being Wrongfully Terminated

Can it be considered wrongful termination? Should you even consider suing? If your benefits are being withheld, you might be able to file a case against your former employer. It’s good to consult an employment lawyer in Vancouver to know where you stand from a legal perspective.

Know What You are Entitled To

Are you entitled to severance pay? What about your benefits? You should talk to your employer or the HR department about your severance pay and how many benefits you can get. If you can, make sure you also get references. If these benefits are being withheld or you think you are losing potential benefits from the company because of suddenly being dismissed, you can talk to your employment lawyer in Vancouver to learn more about your next steps.

Prepare to Find a New Job

If your old employer has given a neutral reference, you can use that in finding your next job. Update your resume and start looking for new jobs. If you have insurance for sudden unemployment, you can use that to mitigate your damages.

These are trying times but if you know what to do, you should be able to go through it without suffering a lot.

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