Intestate Succession under the Succession Law Reform Act When a person dies without a valid Will in Ontario, they are considered to have died “intestate”. In such situations, the distribution of their estate is governed by Part II of the Succession Law Reform Act (“SLRA”), which outlines the rules for …
Untangling Finances: Managing Debt After a Common-Law Relationship Ends
When common-law couples separate, they may be surprised to discover there is no legislative formula for dividing or distributing their debt. Creditors are not obliged to release debtors after separation, so it is not uncommon for one spouse, perhaps the one with better credit, to bear the burden of the …
Common-Law Separation and the Family Home
In Ontario, two people are considered common-law partners if they have been continuously living together in a conjugal relationship for at least three years or living together in a relationship of some permanence if they share a child together by birth or adoption. Common-law spouses have fewer legal rights compared …