August 2025

One of the most sensitive conversations we have with clients involves family members they’d prefer not to inherit from their estate. Whether it’s due to estrangement, poor financial decisions, addiction issues, or simply feeling that one child has already received enough support during their lifetime, parents often ask: “Can I completely leave someone out of my will?”

One of the most devastating things that can happen to a family after someone passes away is having their will declared invalid. We’ve seen families torn apart by legal battles when disappointed beneficiaries claim their loved one “wasn’t of sound mind” when the will was created.

When we sit down to help parents name guardians who can raise their minor kids if something happens to them, we often have to work through one sticking point: how much money plays into the factor of “what makes a good guardian.”

When we help Manitoba families prepare their wills and powers of attorney, we often focus on the tangible assets – the house, the car, the bank accounts. But what about your digital footprint? Your photos stored in the cloud, your social media accounts, your cryptocurrency, or even your Netflix subscription?