January 2026

If you’re helping your adult child buy their first home, you’re part of a growing trend. With housing prices making homeownership difficult, the “Bank of Mom and Dad” has become a common source of down payment assistance. But before you transfer that money, there are legal and financial considerations that could impact your family.

If you’ve created a power of attorney, you might assume it works forever and that no matter what happens, your chosen person can step in and manage your affairs. That’s reasonable, but it’s not always true.

Being named as executor is both an honour and a responsibility. The person who passed away trusted you to carry out their final wishes, but if you’ve never done this before, you might be wondering where to begin.

Many Manitoba homeowners add an adult child to their property title thinking it’s a simple way to avoid probate. The logic seems sound: with joint tenancy and right of survivorship, the property transfers automatically when you pass away. No probate required.