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It’s RRSP season, and if you’re like many Canadians, you’re thinking about contributions and tax deductions. But there’s something about your RRSP that deserves attention beyond this year’s contribution limit: who you’ve named as your beneficiary.

This time of year, as we celebrate Louis Riel Day and reflect on heritage and family legacy, many Manitobans are also thinking about another kind of legacy: the family cottage.

Finding love again later in life is wonderful. But when you’re bringing children from a previous relationship into the picture, estate planning becomes significantly more complex and critically important.

If you’ve been living with your partner for a few years, you might assume that what’s yours stays yours. After all, you’re not married, right? Many Manitobans believe that common-law relationships mean keeping everything separate. Unfortunately, that’s not how Manitoba law works.

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.

If you’ve been named an executor, it’s normal to wonder what you’re supposed to do first. There may be a home to look after, bills arriving and family members asking what happens next. Estate administration is the process of gathering and protecting a person’s assets, dealing with debts and taxes, and distributing what remains according to their will and Manitoba law. You can approach it in stages. You do not need to settle everything in the first week.

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.

When most people think about drafting their will, they think about the math. They consider dividing bank accounts, valuing the house, and deciding which percentage of the estate goes to which child.

January has a certain energy to it. The holidays are behind us, the calendar is fresh, and many of us are thinking about new beginnings and getting organized. While gym memberships and budgets often top the resolution list, there’s something else that deserves your attention: your will and powers of attorney.