Probate & Estate Administration

Being named an executor in British Columbia carries real responsibility — often while you’re grieving. Beacon Law’s probate and estate administration team is here to make the process clear, efficient, and far less stressful.

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Losing someone is hard enough. Settling their estate shouldn't be.

A death certificate. A will that names you as executor. A list of responsibilities you never asked for — and a family waiting to see them through.

Being named an executor is a mark of trust. It's also a legal role, with real duties and real personal liability attached. Most people don't realize how much sits behind the word: the estate can't be distributed until the right notices are given, creditors are addressed, and the taxes are settled — and an executor who gets a step wrong can be held personally responsible for it. Grief and paperwork make poor companions, and the deadlines don't pause for either.

Our estate administration lawyers and experienced legal assistants guide you from start to finish: preparing the probate application, filing with the BC Supreme Court, addressing creditor and tax issues, and supporting the distribution of the estate to beneficiaries.

You don't have to do this alone.

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How We Help

Determining whether probate is required

Not every estate needs to go through probate. Depending on how assets were held and what the financial institutions require, some estates can be settled without a grant. We assess the estate up front and tell you honestly whether probate is necessary — so you don't spend months on a process you didn't need.

Preparing and filing the probate application

The application to the BC Supreme Court is detailed and unforgiving: asset inventories, sworn documents, a search of the Wills Registry, and precise notice to everyone entitled to it. A single error can send the whole package back and cost you weeks. We prepare it correctly the first time and file it on your behalf.

Notifying beneficiaries and creditors

Before an estate can be distributed, the law requires that beneficiaries and potential claimants be properly notified, and that certain waiting periods pass. Miss a required notice and the distribution can be challenged later. We handle the notices and track the timelines so nothing is done too soon or overlooked.

Debts, creditors, and taxes

An estate's debts and taxes must be settled before its beneficiaries see a cent, and the Canada Revenue Agency has its own requirements before an estate can safely be wound up. We help you navigate these requirements so you won’t be pursued for the estate's liabilities after the fact.

Distributing the estate to beneficiaries

When the debts, taxes, and notice periods are behind you, the estate can finally be distributed. We make sure it's done in the right order, in the right shares, with proper accounting and the releases that protect you once the money changes hands.

Administering an estate with no will

When someone dies without a will, British Columbia's rules decide who administers the estate and who inherits — and the process carries extra steps. We guide the person entitled to apply through administration from the first application to the final distribution.

Protecting the executor

An executor can be held personally liable for honest mistakes: distributing too early, missing a creditor, mishandling taxes. Our job is to keep you from ever being in that position. With us watching the process and keeping the accounts in order, you carry the title without carrying the risk.

What Makes Beacon Law Unique

First, you don't get a solo lawyer — you get a team, watching the details and the deadlines that come with settling an estate. Second, we're responsive, so questions don't linger and the process keeps moving. Third, we speak plainly. You're carrying this during a difficult time, and the last thing you need is legalese between you and a straight answer.

Our mission is maximizing prosperity and peace of mind. For an executor, peace of mind means knowing the estate is being handled correctly, the beneficiaries are looked after — and that you won't be left personally exposed for doing a last favour for someone you loved.

Your Probate & Estate Administration Team