1. Get in touch
Send a message. Tell me about the will, the family and what the estate holds, and I’ll reply by email to let you know whether probate is likely to be needed.
Probate and estate help for Edmonton families
Named as an executor, or settling the estate of someone close to you? I’ll walk you through probate one step at a time, in plain language.
Phone 780-424-3558 · Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
- Called to the Alberta bar in 1987
- Member of the Law Society of Alberta
- Office on 117 Avenue NW, Edmonton
- Estates, wills, real estate and corporate law
Not sure whether you need a lawyer? Send a short message. I’ll reply by email, at no charge, to let you know whether I can help.
Just been named an executor?
Start with the executor’s guide: what to do in the first few weeks, what to leave for now, and which papers to gather.
Lost someone recently? Here is how probate works
Most estates follow the same four steps. You won’t have to work out the Court forms on your own.
2. Gather the details
Fill in the estate information form with as much as you know. “I don’t know” is a fine answer for now.
3. I prepare the application
I prepare the Court documents. You review and sign them, and they are filed with the Court of King’s Bench.
4. The grant arrives
With the grant, banks and the land titles office will deal with you. I can help with the notice to creditors, working with the estate’s accountant, and paying the debts, the taxes and the beneficiaries. I can do as much or as little with the administration as you want.
The grant usually arrives about one month after the application is filed. After that, the administration can usually be wrapped up inside a year, though banks can be slow with their processes. Overall, it can take a year or so, depending on what assets the estate holds.
The estate information form
The estate information form lists what I’ll need: details about the person who died, the family, the will, and what they owned and owed. Fill in what you can, then drop it off at the office or scan it and email it to chris@taskey.ca. My assistant, Kelsey, will follow up about anything missing.
What I can help with
Probate and estates
Much of my practice is helping executors and families settle estates, from the first questions to the final payout.
- Applying for probate or Administration
- Guiding executors through their duties
- Notices to beneficiaries and family
- Transferring or selling estate property
- Closing the estate and paying the beneficiaries
Wills and personal directives
Wills, enduring powers of attorney and personal directives.
Wills and personal directivesEstate planning
Planning ahead so your family’s job is easier later.
Estate planningReal estate
Buying, selling, refinancing and mortgage renewals.
Real estateCorporate law
Corporate law, including acting as registered office for Alberta companies.
Corporate law
What clients say
“Chris has done my will, handled my real estate the past few years, my separation, and much of my corporate work. I trust him so much I have sent many friends and family as well. He is fair in his pricing and isn’t the lawyer who charges by the minute. He’s the guy that gives lawyers a good name.”
“Chris did my will, as well as helped set up my brothers business. I have also sent a few friends his way. He did a fantastic job at a fair price!”
Common questions about probate
Do I need probate?
Not always. If everything the person owned was held jointly (as joint tenants) with someone who survived them, or went to a named beneficiary (life insurance, pensions, RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs), probate may not be needed. The land titles office needs a grant to transfer a house that was in the person’s name alone, and banks usually ask for one before they release larger accounts. A short email exchange is usually enough for me to tell you which applies.
What does an executor have to do?
In Alberta the executor (the law calls them the personal representative) gathers and protects what the person owned, pays the debts and taxes, and then distributes what’s left according to the will. Alberta’s Estate Administration Act sets out these duties. My executor’s guide walks through the steps.
How long does probate take?
The grant usually arrives about one month after the application is filed. After that, the administration can usually be wrapped up inside a year, though banks can be slow with their processes. Overall, it can take a year or so, depending on what assets the estate holds.
What does probate cost?
The Court’s filing fee in Alberta depends on the estate’s net value in Alberta, from $35 for estates of $10,000 or less up to $525 for estates over $250,000. It is paid from the estate. I apply for the grant of probate and give it to you for a flat fee, plus the Court filing fee and GST. That fee covers only the grant application. Other advice, drafting releases, transferring property and the rest of the estate work are not included in it. It also doesn’t include the Court filing fee, other out-of-pocket costs (disbursements) or GST.
What if there’s no will?
Then someone, usually a close family member, applies to the Court to be appointed administrator (a grant of Administration). Alberta’s Wills and Succession Act decides who inherits. The steps are much the same as probate.