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Listen to Hull on Estates #362 – Legitimate estate planning

Today on Hull on Estates, David Smith and Noah Weisberg discuss the border line between legitimate estate planning and avoidance of family law obligations. If you have any questions, please email us at hull.lawyers@gmail.com, or leave us a comment on our blog page.

Click here for more information on David Smith.

Click here for more information on Noah Weisberg.

Listen to Issues in Estate Administration: Tax Filing.

This week on Hull on Estate and Succession Planning, Ian and Suzana discuss tax issues surrounding the administration of an estate.

Comments? Send us an email at hullandhull@gmail.com, call us on the comment line at 206-457-1985, or leave us a comment on the Hull on Estates and Succession Planning blog.

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Listen to "The Rectification of a Will"

Read the transcribed copy of "The Rectification of a Will"

During Hull on Estates Episode #50, Sean Graham and Paul Trudelle discuss the rectification of an erroneous Will.

Sean and Paul also cover the importance of detailed documentation such as Solicitor’s notes and prior Wills, as well as Intestacy and Knowledge and Approval of the Will. 

For relevant case law on rectification, please see:

• Re Black (1982), 37 O.R. (2d) 219, 38 O.R. (2d) 468 (Ont. H.C.), Tab 11.
• Re Sherin (1985), 18 E.T.R. 177 (Ont. H.C.J.), Tab 12
• Re Morris, [1970] 1 All E.R. 1057 (P.D.), Tab 6.
• Barylak v. Figol (1995), 9 E.T.R. (2d) 305 (O.C.G.D.) Tab 8

Some of the great Podcasters note that, in the future, we will have more ear time than eye time.

Ian recently looked at an interesting book by Evan I. Schwartz entitled, "Digital Darwinism". In his book, Schwartz compares the competitive struggle to the battle between species that occurs in the natural environment. He concludes that, in order to succeed, companies must be better than their competitors, much like the survival of the fittest in nature. Whatever market niche they select, they have to be "smarter, faster, more innovative, and more adaptable" than ever, so that they do better than others.

After examining the successes and failures of many different e-commerce competitors, the author identifies key strategies to survive and thrive on the Web. In Digital Darwinism, we are presented with "7 Breakthrough Business Strategies for Surviviing in the Cuthroat Web Economy". They are:

1. Build a brand that stands for solving problems;

2. Allow your prices to fluctuate freely with supply and demand;

3. Let affiliate partners do your marketing for you;

4. Create valuable bundles of information and services;

5. Sell custom-made produces online, then manufacture them;

6. Add new value to transactions between buyers and sellers; and

7. Integrate digital commerce with absolutely everything.

Schwartz is also the author of "Webonomics", which talks about "9 Essential Principles for Growing Your Business on the World Wide Web". Blogging is one of those innovative marketing strategies that helps you survive in the Digital Darwinism world. Blogging uses the concept of social software in allowing for direct and indirect interaction from one individual to a group of individuals.

As a good examples of how big the social interaction has grown, the program "My Space", currently has approximately 40,000,000 dating participants. While this program has a wide variety of social interaction, including dating and teenager participants, from a business perspective, for example, the music business, My Space is an essential place to be. Just because a program appears to be on the surface simply something for consumers, such as a dating service, when you look deeper within the service you may find that it incorporates many niche market produces and services. Therefore, it may well be a business opportunity, given the numbers involved.

Ian has just returned back from spending some time at the Podcasters Across Borders Conference. The Conference was a chance for Podcasters all over the world to get together and talk about their Podcasting experience. There were Podcasters from as far a way as the U.K. and throughout Canada and the U.S.

Friday night was a real highlight as the attendees were treated to a speech from none other than Shelagh Rogers of CBC’s Sounds Like Canada. Shelagh was just back from Edmonton where she had her hair cut off in support of her friend who is suffering from cancer. Shelagh did this to raise money for the local Edmonton cancer research centre.

Shelagh is a supportive Podcaster and has her own Podcast. She told the audience about her Podcasting experience and she offered some important advice.

She reminded us to always use a sentence beginning with a subject followed by a verb and an object. She suggested that we use direct and active verbs when we speak and NEVER use terms like "everyone". She indicated that we should talk to the listeners as though they are right in the room with you and not to address an audience generally.

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During our very first podcast, we discussed drafting wills and the importance of careful note-taking.