Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning (BC) Webinar

For those who have a loved-one with a disability.

Upcoming Dates

Please click on a date below to register.
Please note that all times are listed in Pacific Time.

The Wills Trusts, and Estate Planning (BC) webinar takes place on Thursdays.
Please note that registration is limited to 60 people, therefore early registration is encouraged.

Understanding wills, trusts, and estate planning can help secure your financial future or the financial future of a loved one with a disability. This webinar covers topics including considerations when creating a will, tips for protecting your loved ones when family passes, types of trusts, and more. This workshop may only be relevant to those within British Columbia, as laws vary by province, see more information below.

 

What’s covered:

  • Why and how to write and update a will when there is a family member with a disability
  • Ways in which to ensure your loved one with a disability is protected when family passes away
  • The types of trusts available for people with disabilities, including the differences between discretionary and Non-discretionary, Testamentary and Inter-vivos
  • The various tax rates differences between Trusts, including recent federal changes, and their implications
  • The roles and responsibilities of Executors and Trustees
  • Tips for finding the right lawyer for you and your family

 

About the workshop

Becoming well-informed about wills, trusts and estate planning is necessary to secure the financial future of your loved one with a disability. In this workshop, estate-planning attorney Brendan Pooran and Geoffrey White explain how to arrange your estate, prepare a will, and the various ins and outs of setting up a trust specifically for your relative or loved-one with a disability.

Who should attend

Families/caregivers who have a loved-one with a disability*

*Please note that the focus of this workshop is on British Columbia Law and as such includes content that may not be applicable to the rest of Canada.

Webinar Information

This is a pre-recorded version of the in-person workshop but will also feature a live Q & A session during which an expert disability lawyer and a parent will be available to answer your questions directly. This workshop can be viewed online from anywhere in BC!

*Please note that registration is limited to 60 people, therefore early registration is encouraged.

This workshop was developed by Plan Institute,  with the generous support of Law Foundation of BC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we actually speak to a lawyer?

Yes, the first part of the online workshop is a prerecorded conversation regarding Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning with Brendon Pooran, a lawyer in Ontario who has also practiced in B.C.. The second part is a live question and answer period with Laurie Geschke, a Plan Institute Disability Planning Helpline Advisor/family-expert, and Geoffrey White, a lawyer with practicing in B.C. with 28+ years of expertise in Will, Estate and Trust matters.

What is the difference between the in-house and online workshops? *IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD

This webinar is ideal for individuals and families who live outside of the lower mainland, or who are otherwise unable to attend one of our in-house workshops. This 75-minute workshop includes a 35-minute presentation by a lawyer who specializes in disability-related estate planning, followed by a 40-minute live Question and Answer period, also hosted by a lawyer as well as a Plan Institute Disability Planning Helpline Advisor/family expert.
The online workshop provides an overview of the same topics discussed in the in-house workshop, though because of the shortened time, goes into slightly less detail. Both the in-house and online workshops provide the opportunity for participants to ask questions directly to our legal and family experts.

Can I attend from a different province?

While you can join from another province we do not recommend it as the focus of this workshop is on BC Legislation concerning the topic of Wills, Trusts, and Estate. Since each province has different laws regarding this topic it is important to learn about your province’s specific legislation.

Is the webinar prerecorded?

The first portion is prerecorded, the second part is a live question and answer period with Laurie Geschke, a Plan Institute Disability Planning Helpline Advisor/family-expert, and Geoffrey White, a lawyer with practicing in B.C. with 28+ years of expertise in Will, Estate and Trust matters.

Is the webinar offered at any other time?

Because the majority of BC is in PST/PDT time zone this online workshop is always offered in Pacific Standard Time. We alternate between daytime and evening webinars to enable as many people as possible to attend.

Is the online version accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing?

Yes, as long as you are attending on a computer or mobile device that uses the Zoom app. The pre-recorded presentation has ASL and closed captions embedded into the video. For the live Q&A at the end we use Zoom’s automatic captioning function. If you require ASL for the full duration of the webinar or have other accessibility needs that we have not covered, please reach out to us to let us know and we may be able to help.

Instructors

Geoffrey White is a lawyer with 28+ years of expertise in Will, Estate and Trust matters. He assists clients both at his “heritage” office in Kelowna and at Clark Wilson LLP in downtown Vancouver.

Laurie Geschke is a lifetime member of PLAN, as well as being a dedicated parent and volunteer who has worked with a variety of non-profit, non-government organizations for over 30 years

Brendan Pooran is the founder of and a Principal lawyer at Pooran Law. He regularly provides advice to individuals, families, organizations, and government in the areas of: wills & estates planning; disability law; and corporate law for not-for-profit and charitable organizations.

You can read more about our contributors here.

Ask about hosting a group workshop or online workshop viewing!

Are you a community organization or company that works with people with disabilities and their families? If you have a group of people whom you believe would benefit from participating in our Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning Online workshop, please email [email protected] to find out about hosting a group-viewing of our online workshop!