What is the difference between a will and a trust?

A will takes effect at death and goes through probate; it's public and court-supervised. A trust can take effect during your lifetime or at death, and properly-structured living trusts can avoid probate, manage incapacity, and provide ongoing structure for beneficiaries.

— Wills & Estates · Surrey, BC

Estate planning for clients who think beyond their own lifetime.

Wills, trusts, probate, and the careful work of ensuring your intentions outlast you — and that your wealth passes cleanly to the people you choose, in the way you choose.

— Overview

The quiet, careful work of protecting a legacy.

GSG's estates practice covers the full arc: will drafting, trust structures, powers of attorney and representation agreements, probate applications, and the administration of estates after a death. For business owners, we integrate the corporate succession plan with the personal estate plan, so neither undermines the other.

Estate plans drift out of date as life changes — marriages, births, sales, a death in the family. We review with clients on a defined cadence so the plan remains current with the life it is meant to reflect. Our in-house accountant models the tax consequences of every structure before it is signed.

— What we handle

Wills & estates services.

I.Wills & will drafting

II.Family & alter-ego trusts

III.Probate applications

IV.Estate administration

V.Powers of attorney

VI.Representation agreements

VII.Estate freezes & succession

VIII.Multiple wills for business owners

— Common questions

What clients usually ask first.

Do I need a will if I'm married and own everything jointly?+

Yes. Joint assets pass to the survivor outside the will, but everything held solely (RRSPs without designated beneficiaries, business interests, personal property, after-acquired assets) still passes through your estate. Without a will, BC's intestacy rules dictate who gets what — and the result rarely matches what people assume.

What's the difference between a will and a trust?+

A will takes effect at death and goes through probate; it's public and court-supervised. A trust can take effect during your lifetime (inter vivos) or at death (testamentary), and properly-structured living trusts can avoid probate, manage incapacity, and provide ongoing structure for beneficiaries who shouldn't inherit outright.

How do I avoid probate fees in BC?+

BC charges roughly 1.4% on estates over $50,000. Common strategies include alter-ego trusts (for those 65+), joint tenancy on real property, beneficiary designations on registered accounts and insurance, and multiple wills for private-company shares. Each has tax and family-law trade-offs we model before recommending.

Can my will be challenged after I'm gone?+

Yes. BC's Wills, Estates and Succession Act allows spouses and children to vary a will if they weren't adequately provided for. We draft with this exposure in mind — using non-probate structures, documenting reasoning, and where appropriate, taking steps during your lifetime to reduce the estate's wills-variation footprint.

— Begin

A conversation, before a case.

Speak with a Surrey wills and estates lawyer about your plan — or the estate you've been asked to administer. Call (778) 262-2835 or send a confidential inquiry.