Don’t pay a lawyer or notary to remove your deceased spouse’s name from title to your home which you own together as joint tenants.

If you want to be generous to your friendly neighbourhood lawyer or notary, send a $1,000 gift card. I think that’s about mid-range of fees charged for the service. By sending the gift card and doing it yourself, you’ll at least save the $120 in taxes that will be added to those fees. It’s not a complicated legal procedure.

In fact, the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (commonly referred to as “Land Titles”) provides step by step instructions. And they are not the kind of instructions included with some Ikea furniture that will have you pulling your hair out.

I’ve heard from two people who have handled this most basic of administrative........

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