Power of Attorney questions

[vtec260]

My father passed away recently while visiting in California and I am asked to look after the paper work over here in Canada. My mother who lives in Winnipeg would like me to take over a lot of things he used to do while alive (eg. financials, etc). She resides mostly in MB, but does spend up to 5-6 months in the States in winter months so she can't available to sign off on anything that might come up and would like me to sign off on her behalf. Since this is a new situation to me, just want to make sure my thought process is right.

I need to get a lawyer to endorse myself as enduring power of attorney. If a lawyer is needed, if I can ask for a recommendation (unless one of CP members specialize in this part of law).

I need to contact to cancel his SIN, passport, health insurance, driver's license, update his pension, CRA, banking institutions, credit card, and vital statistics in MB. Am I missing anything?

TIA.

[ken0042]

Contact Troutman. I believe he does this sort of law in additional to real estate.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by vtec260

I need to contact to cancel his SIN, passport, health insurance, driver's license, update his pension, CRA, banking institutions, credit card, and vital statistics in MB. Am I missing anything?

TIA.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

In addition to the list above, you may also need to cancel utility bills that were in his name and transfer them over to your mother/yourself if she is still residing at the residence on them.

Same for any cellphones (be warned, they are the worst group of all to cancel with due to a death. They will demand a death certificate and are cold, heartless jerks about it. I would not advise calling if you are still grieving as it's like throwing salt in a wound).

If there are any car payments, loan payments or mortgage in his name, they would also need to be contacted to either find out if the insurance on it will cover the amounts owing or if they will need to be transferred to another name to be paid on.

If health insurance is in his name you may also need to ensure that when cancelling, they do transfer it to your mother's name. I'm not familiar with how MB provincial health insurance works but with Alberta's old system there was always a "Head of House" that was listed. If they were cancelled, the entire family was. If your mother is listed along with him on the same plan, cancelling him may also cancel your mother leaving her without insurance. Same goes for any supplemental insurance like Blue Cross, Sunlife, etc.

[troutman]

An executor is required to handle your father's estate. Your mother can grant you Power of Attorney to help with her financial affairs.

Did your father have a will? Did he hold everything jointly with your mother?

[vtec260]

He did have a will and, yes, everything was held jointly with my mother. I had a chance to look at the will and it was straight forward. When he passes away, my mother would be the beneficiary of his estate. When she passes away, then three children would get 1/3 share of the estate.