Estate Administration Lawyers in Montreal

Settling the estate of someone who lived in or near Montreal? Below you can see who takes estate files in Montreal, their rates and open times, and book a consultation online.

Settling an estate in Montreal: the order of things

• Will search and probate: start with a search of the notaries' and the Barreau's will registries. A holograph will or a will made before witnesses must then be probated by a notary or the Superior Court; a notarial will needs no probate. If the deceased lived in Quebec, a court application goes to the courthouse for their last place of residence.
• Notices in the RDPRM: the liquidator's designation, then the closure of the inventory, which is also published in a local newspaper.
• Taxes before heirs: final tax returns, then the federal clearance certificate and Revenu Québec's certificate authorizing distribution, before anything is handed out.

Deadlines heirs in Montreal should know

An heir has 6 months from the date of death to accept or renounce the succession, extendable to allow 60 days after the inventory is closed. Without a renunciation in time, the heir is deemed to have accepted. A renunciation is usually made by notarial act published in the RDPRM (rarely, by a declaration in court).

When an estate lawyer in Montreal can help

• A will that is contested or unclear.
• A succession that may owe more than it holds.
• Heirs who cannot agree on the final account or the partition.
• No will, or a claim from a spouse or child against the estate.

Notaries also settle successions in Quebec. A lawyer is the usual choice when a disagreement may end up in court. Every lawyer practising in Quebec must be a member of the Barreau du Québec.

Cost of an estate lawyer in Montreal

Lawyers set their own rates, hourly or as a fixed fee for a step such as a probate application, and you see them on JustiConnect before you book. Bring the will, the will search certificates and a list of property and debts to your first meeting.

Pick a lawyer from the list and book directly, or see all open times in Montreal and choose a time that works for you.