A reader asked me just today about this point. Here is her note and my response:
"Thank you for your excellent Alberta Probate Kit. I have almost completed the forms, but I do have one question about some apparently conflicting advice in the book regarding Form NC27: On page 141, the book states, "Note that everyone who gets a Form NC19 also gets a full copy of the entire application, including the will." However, on page 154, the book states "do not send the Form NC1 through NC 18 documents to a person is receiving a Form NC19 notice and no other notice."
These two sentences appear to me to be contradictory. I am leaning towards the advice given on page 141, but I thought I'd check to see if you were aware of this (at least to my non-legally trained mind) conflict."
The Form NC19 is a notice to residuary beneficiaries. Anyone who is going to receive a share of the residue of the estate has to be sent this notice by registered mail. The instructions on page 141 are correct. A residuary beneficiary is entitled to receive a full copy of the entire application for probate, which includes a copy of the will, an inventory/evaluation of the estate, and all of the other documents that make up the application.
Sorry for the inconvenience for those of you who had to take the time to write and ask for clarification.
Lynne,
ReplyDeleteI have posted this question elsewhere but does this mean that the following steps have to take place:
1. Complete probate application including commissioning of required forms.
2. Make copies and send to beneficiaries with NC 19.
3. Commission the NC 27 that beneficiaries have been notified.
4. Submit the package to the courts?
So there must be two separate commissionings, one for the probate application and a second later for the Affadavit of Service?
Hello Lynne,
ReplyDeleteI am the executor of my father's estate and I am using your book, which is excellent. My Dad died in Edmonton; I'm in Vancouver. To file the application for probate you indicate that I need to fill in form NC8 as the will was not prepared by a lawyer and there is no Exhibit A Affidavit of Witness on the back of the will. The will was made in 1995 and the witnesses were probably members of Dad's senior's home. I suspect they are now dead and have no way of finding them. What do I do?
Under Alberta's new wills legislation, the court now has the power to rectify a will that doesn't fit all of the formalities, including the witnessing formality. This means that when you apply for probate of the will, instead of attaching the NC8, you would have to make a special request in your NC2 affidavit for the court to allow the will to stand even though you cannot locate the witnesses.
DeleteThis isn't a rubber stamp. You really do have to make every possible effort to locate the witnesses, and describe your attempts in your evidence.
Try to think of it from the perspective of the judge, who is thinking "why should I believe that this will was properly signed and witnessed?"
If you get stuck and need a lawyer in Edmonton to help you, call David Koski at the Estate House, or Andrew McLaughlin at Turning Point Law.
Lynne
I am the only beneficiary and the executor so do i still need to do NC 19?
ReplyDeleteYes, do the form but don't mail it to yourself. Put an acknowledgement on the bottom and sign both as executor and beneficiary and include the original signed NC19 with your application.
DeleteLynne
Hi Lynne,
DeleteBoth my brother and I are co-executors and the only beneficiaries. On the NC 19 do with both sign and executor and beneficiaries. Also do we state on NC 19 that will gives us "1/2 of the residue of the estate?
By the way your book is very helpful.
Hi there Lynne!
ReplyDeleteCould you Please tell me if this Alberta Probate Kit is up to date. Also, does it by chance have any example of a 'beneficiary release'?
There are still updates needed, since the book came out before Alberta's WESA was enacted. However, it does contain a release.
DeleteLynne
for NC7 , ON OTHER PROPERTY can I just use words as Household;and personal effects, or do I have to do as seperate entries. if so because their in no room on the form can I as I have with other forms make up another whole form on word and add more spaces, (is it legal or ok to redo the form (but of course I am not altering it.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Form NC20: On page 143 of your book you say "do not send the beneficiaries who receive a Form NC20 a full copy of the entire application or the whole will" so my question is what do we send the non residuary beneficiaries?
ReplyDeleteNon-residuary beneficiaries only get the notice. Some lawyers will include a copy of just the paragraph in the will that leaves the non-residuary gift, but you are not required to send anything but the notice itself.
DeleteLynne
If you are the executor and the sole beneficiary, do you need form NC 27 commissioned and submit this to the court indicating you sent the documents to yourself
ReplyDeleteHi SimpleLife,
DeleteNo, you don't. Use the Acknowledgements on the bottom of the notices. The clerk of the court might ask you for the NC27 but you can simply point out that you are both executor and beneficiary and that you have signed the acknowledgements.
Lynne
Hi Lynne,
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting this great resource together. I have a couple of questions about NC27. If I am sending the same document to 8 people, what do I put under exhibit? And, if what I am sending is the NC19 notice with the full application, under documents on the NC27 do I just list the NC19, or do I also list the documents that are attached to the NC19?
Thanks for any clarification you can provide.
Katherine
Hello Lynne,
ReplyDeleteI believe I have the paperwork completed but I do have one question regarding NC27. The sample shows listing name and address of all beneficiaries but leaves very little room to do so. Can I put see below and list them on the bottom of the page?
Thank you,
Pamela
Hi Pamela,
DeleteYes you can. As long as you're following the general template of the document, it's okay to move things around a bit.
Lynne
Thanks Lynne.
DeleteSo you’re saying I can reconfigure the document to add more room for beneficiaries, yes?
I was wondering if I can use the original form in the package I bought and list beneficiaries at the bottom of the page. Not sure if I can do that. I will check online to see if I can do as you say.
Thanks again, you rock!
Yes, you can reconfigure it to some extent. As long as the information is there and the document makes sense, you should be good to go.
DeleteLynne
Hello Lynne,
ReplyDeleteI am the executor and a beneficiary. My brother is a beneficiary. I have a question re NC19. Is it ok to submit two NC19 forms - one for me and one for my brother along with NC27 that says that I have hand delivered these to myself and my brother.
Or do I need to add that "I hereby acknowledge receipt of notice..." on both NC19s. One to be signed by me and one to be signed by my brother.
Thank you.
You can do it either way, but the accepted method to serve yourself with a document is to use the acknowledgement on the bottom of the NC19. Having said that, either of the methods you mention should satisfy the legal requirements.
DeleteLynne
Thank you so much Lynne! I really appreciate your help and guidance.
ReplyDeleteHi Lynne!
ReplyDeleteI'm helping my Dad complete the probate for his mom. Both my dad and uncle are listed as co-executors in NC2. Are they both required to sign NC27 as well? Or just the one actually delivering the probate to the court?