This handbook is a practical guide to administering the estate of a deceased person in Ontario. When someone close to you has died, leaving you in charge of all their worldly possessions, and when others are also grieving and looking to you to settle things quickly and fairly, you need a plain language guide. This is that guide. It is divided into chapters, corresponding to the stages in the administration of an estate. It tells you what needs to be done, when to do it, what you can do yourself, and when you should seek the assistance of a professional.

Handling an estate is complicated. Research proves that people don't know what to do. This complete, step-by-step guide explains how to reduce the stress of being an executor, take inventory of the estate and distribute assets, and other essential topics. The guide is complete with sample forms, case studies, checklists, executor tools, and summaries.