Glossary

In Debt and Consumer Rights, Family Law, Tribunals and Courts, Wills and Powers of Attorney

Debts are money that a person owes, for example, a mortgage, line of credit, or car loan.

In Family Law, Substitute decision‑making, Income Assistance, Child tax benefits, Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Eligibility, Wills and Powers of Attorney

Decision-making responsibility is the right to make important decisions about how to care for and raise a child. It includes the right to make decisions about the child’s health, education, religion, and important extra-curricular activities. Decision-making responsibility used to be called custody.

The parents can agree to or the court can give:

• one parent all decision-making responsibility,
• 2 or more parents decision-making responsibility, or
• different parents separate responsibilities, for example, one parent makes decisions about the child’s health and another parent makes decisions about the child’s religion.

In Wills and Powers of Attorney

In estates law, a dependant is a person who:

• you were supporting financially before you died, or
• the law says must support.

A dependant can only be your:

• married or common-law partner
• married partner you’re separated from
• divorced partner
• child, stepchild, grandchild, or a person you treat as your child
• parent or grandparent
• brother, sister, or any sibling

In Wills and Powers of Attorney

For some types of property, such as a life insurance policy, registered retirement savings plan, or tax-free savings account, you can say who will get it when you die, without writing it in your will. This person is often called a designated beneficiary.

When you die, the money goes directly to them. It does not become part of your estate and your estate does not pay tax on it.

In Family Law, Wills and Powers of Attorney

A divorce is a court order that legally ends a marriage.