Ontario Probate Form 74C

Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee

Everything you need to know about Ontario Form 74C, including helpful tips, fast facts & deadlines, how to fill it out, where to submit it and other related ON probate forms.

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About Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee is a commonly used form within Ontario. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Atticus Fast Facts About Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee:

  • This form pertains to the State of Ontario

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Ontario’s Form 74C - Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

How to file Form 74C

Step 1 - Download the correct Ontario form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Ontario probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form 74C, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in ON are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form 74C online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form 74C witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

👉 Find and Contact your Local Probate Court

👉 What is a Domicile Jurisdiction?

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When Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee is due

Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Ontario.

5 reasons you should submit 74C as quickly as possible:

  1. The sooner you begin, the faster Ontario can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.

    Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

  2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

  3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

  4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Ontario. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

  5. If a house in the State of Ontario is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Ontario probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Ontario probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form 74C, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

How to Download, Open, and Edit Form 74C Online

Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Ontario probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Ontario.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form 74C - Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Ontario probate court office.

Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Ontario-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

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Did you know?

  • Form 74C - Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee is a probate form in Ontario.

  • Ontario has multiple types of probate and the necessary forms depend on the unique aspects of each estate, such as type and value of assets, whether there was a valid will, who is serving as the personal representative or executor, and even whether or not they also live in Ontario.

  • During probate, all personal representatives and executives in are required to submit a detailed inventory of assets that must separate non-probate assets from probate assets.

  • Probate in Ontario, especially without guidance, can take years to finish and cost upwards of $14,000.

Frequently Asked Questions about Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee

Probate is the government’s way of making sure that when a person dies, the right stuff goes to the right people (including the taxes the government wants).

All of that stuff is collectively known as someone’s “estate”, and it’s the job of the executor or personal representative to fill out all the forms and complete all the required steps to formally dissolve the estate. 

To get instant clarity on the entire probate process and get an idea of the steps, timeline, and best practices, read the Atticus Beginner’s Guide to Probate

The best place? Create an account in Atticus to start getting estate-specific advice. 

You may need a lawyer, you may not, and paying for one when you didn’t need it really hurts. Atticus makes sure you make  the best decisions (plus you can write it off as an executor expense).

We’ve also created a list of other probate services. Be sure to check it out!

An executor is named in someone’s will, and if the deceased didn’t have a will, then the spouse or other close family relative usually steps up to fulfill the role. If no one wants to do it, then a judge will appoint someone. 

The executor is responsible for the complete management of the probate process, including major responsibilities such as:

  • Creating an inventory of all probate assets.

  • Filling out all necessary forms

  • Paying off all estate debts and taxes

  • Submitting reports to the court and beneficiaries as requested

And much more. This process often stretches longer than a year. 

For an idea of what separates executors who succeed from those who make this way harder than it should be, visit our article, Executors of an Estate:
What they do & secrets to succeeding
.

The Exact Text on Form 74C

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Ontario Form 74C - Certificate Of Appointment Of Estate Trustee. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

Page 1 of 3 Court file number: _______________ (Court seal) FORM 74C Courts of Justice Act ONTARIO SUPERIOR CO URT OF JUSTICE CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTMENT OF ESTATE TRUSTEE IN THE ESTATE OF ______________________________ deceased, who died on _____________. with a Will dated [___________] with Codicil(s) dated [___________] without a Will and whose residence at t he time of d eath was: Street address City or town Province/State Postal code/Zip code Country Occupation: (Reproduce the following section for multiple applicants.) Applicant name (first, middle, last): Current Occupation, if any: Street address City or town Province/State Postal code/Zip Code Country E- mail addre ss, if any Telephone number If corporate applicant, name of trust officer ( Select one of th e following. If possible, fit all of the required information below, including the line for the registrar’s signature, onto this page.) THIS is hereby issued to the above-named applicant under the seal of the court. Page 2 of 3 ESTATE OF ________________________ Court file number: ____________ __ Attached to this document is a copy of the deceased’s last W ill dated ______________ (and codicil(s) dated _______________. (This is not necessary for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee During Litigation) __ The Will was executed remotely and signed in counterpart pursuant to the Succession Law Reform Act.” __ This Certificate was issued pursuant to the order of Justice _______________dated __________. __ __________________, has renounced the right to a certificate of appointment of estate trustee. __ _________________, estate trustee named in the Wil l, has predeceased the testator. __ _________________, estate trustee named in the Will , is a person under the age of eighteen years. __ _________________, estate trustee named in the Will , is a mentally incapable adult. __ A copy of the foreign grant that is certified by the court that issued it is attached. DATE: Registrar Address of court office RCP-E 74C ( February 1, 2022) Page 3 of 3 FORM 4C Courts of Justice Act BACKSHEET (S hort title of proceeding) (Court file no.) ____________________________________________________ Name of Court ____________________________________________________ PROCEEDING COMMENCED AT (place) ____________________________________________________ Title of document ____________________________________________________ If affidavit, indicate name of deponent and date sworn or affirmed ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ Name, address, email address (if any), and telephone number of lawyer or party ___________________________________________________ Law society membership number of lawyer ___________________________________________________ Email address, if known, of person on whom document is to be served RCP-E 4C (September 1, 2020) ______________________ ______________________

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