www.rightresolutions.com

FEES AND OTHER CHARGES

The fee information on this page is intended to be used only as a general guide. The actual fees to be charged for your work might be higher or lower than the amounts noted here. You should be sure to verify the amounts, and get an estimate of the fees for your work, based on what has to be done for you.
Fees vary from person to person, time to time, and circumstance to circumstance. To give you an idea of how some of my fees compare with some other fees, click here for a comparison of my fees with those in information published by a Vancouver Island notary. Remember, too, that lawyers’ services can go beyond the services provided by a notary.

Simple notarizing of a single document, including certification of a copy of a document
$100 (plus taxes*)
This charge does not include services for completing the document, or for offering any advice relating to it; NOTE: the notarizing of "do-it-yourself" legal documents (e.g., land transfers, travel authorizations, powers of attorney, and bills of sale that clients prepare on their own) will usually be rejected or subject to higher fees, because of an implied professional obligation to ensure that they have been properly prepared and drafted.
Acting for a vendor (seller) in the sale of a home, where there is no mortgage to discharge
$800 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
If the sale price is higher than $800,000, then the fees are one tenth of one per cent (.001) of the sale price; for example, a $1,000,000 sale price would result in fees of $1,000.
Acting for a vendor (seller) in the sale of a home, where there is a mortgage to discharge
$1,200 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
Disbursements will usually include the filing fees for registering the discharge of the mortgage. If the sale price is greater than $1,200,000, then the fees are one fifth of one per cent (.002) of that amount; for example, fees to handle a $1,500,000 sale (with a discharge of mortgage) would be $3,000. That fee amount may be reduced in some circumstances, depending on the nature of the transaction.
Acting for a buyer in the purchase of a home, where there is no mortgage to be registered
$800 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
Disbursements and other costs and charges can add quite a bit, onto the total cost of purchasing a home. Most property transfers in British Columbia are subject to Property Transfer Tax of at least 1% of the total value of the property. If the purchase price is higher than $800,000, then the fees are one tenth of one per cent (.001) of the sale price; for example, a $1,000,000 purchase price would result in fees of $1,000.
Representing the lender or borrower (or both, if appropriate) in a residential mortgage
$800 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
The complexity of mortgage work (and the legal fees and other costs associated with that work) can vary from lender to lender, and from home to home. Along with different fees based on that complexity, fees also increase on the basis of the amount of the mortgage; simple mortgages over $800,000 will result in fees of one tenth of one per cent (.001) of the amount of the mortgage; for example, a mortgage of $900,000 would result in fees of $900.
Acting for the buyer and the lender in a purchase of a home, to do all work relating to a home purchase and a mortgage
$1,200 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
As with legal work for only a purchase or only a mortgage, fees for dealing with a purchase and a mortgage will increase on the basis of the total amount of the purchase price and the mortgage: please contact this office, for a quote on the fees for purchases of property valued over $800,000.
Representing one person in advising about a will, including the drafting of the will, arranging for the will to be properly signed, and ensuring that a notice is filed at the British Columbia registry of wills
$300 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
The total account, including taxes and disbursements, is usually about $350.
Representing a couple in advising about two similar wills, including the drafting of the wills, arranging for the wills to be properly signed, and ensuring that notices are filed at the British Columbia registry of wills
$400 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
The total account, including taxes and disbursements, is usually about $500.
Preparation of an enduring general power of attorney
$200 (plus taxes*)
Enduring powers of attorney are now subject to new British Columbia legislation. Although some older powers of attorney (those drafted before October of 2011) might still be valid after the new legislation, you would be well advised to consider preparing a new enduring power of attorney.
Preparation of two similar (mutual) enduring powers of attorney for family members
$300 (plus taxes*)
 
Preparation of a representation agreement, including advising, and ensuring that it is properly executed by the principal parties to that agreement
$300 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
 
Preparation of a representation agreement and an enduring power of attorney for one person, including advising, and ensuring that those documents are properly executed by the principal parties to that agreement
$500 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
 
Preparation of similar (mutual) representation agreements for a couple, including advising, and ensuring that they are properly executed by the principal parties to that agreement
$400 (plus taxes* and disbursements)
 
All things necessary to incorporate a British Columbia limited company
$1200 (including taxes* and disbursements)
Close to half of that amount represents money paid to the Provincial Government for searches and filing fees. My standard legal fee for representing a company on an ongoing basis after incorporation (acting as "registered and records office", including the preparation and filing of annual reports at the corporate registry in Victoria) is $300 per year.
Witnessing of a land title document (e.g., mortgage, transfer), when prepared by another lawyer
$200 (plus taxes)
This fee does not include registration of the document, and it does not include extra work relating to the receipt or delivery of documents or money, nor does it include advice with regard to the validity, enforceability or effect of the document
Independent legal advice in connection with a transfer, promissory note, mortgage or similar document
Minimum fees of $240 (plus taxes)
Advice on longer (or more complex) documents will be subject to higher fees
Other services not listed here
Generally charged at $240 per hour, plus taxes, disbursements and other charges incurred
But… please see the additional notes relating to fees for family law mediation, on the web page at this site referring to those services.

*: Taxes are G.S.T. and sales tax on all fees, and on most disbursements paid on your behalf
In each of the above cases, the stated fees represent the work for simple cases; although most matters do fit into the "simple" category, there are exceptions, so you should not assume that your work will always be classed as "simple": your fees could be higher than the fees noted above, and you should verify the total fees before proceeding with your work.