Wills & Estate Planning
What documents does your office prepare?
We can work with you to prepare Wills, Powers of Attorney and Representation Agreements.
Does my Will have to be prepared by a Notary or Lawyer?
No, a Will does not have to be prepared by a Notary or Lawyer to be valid, however homemade Will (or Wills using DIY kits) are a high liability risk and cause more headache for the Will maker and their family therefore we recommend that you hire a professional to prepare this document for you.
Will you witness my Will?
We will not witness a Will that is not prepared by our office. A Will does not need to be witnessed by a Notary to be valid, the main requirements for the standard execution of a Will are that it must be witnessed by two witnesses over the age of 19 years (who must not benefit, directly or indirectly, in any way by the Will) and the witnesses must both be present at the same time as the testator and at the same time as each other so that all three observe each other signing and witnessing the Will. If you have any concerns regarding the validity of your Will, do not hesitate to contact our office for a personal consultation.
Will you witness my Power of Attorney?
We will not witness a person giving Power of Attorney (the donor), however we will witness the signature of the person accepting Power of Attorney (if the document if prepared by a Lawyer or Notary.
Do you do Hospital or Home Visits?
Yes, on a case by case basis we are able to arrange these appointments. There are additional fees for this service, please contact our office for more information.
Call Us Today: (250) 754-1363
CONTACT US
Our Team
Steele Althouse - Notary Public
Steele Althouse became a Notary Public in 2009 and was awarded for the highest marks on the real estate exam held by the BC Notary Society. He has worked at Althouse Notary since 2002 when he started working with his mother Sharon Althouse who started the firm in 1993. Sharon has since retired and has handed the office over to her son who is following in her footsteps as the preferred Notary in Nanaimo. Steele is married to his wife Tara and together they have 3 young children to keep them both busy when not working.
Alana Haliliku - Notary Public
Alana Halaliku completed her Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies (MAALS) at Simon Fraser University in 2021 and was commissioned as a Notary Public by the Supreme Court of Canada in June 2022. Before this, Alana spent 13 years as a banker with Coastal Community Credit Union (CCCU), with the majority of her career working in the Commercial Division specializing in Real Estate and Development Financing. She was responsible for developing and maintaining commercial business relationships and took pride in helping members achieve financial goals. During her time at CCCU, Alana completed several lending and banking courses including a Business Lending Designation from Dalhousie University and the Credit Union Institute of Canada as well as completed her Bachelor of Business Administration at Vancouver Island University.
Alana enjoys being involved with the community and has previously sat on the board of the Young Professionals of Nanaimo and the Vancouver Island Canadian Home Builder’s Association. As a Notary Public, Alana delivers quality work to her clients while providing a practical approach to legal processes.
Sharon Althouse
Retired Notary Public
Sharon started the firm of Sharon Althouse Notary Corporation back in 1993 and has only recently retired, well sort of. She still checks
in on the office every so often and continues to do the books and accounting for the office.
Carie Geddes - Conveyancer
carie@althouse.ca
Jessica Pittman - Conveyancer
jessica@althouse.ca
Narissa Leggett - Conveyancer
narissa@althouse.ca
Sarah Ketch - Conveyancer
sarah@althouse.ca
Alexandra Larson - Conveyancer
alexandra@althouse.ca
Iryna Galunenko - Receptionist
reception@althouse.ca
Call Us Today: (250) 754-1363
CONTACT US
Phone
(250) 754-1363
reception@althouse.ca
Address
2133 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, BC
V9S 1H8, Canada
Hours
9:00AM - 5:00PM (Closed on weekends and statutory holidays)
