April 2017

Donation Tax Credit Mismatch

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It is a truism that Canadians who donate enough to charity at death can eliminate tax. This outcome is due to the 100% contribution limit for gifts by will and direct designation gift of registered funds and life insurance.  Since 2015, however, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Yukon have increased the top marginal tax rate, but not top donation tax credit rates.  In many cases estates with large donations to….

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Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Death of taxpayer – timing of the final return

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Some timing relief is granted to the deceased’s personal representative when a death occurs before the deceased has filed a tax return to report income received in the year. Generally speaking, the final return is due on or before the following dates: If the death occurred between January 1 and October 31 inclusive, the due date for the final return is April 30 of the following year. If the death….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Executors, Tax Issues, Uncategorized

Holidays and Family Traditions

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This past week we celebrated Passover and Easter.  Major holidays recognized with a statutory holiday attached, at least for the latter.  I wonder however about the observance of these holidays and whether this has waned over the years. For me and perhaps for many of you, these holy days have a traditional familial connection rather than a religious one.  The foods eaten, or  perhaps the foods not eaten, while symbolic….

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Family Conflict

Tontine – an ‘old’ annuity idea re-visited

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As people live longer their cash requirements can increase exponentially. My Blog colleague, Audrey Miller, recently told me that, in Ontario, publically funded Nursing home expenses for a private room start at $30,000 per year and private retirement residences are much more expensive. There are other potential cash requirements such as the expense of personal care assistants. In addition to being faced with increasing costs of living, the problem is compounded by the fact that a….

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In the News, Insurance, Investments, Uncategorized

Estate Trustee Awarded Costs for Unnecessary Passing of Accounts

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In a recent court decision, Pochopsky Estate, the court found the Deceased’s four children (the “Beneficiaries”) jointly and severally liable for the estate trustee’s costs related to an application compelling him to pass his accounts.  The Beneficiaries had obtained an order compelling the estate trustee to account. The court ultimately found that the application was unnecessary and awarded the estate trustee his costs payable by the Beneficiaries. In his will,….

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Costs, Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts

QUALIFIED DISABILITY TRUST (“QDT”): HOW TO FILE A JOINT ELECTION?

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Recently, the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) issued a “how to file” the joint election for a trust to be a QDT: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t3qdt/README.html From 2016 forward, this form is to be used if one or more beneficiaries are jointly electing that the trust be designated to be QDT for the year. The form should be filed with the trust return (T3) for the year. The filing of a joint election designates….

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Capacity Law, Disability, Estate Administration, Guardianship, Tax Issues, Testamentary Capacity, Trustee, Trusts, Uncategorized
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