May 2020

Should Foundations Give More?

Charitable foundations are grappling with their response to COVID-19.  A Canadian initiative, Give5.ca, is advocating for increased granting through a time limited pledge in 2020.  Simply, the ask is for foundations to pledge to grant at least of five percent of their assets to registered charities in 2020.  That’s it. There are no restrictions related to cause or type of charity. Give5 is a movement initiated by a broad coalition….

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Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Low- Interest Environment: Time To Take Advantage Again.

In past blogs, we discussed income splitting arrangements available to individuals who wish to loan funds to his/her lower income spouse or adult child, or in the case of minor children, a discretionary family trust. Such loans would be used to invest in income producing properties such as marketable securities, mutual funds, real estate income trusts (to name a few). The income from these properties less the interest paid on….

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Business Succession Planning, Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Interest, Investments, Loans, Property, Real Estate, Small Business, Spouse, Tax Issues, Trusts, Uncategorized

A Virtual Q&A Session on Holographic Wills

Today’s blog was written by guest blogger, Anna Chen, Associate at Fasken LLP. The current pandemic has created a number of difficulties in having Wills drafted, signed and witnessed in the usual course.  As a result, we may see an increase in the number of handwritten Wills, which are commonly known as “holographic” Wills.  This Blog Post will address some of the frequent questions that arise with respect of holographic….

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Uncategorized

Virtual Will Signings and Access to Justice: Do Social Distancing Measures in Estate Law Help Everyone?

This Blog was written by Emily Racine, Estate and Trust Consultant with Scotia Wealth Management COVID-19 has changed the landscape in almost all aspects of our day to day lives. This includes the practice of estate law. With so many vulnerable individuals looking to complete their estate plan in the days of social distancing, organizations like the Law Society of Ontario have had to embrace change. With the introduction of….

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Estate Planning, In the News, Wills

COVID-19: Moving Past Quill and Ink to Use New Technology

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is a risk that some litigation may stall. There are many skeptics to technological workarounds to conduct matters remotely. However, the perfect cannot be the enemy of the good and we cannot simply pause litigation until the pandemic is over. In Arconti v. Smith, 2020 ONSC 2782, Justice Myers ordered that an upcoming examination in a proceeding must be conducted by videconference (if the….

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Estate Litigation, In the News
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