You may recall I wrote a blog post last year on the Supreme Court of British Columbia decision, Quinn Estate, 2018 BCSC 365, which rendered the “pour over” clause in the late Pat Quinn’s (“Pat”) Will invalid. The basis for this decision was twofold:….
“Pour Over” Clauses Revisited Continue Reading »
WillsA charitable remainder trust is an underutilized philanthropic tool where a charity is given a future monetary benefit, while the donor receives immediate tax relief in respect of the charitable contribution. Typically, a donor irrevocably contributes property to a trust for the lifetime of a beneficiary, with a charity being the residual capital beneficiary upon the death of the lifetime beneficiary. The lifetime beneficiary has the right to the income….
Advantages and Disadvantages of Charitable Remainder Trusts[1] Continue Reading »
Charitable Giving, TrustsToday’s blog comes to you from Student-at-Law, Demetre Vasilounis. In 2013, the Government of India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests ignited a discussion in the international legal community by deciding to prohibit dolphinariums as well as any enterprise that involves the import or capture of cetacean species (dolphins, whales, porpoises) for the purposes of commercial entertainment. This was notable because the Ministry suggested that dolphins in particular should be seen as “non-human….
Could a “non-human person” ever be a beneficiary of a will? Continue Reading »
In the News, Wills
Romance scams are among the top reported scams based on total dollar loss, and seniors are particularly susceptible to these types of scams. Unfortunately, the late Robert Hogg fell victim to a romance scam, which was not discovered until after his death. The facts can be found in the CBC News article, but essentially the story goes as follows: Mr. Hogg, a widow in his mid-60’s who was diagnosed with cancer,….
Senior Man Falls Victim to Online Romance Scam Continue Reading »
Elder CareHow to Effectively use Trusts in Estate Planning for Blended Families[1] You may recall I previously blogged about Common Pitfalls in Estate Planning for Blended Families. In this blog post, I will discuss considerations when using trusts in estate planning for blended families. Trusts are a useful tool in the blended family context to manage the varying and often competing interests of a surviving spouse and children of a prior….
How to Effectively use Trusts in Estate Planning for Blended Families Continue Reading »
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Common Pitfalls in Estate Planning for Blended Families[1] The traditional concept of the nuclear family (i.e., mother, father and one or more children of a single relationship) has evolved over the years. The modern family is more complicated and may consist of parents who are in second or third relationships and who bring into a relationship children from one or more prior relationships. To further complicate the familial structure, there….
Common Pitfalls in Estate Planning for Blended Families Continue Reading »
Estate Planning, Wills