Steven Frye

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Baker Tilly WM LLP is a leading, independent audit, tax, and business advisory firm based in Vancouver and Toronto, serving clients across Canada. Drawing on well-trained teams across a variety of disciplines, we ensure the alignment of our professional’s skills and experience with client requirements, resulting in exceptional service and business outcomes.

TFSA’s and Residency

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Recently, one of my blog colleagues wrote on the residency rules regarding tax free saving accounts (TFSA’s). Generally, as an owner of TFSA, if you leave Canada, the accumulated funds may remain in the TFSA without Canadian tax consequences. You can’t make any further contributions but you can make withdrawals. What if in a scenario recently presented in a round table discussion with the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”), the CRA….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Investments, Property, Trustee, Trusts, United States

Life Insurance and Contingent Ownership

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Ownership of assets into ‘joint tenancy with right of survivorship” is a mechanism of ownership transfer commonly used for estate planning to address such issues as probate fee and tax avoidance. Recently, this blog site very capably addressed the issues surrounding “joint tenancy” of life insurance in particular (“Life Insurance Joint Tenants” by Corina Weigl May 4, 2018), said issues to include partial loss of ownership and control over the….

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Estate Planning, Insurance, Investments, Joint Tenancy, Probate Tax, Property, Tax Issues, Uncategorized

Inheritances and Taxes – Be Careful Where you Step?

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Frequently, I am reminded how careful one has to be with making sure that tax-free inheritances generally maintain their status throughout all steps to liquidate and realize the proceeds. Here is a case in point. In Owen v The Queen (2018 TCC 90), the taxpayer’s father resided in the United States of America and had a US individual retirement account (“IRA”). The taxpayer’s father passed away. The taxpayer and his….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Investments, IRS, Property, Tax Issues, Uncategorized, United States, US Taxes

Income Splitting Loans: What’s the Use?

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We have blogged about 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 marketable securities, mutual funds, real estate income trusts (to name a few). The income from these properties less the interest paid on the loans….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Interest, Investments, Property, Spouse, Tax Issues, Uncategorized

The Cost of Winning, Sort of….

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In my practice, I have been engaged on valuation matters which, on occasion despite the efforts of all those involved, go to trial to have a trial judge settle for the parties. Most trials are expensive and the actual outcome is not always certain, no matter how strong one side of the matter or case might be. It has been my experience that even if one happens to be on….

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Costs, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Executors, Joint Tenancy, Property, Uncategorized, Undue influence, Wills

A Gift is a Gift

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We often write about the benefits (and some pitfalls) of gifting, before and after death. Personally, when I recommend gifting, I assume that unless there are specific outcomes required to realize on the gift, a gift is exactly that, a gift – something transferred voluntarily without expectation of getting it back because you changed your mind.  A recent court case appears to support this assumption. According to Johnston v. Song, 2018….

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Charitable Giving, Estate Planning, Family Conflict, Investments, Probate Tax, Property, Real Estate, Separation, Spouse, Uncategorized
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