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.

Can You be Removed as a Trustee Without a Replacement?

The recent case of Novak v. McDougall, (2019 SKQB 261), confirms that when you have accepted an appointment to be trustee, you may not be able to have yourself removed from that appointment without a suitable replacement. The applicant in this case, a beneficiary of a “Henson” trust (basically defined as being entitled to distributions from a discretionary trust but having no vested interest in the trust assets) set up….

Can You be Removed as a Trustee Without a Replacement? Continue Reading »

Capacity Law, Contested wills, Costs, Credibility, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Executors, Family Conflict, Guardianship, Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts, Resulting Trust, Trustee, Trustee Compensation, Trustee Disputes, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills

When is a Dividend Not a Dividend?

In Trower v. the Queen, 2019 TCC 77, the Company was privately held by the taxpayer and her spouse (49% and 51% respectively) until the taxpayer ceased to be shareholder in the Fall of 2016, pursuant to a separation agreement between the spouses. The company prepared and filed a T5 tax slip to document that dividends were paid in 2016 to the taxpayer prior to her ceasing to be a….

When is a Dividend Not a Dividend? Continue Reading »

Canada Revenue Agency, Contracts, Estate Administration, Practice Management, Separation, Small Business, Spouse, Tax Issues, Uncategorized

Inadequate Execution of a Will led to Court Dispute

In Bayford v. Boese 2019 ONSC 5663 the deceased Mr. Boese was the sole owner of a farm in Eastern Ontario he inherited from his parents. He never married and had no children. For two decades prior to his death, Mr. Boese was assisted in the operation of the farm by his friend, Ms. Bayford. Under a will made by Mr. Boese two years earlier, the farm property was to….

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Contested wills, Credibility, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Executors, Family Conflict, Power of Attorney, Uncategorized, Wills

Transferring Wealth During Your Lifetime

I was reading recently that approximately $30-trillion in assets will be shifting from one generation to the next across North America in the next few decades, according to consulting firm Accenture. A couple of years ago, I wrote about gifting cash or assets during one’s lifetime as an alternative method of distributing your wealth and possibly avoid taxes at time of death. Though there is no inheritance tax in Canada….

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Business Succession Planning, Estate Planning, Investments, Loans, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Probate Tax, Real Estate, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Trusts, Uncategorized

Trustee’s Personal Liability – It Could Go on for Years!

Take the case of Estate of Ronald Alfred Craymer v Hayward et al, 2019 ONSC 4600, The Craymers were married in the 1980’s. It was a second marriage for Mrs. Craymer and a fourth marriage for Mr. Craymer. At the time of their marriage, Mrs. Craymer had three adult children of her own and Mr. Craymer had four adult children. The Craymers were married for thirty-two years until Mrs. Craymer….

Trustee’s Personal Liability – It Could Go on for Years! Continue Reading »

Capacity Law, Estate Administration, Executors, Guardianship, Liability, Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts, Power of Attorney, Spouse, Trustee, Uncategorized

Gift of Ecologically Sensitive Lands and the Carryover period for charitable donation deduction

In Yellow Point Lodge Ltd. v, The Queen DTC 1130, the Company owned certain lands on Vancouver Island, mostly undeveloped and in its natural state. In June 2008, the Company granted a covenant and other specified legal interests with respect to a parcel of ecologically-sensitive land, to two organizations, with estimated fair market value in excess of $5 million. Initially, the Company did not claim a deduction in respect of….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Real Estate, Tax Issues, Uncategorized, Wills
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