Principal residence – deceased vs. estate (Part 2): Time is of the essence

In my previous blog, Principal residence – deceased vs. estate, I discussed the opportunity for an estate to claim a capital loss on a property that was previously the principal residence of the deceased and carry it back to the deceased’s final tax return under subsection 164(6) of the Income Tax Act (ITA). A number of readers reached out to me regarding the difficulties of realizing the loss and filing….

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Estate Administration, Real Estate, Tax Issues

From Pepper to Grace: our robots are looking more like us….

In February 2019  I visited Shintomi Nursing Home in Tokyo Japan that utilized over 20 different types of care bots.  I had previously introduced you to Pepper, one of their care bots that is able to entertain and lead exercise classes. This past week, I read about Grace  who was created during Covid with the aim to reduce social isolation.  Grace has also skills as well and is able to….

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Caregiving

Estates in the Media – Fact or Fiction?

Today’s blog was written by Courtney Lanthier, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP It feels like everyday a new television show or movie is released and sometimes (if we’re lucky) we get to see our profession played out on the big screen. But perhaps “lucky” isn’t the right word, since most of the time, what we see on our televisions isn’t always the most accurate representation of the world of estates…..

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Uncategorized

Charities Lawyers Don’t Recommend

I recently spoke to an estate lawyer who told me she would never recommend certain charities to clients. Why?  Because of the way these charities treated estate trustees. Some charities are unduly litigious, grind on fees, and are obstreperous about releases. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this comment from estate professionals – and some traumatized lay executors and family members. Sympathy for Charities It’s hard to evaluate the….

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Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

You Wear the Executor Hat First

It’s not easy being an Estate Trustee and a beneficiary. However, an Estate Trustee must be ever mindful that she wears the executor “hat” first. In other words, the duties an Estate Trustee owes to the beneficiaries must come before the Estate Trustee’s own interests. Otherwise an Estate Trustee will be at risk of breaching her fiduciary duties and, at the end of the day, may not be entitled to….

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Compensation, Estate Administration, Trustee Compensation

More than the estate you leave behind

This blog was written by Justin Ecclestone, Estate and Trust Consultant with Scotia Wealth Management  In the estate planning world we come across people from many different walks of life with unique stories. I have noticed that clients tend to focus all their attention on the will while the powers of attorney are often an after thought. A strong estate plan is much more than an updated will. Having a….

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Uncategorized
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