The Plague and Charitable Bequests

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[caption id="attachment_12694" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Tabernacle by Orcagna, 1359, Orsanmichelle, Florence[/caption] In 1348 the plague hit Florence – and Europe – hard. Half the population died in this densely populated city of 80,000. One result of this mass die-off was 350,000 florins of bequests to one organization, Orsanmichele, a grain market with a miracle producing Madonna shrine.  How much is 350,000 florins?  It was equal to the annual budget of the….

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Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Thoughts on Litigating in a Pandemic

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We are now several weeks into self-isolation, physical distancing, and working from home. Litigating is certainly not top of mind for most people. Moreover, the courts are operating under a limited schedule and will continue restricting the number of matters moving forward well into the summer (jury trials, for example, won’t begin until September 2020 and certain matters will be given priority over others). Many private mediations have been postponed….

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Estate Litigation, In the News, Practice Management

Had A Henson Trust Been Created? Tribunal Was Not Convinced

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Individuals can apply for support through government disability programs such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (“ODSP”) subject to maximums for levels of assets and income. For a single adult with no dependents applying under the ODSP the asset limit is currently $40,000. The OSDP regulations prescribe how assets are determined and creates several exemptions. Monies that are held not available to a recipient because they are held in a….

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Disability, Healthcare, In the News, Uncategorized

And the losers are Long Term Care patients

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As of Sunday, 112 long-term care homes in Ontario are grappling with COVID-19 outbreaks and the number is still growing. From the 553 deaths (as reported on Sunday April 19 9:35 am), 240 were residents of long- term care homes.  Shockingly, four residences have reported more than 20 deaths each and at the time of writing of this blog, include: Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon: 29 deaths Eatonville Care Centre….

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Elder Care

Accommodating Beneficiaries of a Will With Differing Gender Identities

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The symbol for people who identify as non-binary.

Accommodating Beneficiaries With Differing Gender Identities Our society is becoming increasingly attuned to accommodating the needs of people who have various gender identities, whether such people are transgender, queer, or do not identify as one specific gender. For example, Ontario announced a few years ago that its residents can use an “X” under the “Sex” indicator on provincial government identification to signify that they identify as transgender, non-binary, and/or two-spirited,….

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Contested wills, Dependant Support, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Conflict, Wills

ALEXA? How do I access my online account? Administering Estates in a Digital Age

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This Blog was written by: Alicia Godin, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust  Amidst the current landscape, many of us are self-isolating at home and finding ways to entertain ourselves. Often, this means relying more heavily on social media and digital technology. Many of us have adapted our typical business practices and move toward an (even more) paperless society. Planning for digital assets is not a new topic, but during this….

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Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executors, Uncategorized, Wills
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