Summary Judgment and Limitation Periods in the Context of Estate Litigation

Today’s blog was co-written by Ronald Neal. In Sinclair v Harris, Justice Nakatsuru granted summary judgment on the basis that the claims advanced on behalf of the estate were statute-barred. The deceased passed away in November 2015.  The Plaintiffs are the estate trustees appointed in the deceased’s will (the “Estate Trustees”).  Five years before her death, the deceased advanced approximately $137,333 to her friends (the “Defendants”) so that the Defendants could purchase a….

Summary Judgment and Limitation Periods in the Context of Estate Litigation Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Joint Tenancy, Loans, Resulting Trust, Uncategorized

Trust Claiming a Capital Gain Reserve

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) answered several questions regarding a scenario in which a trust claims a capital gains reserve. When a trust claims a capital gains reserve, and the amount of the reserve is included in income in the subsequent year and flows through the trust to a beneficiary, does the gain retain all of its attributes? The reserve amount which the trust claims is included in calculating its capital….

Trust Claiming a Capital Gain Reserve Continue Reading »

Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Executors, Tax Issues

Today is National Senior’s Day.

What does this mean exactly? Does it mean a greater discount at Shopper’s or at Timmy’s. I don’t think so…… It is actually a reminder to all of us to acknowledge the great contribution made by seniors every day. As boomers reach this milestone, a senior is officially defined as someone over the age of 65, but this definition in practice may vary between the ages of 55- 60 and….

Today is National Senior’s Day. Continue Reading »

Elder Care, Uncategorized

Closing the Gap: Using Annuities to Resolve the Wait for an Estate’s Residual Beneficiaries

Today’s guest blog is from Lea Koiv, BComm, CPA, CMA, CA, CFP, TEP at Lea Koiv and Associates and Alexandra Macqueen, CFP at Pension Acuity. Lea and Alexandra are strategic partners providing advice in areas including longevity planning and the use of annuities in client estate plans, and pension decisions including commutations, transfers, and wind-downs. Many wills provide for a spousal trust with the spouse as the income beneficiary. This….

Closing the Gap: Using Annuities to Resolve the Wait for an Estate’s Residual Beneficiaries Continue Reading »

Uncategorized

Is it Improper for Counsel to Assist an Expert Witness in the Preparation of the Expert’s Report?

Expert evidence constitutes an exception to the rule that witnesses may only testify as to facts, not opinions, and that it is the exclusive prerogative of the trier of fact to draw inferences from proven facts. The expert evidence exception operates where specialized knowledge is required to determine the implications of the facts where the trier of fact is not competent to draw the necessary inferences unaided. The Rules of….

Is it Improper for Counsel to Assist an Expert Witness in the Preparation of the Expert’s Report? Continue Reading »

Estate Litigation, Testamentary Capacity

CRA Keeps A-Knockin’ (and Can Come In)

Estate trustees be warned: you may be held personally liable for failure to pay the estate’s taxes and/or the tax arrears of the deceased. When estate trustees are advised of this fact by their lawyers, pains are taken to soften the blow. CRA tends to be more blunt. Following the death of a taxpayer, CRA may write directly to the estate trustee setting out the amount of arrears owing and….

CRA Keeps A-Knockin’ (and Can Come In) Continue Reading »

Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Executors, Liability, Tax Issues
Scroll to Top