For the past four years I have been a regular contributor to the All About Estates blog. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this collaborative process, this will be my last blog post entry. I have enjoyed working as part of the All About Estate teams and sharing our views. I will be continuing to blog regularly on estate law and related topics on the Sweatman Law Firm….
A fond farewell Continue Reading »
Estate PlanningPretty much anything related to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan garners headlines. The announcement that they would be giving away 99 percent of their fortune – currently worth $45 billion in Facebook shares – prompted visions of a massive private foundation in the manner of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Instead the couple said they were putting the fund into a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to….
Chan and Zuckerberg’s Post-Charity Initiative Continue Reading »
Philanthropy/Charitable GivingToday marks the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. It is also the first time that the anniversary falls on a school day. On this date in 2012, Adam Lanza killed 20 first grade students, 6 educators, and his mother, before turning the gun on himself. Following the shootings, there was an outpouring of support for Newtown: donations of over $2.6 million, along with….
Empathy and Advocacy Continue Reading »
Estate Litigation, In the NewsIf you are like most individuals at this time of the year, you probably don’t give too much thought to your taxes and perhaps putting it off until the filing deadline for tax returns approaches being in the spring of each year for most. For those who are beneficiaries of a trust for instance and expect to receive income distributions, or in a separate context, those who are developing a….
INCOME DISTRIBUTIONS AND CHARITABLE GIVING AND THE NEW PERSONAL TAX RATES Continue Reading »
Charitable Giving, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executors, Investments, Property, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Trustee CompensationFamily matters, but whom does it include? The Tax Court of Canada (“TCC”) and the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) recently separately considered questions along this line of inquiry…..
Family Matters Continue Reading »
Canada Revenue AgencyDid you see Steve Paiken’s The Agenda and their show on The Hidden Patient? A few reminders: there are 6 million working caregivers in Canada which means that 35% of working Canadians are caregivers. Twenty percent of working caregivers have health issues. Employers have to do a better job of understanding the role of being a caregiver and realize that their most important asset- their employees- need help to be able to focus on their job. Win – Win. We know that family caregivers are stressed. They worry and they also feel guilty…..
The Hidden Patient Continue Reading »
Elder Care, Elder Law, Geriatric Care Management, In the News