Fasken LLP

Will The Vacant Home Tax Impact Use of the Principal Residence Exemption; Estate Planning Considerations

  Overview The Ontario government has enabled municipalities to enact a tax on vacant residential units in their regions (Granted under Part IX.1 of the Municipal Act).[1] Each municipality has to pass a By-Law stating the tax rate and conditions of vacancy that, if met, make a property subject to the tax. The Council of the City of Toronto enacted their By-Law, deeming it to have come into force on….

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Estate Planning, Executors, In the News, Property, Real Estate, Tax Issues, Uncategorized, Wills

As You’re ‘Checking Your List’, Don’t Forget Your Year End Tax Planning

As the holidays approach, so too does December 31st or the end of a calendar year.  This date can mean different things to different people.  For those in the business of estate and tax planning, the spectre of December 31st often leads to calls from clients who are looking to: complete a project they had on their “to do” list for the calendar year, start a project but have it….

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Estate Planning, Tax Issues, Trusts

The Secret Language of Estates, and Inflation

Estates clerks and lawyers “speak” their own language.  We use acronyms or initialisms[1] such as CAET, EIR, RCP, ARI, AET, GRE, POA and COLA.  We use abbreviations like Benys and T’ees, and we draw triangles.  The idea for this blog was born when reflecting on having to interpret a lawyer’s handwritten notes for an assistant last week and on answering a “silly” question for a corporate colleague earlier this week. ….

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Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Uncategorized

Considerations When Trustees are Involved in Transactions

Approaching year end, you increasingly may be fielding calls from corporate lawyer peers who are closing transactions in which trusts are involved. For example, trusts may be direct vendors or sellers, or, perhaps HoldCos are the sellers, but one or more trusts own the shares of the HoldCos.  This blog will explore some (but not all) considerations that are relevant when trusts are involved in a transaction. High Level Considerations….

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Estate Planning, Trustee, Trusts

Anything New with Passing of Accounts?

Much has been written about the significant changes to the Ontario court probate forms and processes that came into effect on January 1, 2022, and more recently the July 1, 2022 amendments.  But, is there anything new with passing of accounts? Surprisingly, there have been no changes to the court rules and forms regarding passing of accounts since January 1, 2016.[1]  You may recall some of the 2016 changes, which….

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Estate Administration

Do I really need a Power of Attorney?

Today’s blog was written by Courtney Lanthier, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP Simply put, yes. A Power of Attorney, whether it be for your physical property or for your health care needs, can be an invaluable document that should be part of an estate plan. Clients can be so caught up in the need to have their Will completed in order to ensure their wishes are carried out after they’re….

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Estate Planning, Power of Attorney
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