For many people who own the house in which they live, their home is the most valuable asset in their estate. In many communities in Canada, house values have steadily increased over the last several years and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that the value of an estate…
A charitable remainder trust (CRT), although not widely used in Canada, can be a useful charitable giving tool that generates an immediate tax credit for the donor. In an inter vivos context, an individual establishes an alter ego trust and transfers property to the trust on a tax-deferred basis. The trust holds…
Today’s blog was written with the assistance of Mahsa Pezeshki, a law clerk at Fasken LLP On August 17th the Ontario government announced that the Ontario Business Registry (OBR) will be launched on October 19, 2021 and The Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) will also be proclaimed into force…
This blog was written by Paula Lester – Estate and Trust Consultant with Scotia Wealth Management No one can question that Eleena Murray, who passed away in May 2017 at the age of 99, had charitable intentions. On the other hand, exactly how charitable her intentions were is at the…
A crisis may change long-held views. In reaction to the devastating economic effect of COVID-19 a couple of regulators have loosened their rules related to two different types of charitable property. Will these changes be temporary or will they lead to long-term change? And what effect does it have on…
When I had previously thought of ‘Gift Planning’ I was only considering the Will component, the gift left to a particular charity, once the person had died. I had not fully appreciated all of the challenges that might be experienced when working with the older person while they are still…
Earlier this year, my colleague Justin de Vries blogged about the post-mortem release of dueling love letters from T.S. Eliot and his friend/inamorata Emily Hale. However, there is now a happier news story regarding the impact of Mr. Eliot from beyond the grave. The Bronte Parsonage, in England, is a…
Neil Armstrong’s first and second family have competing visions for his legacy and administration of his estate.
In 15th and 16th century Europe donor recognition was negotiable. The biggest donors gave to the church, but the best way to be recognized in a durable way was to underwrite religious art. Albrecht Dürer’s circa 1500 triptych, the Paumgartner Altarpiece, is one of the most arresting examples of the…
It’s hard to underestimate the importance of the Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector report to that was released on June 20th. After almost 18 months of hearings and consideration, this once-in-a-generation study came up with 42 recommendation on topics ranging from volunteerism, social enterprise, regulatory system, and judicial…
