Costs

Total 42 Posts

PLANNING AND ESTATE PLANNING FOR THE DISPOSITION OF REAL ESTATE

I am in the middle of a very difficult Canada Revenue Agency audit of a taxpayer’s claim for the principal residence exemption. It now appears the property in question,  built by my client some 25 years ago may not qualify for the full exemption due to the fact that the taxpayer may have held other properties, which he also built, in the intervening periods which may or not have been….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Costs, Cottage, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Investments, Property, Real Estate, Tax Issues, Uncategorized

Estate Trustees and Costs of Litigation: Try not to take it personally?

In the work I do, I am asked to provide expert testimony to support litigation. In some cases, I am often quite surprised to what extent parties will continue to litigate matters that appear to be “no-wins” or for small dollar amounts. Depending on the circumstances, parties have taken the personal brunt of litigation costs that may far exceed the amount in question, due primarily to their own intransigence. A….

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Attorney Compensation, Contested wills, Costs, Estate Administration, Executors, Family Conflict, Liability, Property, Trustee, Trustee Disputes, Uncategorized, Wills

Death, Delay, and Dismissal

There are numerous technical traps a lawsuit can fall into which will need to be corrected before the matter moves forward. Generally speaking, the current norms of practice are for the parties to sort out any technical deficiencies between themselves so court time can be devoted to arguing the substantive issues in dispute. The Rules of Civil Procedure support this approach (see, for example, Rule 2 of the Rules of….

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Costs, Estate Litigation, Real Estate

The Cost of Winning, Sort of….

In my practice, I have been engaged on valuation matters which, on occasion despite the efforts of all those involved, go to trial to have a trial judge settle for the parties. Most trials are expensive and the actual outcome is not always certain, no matter how strong one side of the matter or case might be. It has been my experience that even if one happens to be on….

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Costs, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Executors, Joint Tenancy, Property, Uncategorized, Undue influence, Wills

Alternative Level of Care- Take 2

Our Ontario government is short sighted. We/They have not planned well for the changing and aging of our society. There simply is no place for those of us who need care and are not fortunate enough to either have the funds to pay for it themselves or have the necessary family available who can pay for and assume this heavy burden – both in terms of financial, emotional obligation and….

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Costs, Elder Care, Geriatric Care Management

Ontario’s Non-Resident Speculation Tax

Recently the Government of Ontario followed the heels of the British Columbia Government by introducing a “non-resident speculation tax” (“NRST”). The NRST will apply to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in residential property located in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the “GGH”) by individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents or by foreign corporations or taxable trustees.  The quantum of tax is equal to 15% and it….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Costs, Liability, Property, Real Estate, Tax Issues
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