Estate Administration

Total 518 Posts

Does Donor Recognition Create Obligations?

Is a donor obliged to provide ongoing support to a charity after a building or facility is named in their honour?  The legal answer is “no”.  Naming, however, may stir up complex feelings of ownership and hope, which often lead to misunderstandings — even after the donor is dead. Ownership Donors and their descendants understandably feel ownership for a facility in the family name.  The place, for example, may define….

Does Donor Recognition Create Obligations? Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

More Tales From the Field

We received a lot of feedback on our Blog last week written by my colleague, Holly Allardyce, about locating estate assets. Readers shared some interesting stories from their experiences as a professional executor about where they have found cash and other assets that their deceased clients hid while they were alive. I have picked a couple of these stories from across the country to share with you. Tiny Treasured Train….

More Tales From the Field Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Uncategorized

Limited Retainers, Lawyer Liability and Limitation Periods

The recent Court of Appeal (“ONCA”) decision of Meehan v. Good, 2017 ONCA 103 (“Meehan”), reminds lawyers that the duty of care owed to their clients is extensive, and may operate beyond a limited-scope retainer. In Meehan, the plaintiffs, Michael and Anne Meehan, brought a claim against their lawyer, John Cardill, who they initially retained to pursue an assessment of the accounts of their previous counsel. The Meehans sued Mr…..

Limited Retainers, Lawyer Liability and Limitation Periods Continue Reading »

Dependant Support, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Liability, Power of Attorney, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes, Testamentary Capacity, Undue influence, Wills

I Know I Put it Somewhere.

This Blog was written by: Holly Allardyce I once attended a networking event where we all had to name an aspect of our jobs that we enjoy. I volunteered that I liked knowing I had located all of a deceased person’s valuables. The perplexed facilitator asked if I was a professional burglar. I advised that I was a Trust Officer that when attending at a residence shortly after a client’s….

I Know I Put it Somewhere. Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Uncategorized

Estate Distributions

During the administration of an estate, taxable income can be generated in the form of interest, dividends, capital gains, etc. after all debts and specific bequests have been paid. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) was asked if an estate could distribute the remaining taxable income to the residual beneficiaries. The CRA confirmed that the ability of an estate to distribute the remaining taxable income to the residual beneficiaries would depend on….

Estate Distributions Continue Reading »

Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Executors

Multiple testamentary trusts for tax purposes: Are they always treated as one?

This issue was recently tested in Court with a “bittersweet” result. Three testamentary trusts were created for 3 children in the late 2000’s. Their mother was an income beneficiary in each trust, and entitled to receive all the net income derived from each trust during her lifetime. A child and his/her children were income and capital beneficiaries of each respective trust and would be paid the net income after their….

Multiple testamentary trusts for tax purposes: Are they always treated as one? Continue Reading »

Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Investments, Property, Resulting Trust, Tax Issues, Trusts, Uncategorized
Scroll to Top