Estate Donations

Total 88 Posts

Robert and Signe McMichael’s Complicated Legacy

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[caption id="attachment_5842" align="aligncenter" width="477"] Robert and Signe McMichael signing Gift Agreement with Ontario Premier John Robarts .18 November 1965. Credit CBC[/caption] Robert and Signe McMichael, the namesake of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, were savvy art collectors who made some painful philanthropic and estate planning mistakes.  Visionary Collectors     Starting in 1955, when they were in their early 30s, they started buying landscape paintings by the Group of Seven….

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

Protecting Charitable Interests

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[caption id="attachment_5768" align="aligncenter" width="377"] Charities may struggle with a lack of resources and expertise when defending an interest in an estate.[/caption] Are charities in a will easier to challenge when there are more than five entities named?   This topic came up at a recent lunch with estate planning and litigation colleagues.  One told a cautionary tale of a large estate that was litigated away from a dozen named charities.  The….

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

The Art Collector and the Tax Deal

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[caption id="attachment_12949" align="aligncenter" width="300"] [/caption] A 1953 caricature of Douglas M. Duncan by Alan Reeve. Note the envelopes in his pocket at the lower right.   Douglas Duncan was a pioneering Canadian art dealer and ambitiously hapless businessman.   Known as the dealer and artistic executor of artist David B. Milne, he was legendary for his unopened mail, uncashed cheques and, yes, of course, failure to write a will.  Prior to….

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Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

The National Gallery of Canada’s Purpose

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[caption id="attachment_5336" align="alignleft" width="300"] New Indigenous and Canadian Galleries at the National Gallery of Canada, Courtesy of The Globe and Mail[/caption] At the recent opening of the new Indigenous and Canadian Art Galleries at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC), Director Marc Mayer made a fascinating throwaway comment. Due to the inclusion of historical objects and artifacts made by Canadian indigenous people NGC had to redraft its legal purposes.  In….

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Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Estate Planning – Can You Just Give Some of it Away?

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A recent article in the press reminded me of a trend in estate planning which appears to be taking more favor in recent times. It is not very complicated, can lead to considerable tax savings and other benefits while you are with the living. I am referring to the gifting of cash or assets during your lifetime. Many people who consult me and other members of my practice are often….

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Charitable Giving, Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Investments, Probate Tax, Tax Issues, Uncategorized

Gift returned receipt required

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The Canada Revenue Agency was asked to speak to the implications of a gift return and their response included some commentary on the impact on the donor. The situation the CRA was asked to consider involved an individual taxpayer who, in 1981, gave a whole life insurance policy to a charitable foundation raising funds to support a specific college. The gift was made on the condition that the funds be….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Charitable Giving, Estate Donations, Executors, Insurance, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Tax Issues
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