This blog post was written by Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Following President Trump’s announcement of “Liberation Day,” Canadians are contemplating the reasons behind this decision. Amidst this uncertainty, many Canadians have re-evaluated their relationships with the United States, encompassing their daily interactions, financial affairs, and future planning. The purchase…
Today’s blog was written by Karen La Caprara, Counsel, at Fasken LLP. Like many modern families, the fictional Pritchett family in the series “Modern Family” has a variety of personalities, family dynamics and relationships, traditional and modern viewpoints. The many possible iterations and permutations of what makes a family…
In our last blog post, Lifestyle Changes Bring Increased Risk to Older Clients – Part1, we explored the need to rethink the planning paradigm for older clients and actively shift to assuming a 100-year lifespan. However, a 100-year lifespan does not necessarily equal 100 years of good health. We know…
Recently, the world learned of the passing of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa in what appeared to very strange circumstances. Initially, there were concerns that their deaths may have been as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Autopsy reports have later revealed that this is not the…
A common misconception about donor advised funds is that they are trusts, charitable purpose trusts. At times, lawyers, especially those with expertise in trusts and estates, struggle with this distinction, as do donors. In 2023, this issue came to the forefront when Canadian charities briefly thought they might need to…
An existing tax debt at the time of death can wreak havoc on the administration of an estate and can jeopardize the estate and insurance planning. This is because the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA“) is not your typical creditor and has statutory powers to seize assets of the estate beyond…
This blog post was written by: Diana Leopardi, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Montreal Many people would have their cake and eat it too. Meaning, many people want to enjoy their retirement years while also plan for a lasting legacy to their next generation. How can this be done? What…
This blog has been written by Rahul Sharma, Partner, at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Toronto The world is changing very fast and conversations that I am having with people today include generous helpings of “T” words other than “tax” and “trust.” I could try to keep count of how many times…
This blog post was written by: Alicia Mossington, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust London Historically in Ontario, a Last Will and Testament was required to meet strict formal validity requirements to be considered valid. The requirements set out in the Succession Law Reform Act required a Will to be in…
This article is written by Nicole Ewing, Principal, Wealth Planning Office, TD Wealth As an estates and trusts professional, I’ve certainly had my share of conversations about death, taxes, and all the in-between. I’ve discussed the pros and cons of various approaches, tools, and strategies. I’ve helped those who are…