Estate Planning

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Excluded Property, Estate Freezes and Family Law: What Estate Planners Need to Know After Lang-Newlands v. Newlands

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Estate planners have long viewed trusts and estate freezes as valuable tools for succession planning, tax efficiency, and family wealth preservation. However, the Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2026 ONCA 530, serves as an important reminder that family law considerations can significantly affect the intended outcomes of an estate plan. For trusts and estates practitioners, the decision highlights the limits of relying on the Family….

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Contested wills, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Conflict, Spouse, Succession Planning, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills

The Most Expensive Funeral I’ve Arranged—and the Cheapest: Things Every Executor and Testator Should Know About Funeral Costs

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Jo-Anne Stark, Practice Lead, Scotiatrust Western Region   One of the first responsibilities many executors face is arranging a funeral. It is often an emotionally charged task that must be completed quickly, sometimes with limited guidance from the deceased and before estate funds are readily available. As a result, the cost of a funeral can come as a surprise to both families and executors…..

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Estate Planning, Executors, Funeral Planning

Social and Personal Giving

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There is a charity fundraising truism that says “you don’t get money unless you ask for it”. But estate planning professionals know that’s not true. Thirty years ago, I was working in gift planning at a major Toronto hospital foundation.  My professional education consistently reinforced the above truism, but my experience didn’t align with what I was taught.  My job focused on exceptional donations from wealth and estate donations. To….

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Estate Planning, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

The Great Wealth Transfer Is Female: Why Estate Planning Professionals Must Adapt

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Jo-Anne Stark, Practice Lead, Scotiatrust Western Region   Reports indicate that by 2028, women in Canada will control nearly $4 trillion in assets.[1] In just the past decade, that figure will have doubled. The implications for estate planning professionals are profound. The most significant wealth transfer in Canadian history is already underway as assets pass from one generation to the next and surviving spouses….

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Estate Planning, Succession Planning

What Makes an Estate “Complex”? It’s About More Than Wealth

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Scotiatrust

This blog post was written by: Jean Yong, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Toronto   One of the most common things I hear from clients is, “I don’t think my estate is that complicated.” What they’re often really telling me is, “I don’t have enough money for estate planning to matter.” It’s an understandable assumption. When we hear the term complex estate, we tend to picture multiple properties, private corporations, substantial investment portfolios….

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Estate Administration, Estate Planning

U.S. Estate Planning & Step-Up in Basis: A Key Rule for Inherited Assets

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When advising Canadian clients with cross-border estate planning considerations involving U.S. beneficiaries, the step-up in basis is an important tax concept that can materially affect the beneficiary’s after-tax outcome. A step-up in basis is a significant U.S. tax rule that may affect the capital gains tax payable when inherited assets are later sold. In general, an asset’s tax basis begins with its original purchase price and may be adjusted for….

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Estate Planning, IRS, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, U.S. Citizen, US Taxes
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