Estate Planning

I was at a conference for professional valuators and appraisers from around North America. There was a session devoted to the do’s and don’ts when dealing with the tax authorities on disputes with valuations, presented by two gentlemen with considerable experience with tax disputes on both sides of the border. I was interested in hearing that while estate and gift tax returns have a high audit focus in the USA….

The recent case of Morton v. Christian is a reminder to Quebec residents – if you execute a notarial Will, you need to appreciate the manner in which the notarial Will can be revoked. Notarial Wills stem from the Quebec Civil Code. They are executed before a notary, who then registers the original with the provincial registry and stores the original as an officer of the court. The benefit of….

The Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) has undertaken a project to examine and review Ontario’s laws related to legal capacity, decision –making and guardianship. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending one of their focus groups. Spokespersons from various groups were there representing those with autism, mental health issues and the hearing impaired, to name a few. While the disability groups may have different issues, there was more….

A recent Ipsos-Reid report found older Canadians lack confidence in the health-care system’s ability to provide for seniors in the future. With the aging population and strains on the various government systems and agencies for seniors, elder care planning is becoming more crucial. The shift in the demographics of our society into an aged population will put additional strain on our health care system and our caregivers. Most individuals as….

I recently had the pleasure of presenting to a group of seniors on the topic of Elder Abuse. The event was organized by the Sunshine Group of Seniors, part of the San Romanoway Revitalization Association. I presented along with Police Constable Amir Butt of 31 Division. P.C. Butt explained that there are four different types of elder abuse: physical; psychological or emotional; financial; and, neglect. He explained that neglect comes in….