Estate Planning

Last week, Audrey Miller took the initiative to blog about ‘Ralph the Programme Guy’ and reflected on the lesson learned from his ‘eccentric’ life and sad, lonely death. I hope that the blogosphere will forgive my indulgence in following up on an issue that is only indirectly related to testamentary capacity. Since my childhood days,  I also had known ‘Ralph’, whose real name was Rayfield Platner. Rayfield was probably a variation….

Last week I stopped by Walter Beauchamp Tailors to purchase a new tie (I was attracted by the “clearance sale” sign in the window). As fortune would have it the owner, Terry Beauchamp, was the person who helped me out. I asked Terry if the store was closing. Terry, who is in his mid ‘60s and still looks great, told me that it was time to enter the next stage….

Do you ever wonder why things are the way they are? Someone does and that someone recently asked the Canada Revenue Agency why inheritances are not taxable. Although the questioner was told by his or her accountants that inheritances are not taxable in Canada, they asked the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to reply with details of the specific legislation that carves out inheritances. In their response the CRA confirmed that….