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This blog was written by Sierra Nunno While many young people cling to the acronym YOLO, which stands for ‘you only live once,’ the truth is YODO… you only die once. Ideally, upon death, our wishes are carried out according to plan and we rest peacefully. But what if there was no plan in the first place? The Covid-19 pandemic has forced young Canadians to confront an uncomfortable reality –….
YODO! – You Only Die Once Continue Reading »
Estate Planning, Wills
The Rippling Effects of Calmusky v. Calmusky In March of 2020, Lococo J.’s decision in Calmusky v. Calmusky made waves in Ontario’s legal community. (For this reason, it was included in our top 20 estate law cases of 2020. An excellent summary and analysis of that decision by my colleague Demetre Vasilounis can be found here). By applying the law on the presumption of resulting trust to an RIF, Lococo….
A charitable remainder trust (CRT), although not widely used in Canada, can be a useful charitable giving tool that generates an immediate tax credit for the donor. In an inter vivos context, an individual establishes an alter ego trust and transfers property to the trust on a tax-deferred basis. The trust holds the property for the benefit of the individual during the individual’s lifetime, entitling the individual to the trust’s income but….
Charitable remainder trusts: what are they and when are they useful? Continue Reading »
Canada Revenue Agency, Charitable Giving, Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Tax Issues, Wills[caption id="attachment_16267" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, Rome Credit: David’s Been Here[/caption] “Is perpetuity 21 years?”, asked a charity colleague. “Well, no, it’s forever. Or until the end of time, or as long as we collectively exist,” I answered. Despite my emphatic response, the question is a good one because it underscores the inherent meaninglessness of the phrase “in perpetuity” in relation to charitable donations, trusts….
How long is perpetuity? Continue Reading »
Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving
Tax planning can be very complicated with an Income Tax Act (“Act”) consisting of over 1.1 million words. This is a far cry from the original 4,000 words of the Act’s predecessor, Income War Tax Act[1], which was originally enacted as a temporary measure in 1917. The more than 3,000 pages contained in the Act is the legislation that governs our Canadian income tax system that is supplemented by precedent….
Tax planning in uncertain times Continue Reading »
Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Practice Management, Tax IssuesHouse prices across Ontario have seen incredible growth over the past 18 months, in part because of changing work and living arrangements as a result of the pandemic. As described in a recent Toronto Star article, the average house price in the GTA as of July 2021 was $1,062,256, a 12.6% increase from a year prior. For many young adults, the only way to enter the housing market is with….
The Hot Housing Market and Important Planning Considerations Continue Reading »
Estate Planning