Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Total 173 Posts

Charities Lawyers Don’t Recommend

• • 10 Comments

I recently spoke to an estate lawyer who told me she would never recommend certain charities to clients. Why?  Because of the way these charities treated estate trustees. Some charities are unduly litigious, grind on fees, and are obstreperous about releases. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this comment from estate professionals – and some traumatized lay executors and family members. Sympathy for Charities It’s hard to evaluate the….

Charities Lawyers Don’t Recommend Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Illiquid Assets and Estate Donations

• • 0 Comments

Tax relief for an estate donation cannot be claimed until the property is transferred to a charity.  No tax receipt; no tax credits.  If the distribution is after 60 months after death of the donor there is no tax receipt at all.  But what if the estate has illiquid assets that can’t easily be monetized, but may, possibly, be transferred in-kind to a charity? Extended claim period Formally, the tax….

Illiquid Assets and Estate Donations Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Estate Planning, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Campaign Donors Permitted to Advance Trust Claim

• • 1 Comment

GoFundMe is arguably the most recognized crowd funding platform used by many who seek to raise funds from the public domain to support a defined goal. Legal issues have been raised surrounding the funds donated through platforms such as GoFundMe, particularly when the funds are used for something other than its intended purpose. This issue is at the heart of Maghdoori v. Sanjari, 2022 ONSC 4624 (CanLII) (“Maghdoori”), an application….

Campaign Donors Permitted to Advance Trust Claim Continue Reading »

Charitable Giving, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Trusts

Estate Donations: Six Years Later

• • 8 Comments

The 2016 introduction of the Graduated Rate Estate (GRE) regime was accompanied by the “estate donations” rules. These Income Tax Act provisions altered the administrative and tax treatment of gifts by will, as well as direct designation gifts of life insurance, RRSP/RRIFs, and TFSAs.   How are charities and executors managing with these rules six and a half years later? I’d say the experience is mixed. Estate Donation Features Let me….

Estate Donations: Six Years Later Continue Reading »

Estate Administration, Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Uncategorized

Charitable Prizes

• • 3 Comments

When Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris in 1927, it was inspired by the $25,000 Orteig Prize. Also in the 1920s, when the International Math Union wanted to honour under 40-year-old rising mathematicians, Toronto math superstar J.C. Fields (under)funded a medal that has been awarded ever since. Since the 19th century, charitable prizes have been a way to recognize accomplishments and create change by providing incentives to achieve the….

Charitable Prizes Continue Reading »

Estate Donations, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving

Life Interest or Licence to Use?

• • 0 Comments

A person’s house is often their most valuable assets – both monetarily and emotionally. As a result, testators tend to put a lot of thought into who, and how, they wish to leave their house. However, as is always the case, best laid plans often go awry. One example of this, explored in the 2022 Court of Appeal of Ontario decision Barsoski Estate v Wesley, is when it is unclear whether the will gifts someone with a life interest in the house or a licence to use the property…..

Life Interest or Licence to Use? Continue Reading »

Charitable Giving, Contested wills, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Interest, Philanthropy/Charitable Giving, Property, Real Estate, Succession Planning, Wills
Scroll to Top