This blog post was written by Alicia Mossington, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust London Executors in Ontario are often required to obtain a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee (colloquially and historically referred to as “probate”). Although Estate Administration Tax (“probate tax”) is applicable across many jurisdictions in Canada, it…
Today’s blog was written by Jessica Butler, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP. Last weekend my husband and I settled in for a typical Sunday night at home – cozy on the couch with a good Netflix documentary. We decided to watch “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed”. What I…
Today’s blog was written by Courtney Lanthier, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP. In recent years, I have noticed an increase in the younger generations (specifically my millennial generation) opting to have pets instead of children. This shift can be seen as a result of many economic factors and has ultimately…
Today’s blog was written by Latoya Brown, Associate, at Fasken LLP When it comes to estate planning involving trusts, selecting the right trustee is one of the most crucial decisions. The recent case, Jones v. Jones, 2025 ONSC 695 serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities and potential pitfalls…
This blog post was written by Melissa Plunkett, Director, Scotiatrust Over my almost twenty-five-year career in the trust industry, I have seen a lot of clients who have settled trusts for protection – protection of assets and protection of the beneficiary. Over the course of this past year, with all…
A common misconception about donor advised funds is that they are trusts, charitable purpose trusts. At times, lawyers, especially those with expertise in trusts and estates, struggle with this distinction, as do donors. In 2023, this issue came to the forefront when Canadian charities briefly thought they might need to…
This blog has been written by Rahul Sharma, Partner, at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Toronto The world is changing very fast and conversations that I am having with people today include generous helpings of “T” words other than “tax” and “trust.” I could try to keep count of how many times…
This blog has been written by Darren Lund, Partner at Fasken LLP In Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2024 ONSC 6285, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice revisited the treatment of a discretionary family trust in the context of the equalization of net family property under the Ontario Family Law Act. Barbara…
Andrew Coates, Associate, Gowling (WLG) Canada In April, I wrote an article about the Canada Revenue Agency’s (the “CRA”) 11th hour reversal on requiring bare trusts to file T3 returns and Schedule 15s because of the confusion of Canadians and tax professionals alike in answering the question: is this a…
Today’s blog was written by Courtney Lanthier, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP. With the colder months approaching, it’s the time of year when people start considering (or re-considering) their estate plan. But when it comes time to sit down and make a Will, people can often become overwhelmed by the…