Trusts

Total 216 Posts

Taxable Income of an Estate: Can it be Distributed?

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Suppose a straightforward will with very simple instructions to the executor: The executor is to pay the debts and expenses of the deceased, execute certain specific bequests of property and with some general instructions, distribute the residue of the estate to the named beneficiaries. During the administration of an estate, taxable income is generated during the course of paying all the debts and executing the specific bequests. Because it might….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executors, Tax Issues, Trusts, Wills

TAX FREE ROLLOVERS: DIVORCE AND DEATH – NOT A GOOD MIX

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Recently, the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) was asked to comment on a scenario involving the transfer of a RRSP and a capital asset between ex-spouses, and one the spouses dies before the rollover can be effected: Do the tax free rollover provisions found in the Income Tax Act (“ITA”) still apply? In the scenario presented to the CRA, Mr and Mrs. Z are ex-spouses. They have a written separation agreement….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Planning, Executors, Investments, Property, Real Estate, Tax Issues, Trustee, Trusts

Testamentary Trusts – Are they Dead?

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Dating back to the 12th century when the English court of equity created the concept of the “use”, which in modern day is known as the “trust”, trusts have been an important tool in estate planning for both tax and non-tax reasons. Prior to January 1, 2016, testamentary trusts had enhanced tax benefits for purposes of incorporating into an estate plan. Effective January 1, 2016, changes to the Income Tax Act (the “ITA”) eliminated one of these enhanced tax benefits that testamentary trusts offered, leading practitioners to ask whether testamentary trusts continue to serve a purpose in a individual’s estate plan…..

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Estate Planning, Trusts

Don’t Look a Gift House in the Mouth

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“A resulting trust arises when title to property is in one party’s name, but that party, because he or she is a fiduciary or gave no value for the property, is under an obligation to return it to the original title owner.” Pecore v Pecore (SCC). In 1969, Luisa immigrated from Portugal to Canada. By 1972, all of Louisa’s seven children had joined her (spanning in ages from 20 to….

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Estate Litigation, Property, Real Estate, Resulting Trust, Trusts

ATTRIBUTION RULES AND PLANNING REVISITED

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Recently the Canada Revenue Agency (the “CRA”) issued a technical interpretation on the application of the income attribution rules under the Income Tax Act (“ITA”) which serves as a good primer particularly when a personal representative is looking at the deceased’s prior year returns with joint accounts and the potential for additional taxes. Mrs. Entrepreneur owned and sold shares of a Canadian-controlled private corporation that were “qualified small business corporation….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Planning, In the News, Investments, Joint Tenancy, Loans, Property, Small Business, Tax Issues, Trustee, Trusts

CAPITAL DIVIDEND ACCOUNT ELECTIONS AND THE DATE GONE WRONG?

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As I mentioned in a previous blog, the capital dividend account (“CDA”) is often a central feature of tax planning for individuals with private corporations with the opportunity to make tax-free distributions to shareholders on the disposition of certain capital assets. It gains particular focus in estate planning scenarios and eventually in estate and trust administration. As I also mentioned, the management of the CDA is a tricky proposition with….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Investments, Liability, Property, Small Business, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Trusts
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