Uncategorized

Total 680 Posts

When will the Court Pass Over an Estate Trustee?

In the recent case of Sassano v. Iozzo, 2024 ONSC 1517, the Court reviewed the applicable legal principles regarding passing over an estate trustee, and found that in the circumstances of the case, it was appropriate to pass over one of the named co-estate trustees. In this case, the applicant sought, among other relief, the removal of the respondent, her sister, as an estate trustee of their mother’s estate. Their….

When will the Court Pass Over an Estate Trustee? Continue Reading »

Uncategorized

Hot Topics with Gentlemen in their 80s

Recently, I returned for my fourth annual presentation to a group of older gentlemen about planning for the last decade of life. With more than fifty in the audience each year, the participants are a good cross-section of men in their 80s. They are a lively, well-informed group of retired and semi-retired men who share insights and advice on what they want and need for smart ageing. As one person….

Hot Topics with Gentlemen in their 80s Continue Reading »

Elder Care, Elder Management, Estate Planning, Funeral Planning, Medical Assistance in Dying, Smart Ageing, Uncategorized

Is This a Bare Trust?

Andrew Coates, Associate, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP Today was supposed to be the due date for untold numbers of T3 returns and Schedule 15s for trusts known as “bare” trusts in existence on December 30, 2023. Not only was it going to be the first year that the Canada Revenue Agency (the “CRA”) required bare trusts to report their existence through the filing of a T3 return, but also the….

Is This a Bare Trust? Continue Reading »

Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Joint Tenancy, Tax Issues, Trusts, Uncategorized

Emotional Support Dogs

I once lost a seat in business class to an alleged Emotional Support Animal (“ESA”). The dog’s owners arrived for a flight in which they were apparently ready to put their alleged ESA, Woofie Goldberg[i], into her carrier and stow her under the seat in front of their own seats. Problems arose when it turned out that the couple had seats immediately behind the bulk head (therefore no seats in….

Emotional Support Dogs Continue Reading »

Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Uncategorized

Chat, j’ai pété (and left a stink)

Since the widespread launch of cheap, accessible, generative AI platforms like Open AI’s ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Google Bard, Cohere Coral, etc. we’ve all read the news articles and blog posts written using AI to show off the possibilities these new tools present. In the legal industry, there’s buzz around the potential applications of AI when it comes to drafting, research, and streamlining simple tasks. However, one BC lawyer has demonstrated….

Chat, j’ai pété (and left a stink) Continue Reading »

Uncategorized

The End of Zoom Wills?

In order for a Will to be valid, the testator must sign in the document in the presence of two witnesses. During the COVID lockdown, numerous jurisdictions, including Ontario, enacted emergency legislation permitting the virtual or video commissioning of Wills. These measures enabled the testator’s signature on the Will to be witnesses by people who were not physically present in the room with the testator. While virtual Will commissioning in….

The End of Zoom Wills? Continue Reading »

Uncategorized
Scroll to Top