Wills

Total 457 Posts

A Brief Review of Solicitor’s Negligence

Claims against solicitors for negligence often arise in the context of estates cases, whether it be the failure of a lawyer to ensure that a testator’s wishes are accurately reflected in his/her will, to neglecting to confirm the testator had the requisite capacity and was not subject to undue influence in executing his/her last will. This blog provides a general overview of the current law of solicitor’s negligence and the….

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Estate Litigation, Liability, Wills

For Whom the Bells Toll: It Tolls for Family Trusts?

As we continue to absorb the draft legislation (together with explanatory notes and consultation paper) introduced by the Department of Finance to overhaul the system of taxation for private companies, some things have are becoming clear. If essentially enacted as currently drafted, the legislation will likely spell the end of family trusts for tax planning arrangements, particularly in the private company setting. Traditionally, for tax planning purposes, family trusts are….

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Business Succession Planning, Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, In the News, Investments, Property, Small Business, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills

My Best Interests, and Yours Too?

The recent case of Tarantino v. Galvano, 2017 ONSC 3535, raises a variety of issues familiar to estate litigators – powers of attorney, capacity, quantum meruit claims, the duty to account and the rules surrounding the removal of an estate’s executor. In this case the deceased, Rosa Filippo Galvano (“Rosa”) had two daughters, Nellie Galvano (“Nellie”) and Giuseppina Bucci (“Giuseppina”), who died in 2007. Giuseppina had two daughters, Rosa Pignatelli and….

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Attorney Compensation, Capacity Law, Caregiving, Compensation, Contracts, Elder Care, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Executors, Family Conflict, Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts, POA Compensation, Power of Attorney, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes, Wills

Tidbits from the CRA

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending STEP Canada’s 19th National Conference, where I, along with over 700 other trust and estates professionals from across Canada, had the opportunity to hear from engaging and thought-provoking speakers on a diverse range of trust and estates topics. One of the plenary sessions every year at the Conference, which attendees particularly anticipate, is the STEP Canada/CRA Round Table, where senior representatives….

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Spouse, Tax Issues, Wills

JOINT TENANCY AND PROBATE AVOIDANCE – A QUICK REVISIT

When developing estate plans for clients with property of a capital nature (real estate, marketable securities being a couple of examples), one of the questions I get asked more often than not is: How can I avoid probate? Can I just put someone else’s name on a document so it transfers to that person when I pass away? Are there any implications? Technically speaking, “putting someone else’s name on a….

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Business Succession Planning, Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Planning, In the News, Interest, Investments, Joint Tenancy, Probate Tax, Property, Real Estate, Resulting Trust, Tax Issues, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills

Multiple Wills – the West Coast version

This Blog was written by: Natalie Rouse Most of us are familiar with the 1998 decision of Granovsky Estate v Ontario. The case has been the leading authority to permit planning with multiple Wills in Ontario. The use of multiple Wills is now an integral part of the estate planning process for business owners and professionals. It is a frequently used and effective strategy in order to save (and in….

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Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Planning, Executors, In the News, Probate Tax, Uncategorized, Wills
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