Last week, I had the pleasure of celebrating my oldest client’s birthday. She turned 99. We share the same name and she is often inspiration in my day to day work. She and her 94 year old sister live together, have never married and have no other family, other than…
Today’s blog comes to you from Student-at-Law, Derrick Raphael. As a new resident of Canada there are several issues that an individual must consider such as tax implications while residing in the country as well as one’s previous jurisdiction. Additional areas of interest regard how to manage assets, property and other…
How can an export permit affect charitable giving? Quite easily if you are dealing with a foreign art work deemed “cultural property” under Canada’s Cultural Property Export and Import Act (CPEIA). A June 12 Federal Court of Canada decision on the export of French impressionist painting has reportedly frozen donations…
In Campbell v Evert 2018 ONSC 593, the deceased had, in the decade prior to her passing, transferred to Mr. Evert (one of the “kids”) the family cottage valued at $145,000. In her will later that year, she made a specific bequest of $145,000 to Ms. Campbell, the other “kid’,…
Last Monday was Labour Day which signifies back to school and end of summer. It is a time of new beginnings, setting goals and starting new projects. Today is the first day of the Jewish New Year, another fresh start for those who celebrate. For many who may not attend…
I was reminded this week of the need for advisors to consider more than division of property, support, and custody and access arrangements in the context of marriage breakdown. Taxation issues related to family residences which could qualify as a principal residence need also be considered. One of the requirements…
This blog is authored by Gosha Sekhon, LL.B., B.A., Scotiabank. Courts apply the common law “rule of convenience” in the situation of legacies that have not been paid within the first year of an estate. In general terms, this means that interest is payable on a legacy not paid on…
Aretha Franklin, queen of soul, passed away on August 16, 2018 in Michigan, United States. She leaves behind unforgettable songs, a vast estate, and no will. It never ceases to surprise me when I hear about a celebrity dying without a will (i.e. intestate). Sure, celebrities are people too. But,…
All to often it is the elderly and disadvantaged who are taken advantage of in fraudulent investment schemes. The Canada Revenue Agency recently released some general information that applies to taxpayers who participated in what reasonably appeared to be a legitimate investment for income tax purposes. Generally speaking, an amount…
Undue influence results in benefits to a beneficiary/donee which would not have occurred except for the undue influence imposed by the beneficiary/donee upon the testator/donor. Undue influence can be conceptualized into two distinct types: (1) “actual” undue influence and (2) “presumed” undue influence. Actual undue influence is concerned with coercive…
