Depending on the specific terms of an insurance contract, under certain conditions, an insurer may adjust a death benefit under a life insurance policy, or deny payment altogether. For example, if an insured person commits suicide within two years after the day the policy or coverage is issued or last…
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…
Separation and Divorce: Implications[1] In Ontario, there are significant implications when a couple (both common-law and married) separates and when a couple divorces. As more and more couples live in common-law relationships as well as the rate of divorce in this day and age, it is important to consider the…
The Family Law Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.3 provides that when a spouse dies and the surviving spouse’s net family property[1] is less than the net family property of the deceased spouse, the surviving spouse may elect to take one-half of the difference between the net family property of the…
On March 22, 2017 (“Budget Day”), the Federal Government tabled the second budget (“Budget 2017”). While Budget 2017 focuses on building and supporting a strong middle class and economic growth, there are no new tax incentives for the charity and not-for-profit sector. The most significant development to the charity and…
Generally speaking, a personal trust is deemed to have disposed of its entire capital property and land inventory on the 21st anniversary of the creation of the trust and every 21 years thereafter for proceeds equal to its fair market value and to have required the same property immediately thereafter…
An administration bond is a promise to the court, with a surety, that the executor of an estate will be honest in performing his/her duties in the administration of the estate and in distributing the property of the estate to the beneficiaries. It protects the beneficiaries and creditors of the…
In the Ontario Superior Court decision, Lavoie and Trudel, 2016 ONSC 4141 (“Lavoie and Trudel”), the court was tasked with determining the validity of a will made on December 5, 2007 (the “2007 Will”) by the deceased, Lucien Trudel (“Lucien”), following his wife, Madeleine Denis’ (“Madeleine”) death. Among the issues…
In the recent decision of Prince v Nytschyk Estate, 2016 ONSC 7459, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice enforced a settlement despite the lack of signed minutes of settlement at the time of death of one of the parties. In this case, Cherie Lewicki (“Cherie”) and Joseph Nytschyk (“Joseph”) were in a common-law relationship for about 15 years, during which time they lived together in a house in Joseph’s name alone. Joseph died intestate (without a Will) in 2013 and Cherie continued to live in the house until her death in 2015. Before her death, Cherie commenced a claim for dependent’s relief against Joseph’s estate. As part of her claim, Cherie sought a declaration that the house was held in trust for her based on a resulting or constructive trust. With the estate’s potentially significant exposure to a dependant’s support claim, the parties agreed to a settlement whereby the house would be transferred to Cherie. However, prior to the completion of any signed minutes of settlement, Cherie unexpectedly died.
Many individuals make donations to charities in their Wills. Not only does this fulfill philanthropic goals, but it also provides a tax benefit. Making a charitable gift by will provides donation tax credits which can be used to offset the deemed disposition of capital property that occurs on death.