All About Estates

Derek de Gannes

Total 133 Posts Website
Derek A. de Gannes: Senior Director, Private Client Services of RSM Canada. RSM Canada is committed to the highest level of integrity, quality and professionalism and provides clients with solutions in the area of Audit, Tax and Transaction Services. Email: derek.degannes@rsmcanada.com

Proposed relief for inter-vivos trusts

A recent letter from officials of Tax Legislation Division provides hope for trusts established for an individual eligible for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) to qualify for the principal residence exemption. Specifically, the letter addressed concerns raised by an adviser in respect of her client regarding the benefit of the…

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Comfort Letter Provides Hope for Non-resident Beneficiaries of Graduated Rate Estates

A recently released letter from the Department of Finance to the Joint Committee on Taxation recommends changes to enacted tax rules that would provide relief from Canadian withholding tax on estate distributions to non-resident beneficiaries of a graduated rate estate. Budget 2018 included a widened surplus stripping rule applicable to…

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Henson Trusts

Qualifying for support under various government disability programs in the form of cash payments or benefits often means that a recipient must have income and assets below a certain level. Without careful planning an intended inheritance may unintentionally serve to cut off a beneficiary’s government support. A Henson Trust allows…

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Application of Reasonable Return – TOSI

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) was recently asked their view on whether the “reasonable return” exception in would apply to preclude the application of the tax on split income (“TOSI”) rules. An adult individual who is resident in Canada (“Spouse A”) incorporated a company (“Opco”) to operate a non-services business….

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Attribution under 75(2)

Income attribution rules, generally speaking, operate so that income of one person (the actual recipient of the income) is attributed to and becomes income of another person (the transferor). Whether or not income which is subject to subsection 75(2) is first and foremost income of the trust itself can be…

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The perils of home purchase loans

Executors and personal representatives are tasked with making sure the deceased’s tax obligations are properly dealt with out of the deceased’s estate. An issue that may arise in the course of dealing with the obligations is how to deal with loans and advances from a private company. The Canada Revenue Agency…

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Changes to a Trust Agreement

The Canada Revenue Agency recently responded to a ruling request as to whether or not a proposed amendment to a trust agreement could be so significant to cause a resettlement of the trust, or a disposition of a beneficiary’s interest in the trust Before the enactment of variation of trusts…

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A TFSA loses its tax exempt status

The income tax treatment of a trust and its beneficiary where the trust lost its status as a tax-free savings account (TFSA) because it contravened the registration restriction on borrowing money was the subject of a recent Canada Revenue Agency(CRA) technical interpretation. The trust continued to exist for several years…

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Inherited assets and TOSI

While it has been over 18 months since its implementation, we are still learning more about the application of the tax on split income (TOSI) rules.  The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provided guidance where shares of a private company are passed on to the children of the deceased. The CRA…

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Power of Attorney Fees Paid

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) was asked whether compensation received by an individual acting under a power of attorney (POA) is required to be included in the individual’s income for income tax purposes. A POA is a legal document between two persons whereby one person (A) appoints another person and…

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