As part of a good estate plan for a business owner, it is important to ensure the business documentation is current and easily accessible to the executor. Keeping up-to-date documentation will minimize the risk of an oversight by the executor or a mistake resulting from obsolete documentation. What documents should…
At least once in your life you’ll need a doctor, a lawyer and a preacher. But every day, three times a day, you need a farmer (Brenda Schoepp). Farming plays a pivotal role in our economy as it fulfills our basic daily necessities and it is in everyone’s interest that our…
Over the last couple decades, many Canadians have invested in real estate, more specifically, in rental properties. As a result, their real estate holdings will constitute a substantial part of their estate therefore, their estate plan should consider how best to minimize capital gains on death and preserve their real…
On March 25th, 2025, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 4247 (“EO 4247“) directing the U.S. Department of the Treasury to transition all federal disbursements and collections into electronic format; effectively ending the use of paper cheques. By September 30th, 2025, paper cheques for federal payments (notably tax refunds and…
In Canada, it is not uncommon for employers to grant stock options to employees as a form of compensation, notably in technology and startup sectors. These stock options provide employees the right to purchase company stocks at a predetermined price, often referred to as the “exercise price.” What are the…
It comes as a surprise to many Canadians to learn their estate may be subject to U.S. estate tax. Indeed, the U.S. estate tax regime is broad and complex and misunderstood by many Canadians. This article will provide a summary overview of its application to Canadian and how to minimize…
Philanthropy can strengthen one’s estate plan. In Canada, an estate plan may integrate charitable donations to leave a legacy to our community while taking advantage of the associated tax benefits. Such strategy can be implemented during the donor’s lifetime or upon the donor’s death. If the donor is a U.S….
Canadians are familiar with the concept of joint ownership with right of survivorship. It is the prevalent form of ownership between spouses. Therefore, it is not uncommon for Canadians to own U.S. real property or other U.S. property, jointly, especially between spouses. Many are of the view that it will…
One of the most interesting and challenging aspects of working in the trusts and estates field is how different the rules can be, not just internationally, but within our national borders. For example, this week I was chatting with my Quebec colleagues about Bill 56 – An Act respecting family…
The benefits of joint property ownership as an estate and probate planning strategy are well known; property vests to the surviving owner(s) on death thus, bypassing the estate and avoiding probate fees. In the right circumstances, joint ownership works great and facilitates the succession of the property. However, what may…