Before recommending an estate freeze to a client, advisors should first ask them a simple question: Are you a U.S. citizen? By failing to ask this question, advisors may be overlooking significant cross-border tax implications. While an estate freeze can be an effective tool for succession planning, it can come…
It is common to suggest shareholders enter into a shareholders’ agreement, where each shareholder assumes certain rights and obligations relating to the business of the corporation. The shareholders’ agreement typically includes provisions dealing with the management of the business and future transfers of shares upon death or other circumstances. Unfortunately, once the…
Successful entrepreneurs often view the family business as the crown jewel to their legacy for the next generation(s). As such, succession planning for the family business and preserving the family’s wealth is always a top priority and often encompasses tax and estate planning. Implementing a succession plan that will ensure…
Gifting property to the next generation is an estate strategy at its simplest form. For farming families, farm succession planning can often be complex considering the difficulties associated with “equalizing” a farmer’s estate between their children in circumstances where a child is actively involved in the farming business while the…
Dual U.S.-Canadian citizens residing in Canada may want to pay particular attention to the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 (the “Act“); a proposed bill establishing that “citizens of the United States shall owe sole and exclusive allegiance to the United States […]”.[1] Under the proposed bill, dual citizens have one…
Love knows no boundaries and neither do the U.S. tax rules. Marrying a U.S. citizen will result in U.S. tax implications for the couple that should not be ignored. This article will review a few U.S. tax considerations for married couples (that include a U.S. citizen). Proper Tax Filing Contrary…
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…