Today’s blog was written by Justin W. de Vries and Jacob Kaufman A will need not be probated. The power of an estate trustee derives from the will itself. However, in certain cases, a grant of probate (now awkwardly called a certificate of appointment of estate trustee with a will)…
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’,…
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…
In the work I do, I am asked to provide expert testimony to support litigation. In some cases, I am often quite surprised to what extent parties will continue to litigate matters that appear to be “no-wins” or for small dollar amounts. Depending on the circumstances, parties have taken the…
This fact scenario is based on a situation presented to me recently and I appreciated the opportunity to being “re-educated” on the tax treatment of pension plan lump sum payments. A taxpayer’s spouse retires as a teacher and elects to start receiving her guaranteed pension. A couple of year later,…
Did William die? If so, when? These were the central issues addressed in Steele v. Smith, 2018 ONSC 4601. There, the Court had to consider whether the estate trustee of William’s sister’s estate should receive a “Benjamin Order”, permitting the estate trustee to distribute the residue of her estate as if…
Copyright & Art Ernest Gambart was a pioneering art dealer and showman in Victorian England who uncovered the value of art copyright. His specialty was a triple play. First, he mounted an exhibition (typically a single painting such as William Powell Firth’s The Derby Day); second, the sold the work; and third, he…
A graduated rate estate (GRE) is an estate that arises as the result of the death of a person on or after December 31, 2015, and no more than 36 months after the person’s death. The estate at that time must be a testamentary trust. The GRE designation brings with key…
Frequently, I am reminded how careful one has to be with making sure that tax-free inheritances generally maintain their status throughout all steps to liquidate and realize the proceeds. Here is a case in point. In Owen v The Queen (2018 TCC 90), the taxpayer’s father resided in the United…
In my practice, I have been engaged on valuation matters which, on occasion despite the efforts of all those involved, go to trial to have a trial judge settle for the parties. Most trials are expensive and the actual outcome is not always certain, no matter how strong one side…
