costs

Inheritance and Tax

There is renewed discussion on whether Canada will become another jurisdiction where specific gift or estate taxes will be imposed on inheritances. There is speculation that the discussion will lead to something concrete as early as next week’s Federal Budget. In the meantime, there are situations where inheritances can come with a tax burden, such as the one described in a recent Tax Court of Canada case (Goldman v. the….

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Attorney Compensation, Canada Revenue Agency, Compensation, Costs, Courts, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Executors, Investments, Liability, Tax Issues, Trustee, Trustee Compensation, Trusts, Uncategorized

Trustees Ordered to Pay Costs Personally

In a recent court decision, the court declined to order costs payable from a modest estate and instead ordered the two parties (both trustees) to pay costs personally. A testamentary trustee, Mr. Cardinal, brought an application to compel estate trustee, Mrs. Perreault, to pass her accounts in her capacity as an estate trustee and power of attorney for the late Mr. Beaulieu.  However, while Mrs. Perreault consented to bring her….

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Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts

Winner Doesn’t Take All: Estate Trustee Cannot Indemnify for Costs

An estate trustee was successful in litigation in upholding the will. However, due to her conduct before and during the litigation the court nevertheless ordered that she personally bear half of her costs in Bayford v. Boese, 2019 ONSC 6919. The estate trustee (a friend of the deceased) sought to uphold the deceased’s will but was challenged by the deceased’s brother (the defendant noted that there were two different versions….

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Estate Litigation

Power of Attorney Disputes: Effective Capacity Assessments

I was honoured to moderate a panel today at the Advocates’ Society’s CPD today “Capable or Not? How to Effectively Litigate and Mediate a Power of Attorney Dispute” (which will be available for purchase online in a couple of months as a webcast archive at TAS’ website). Justices McEwen and Pattillo both spoke and both justices agreed that Justice Penny’s recent decision in Adler v. Gregor, 2019 ONSC 3037 should be….

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Capacity Law, Elder Law, Guardianship, Power of Attorney

An Award of Full Indemnity Costs is Not a Fantasy

A recent cost decision awards full indemnity costs on a leave motion. The court found that if estate trustees are expected to bear their own litigation costs, they would refuse to be appointed and would also be reluctant to bring proceedings to advance the due administration of the estate…..

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Estate Litigation, Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts
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