When it comes to estate planning for one’s digital assets, it is now no secret that, depending on the organization(s) involved, options can be limited. This is particularly the case for online accounts. A few years ago, Fasken published a bulletin titled “Estate Planning and Online Accounts”. This bulletin examined…
I do a lot of work in the insurance industry. Recently, I came across a court case which I thik is a cautionary tale for estate planners and executors. In Gregson v. CAA Insurance., 2021 ONSC 3041, Ms. Gregson was a property owner and name insured on March 17,2017 when…
Changing a beneficiary designation is as simple as writing it down.
Typical advice to an executor would outline his or her duties, explain how to go about completing them, and then would end with a statement something along the lines of “and then your job as an executor will be complete”. And we all know that the role of an executor…
This Blog was written by: Dave Madan, Market Lead and Manager, Scotiatrust Estate planning has evolved recently. We have learned how our digital accounts are affected by our plan, how to deal with online accounts such as PayPal, Facebook, Google, and Apple, however, it has continued to evolve even further….
Generally the RRSP or RRIF of a deceased can be transferred by specific bequest under the terms of the deceased’s will to a qualifying survivor tax-free. A qualifying survivor would be the deceased annuitant spouse or common-law partner or a financially dependent child or grandchild. When payments from a deceased…
Today’s Executor is a Digital Executor The estates and trusts world has taken notice of the importance of digital assets—there is no question about that. Now that we know that an individual’s digital assets are something that advisors and clients alike need to consider for every estate planning matter, the…
This Blog was written by Suzanna Walter, Estate and Trust Consultant with Scotia Wealth Management There have been many articles written about the dramatic increase in real estate values in Canada. This real estate boom has implications for executors’ administering estates. Maureen Berry in her article Non-Resident Beneficiaries and Canadian…
Dear readers, As you might recall, last April (of 2020) was the height of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. As part of our government’s efforts to keep Ontarians safe while still allowing access to justice, an emergency order was brought at that time to allow virtual…
This blog was written by Meghan Carlin, summer student at Fasken LLP. While the law in Canada on the criminal forfeiture rule (or the “slayer rule”) is generally well understood, questions about next steps in the administration of estates where the primary beneficiary has been disentitled may be more difficult…
