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Celebrating

our 10th year
blog anniversary

Author: Margaret O'Sullivan

Cross-Canada Checkup: Property Rights on Marriage Breakdown and Death

Canadians are increasingly mobile within Canada. Employees are transferred and move with their families to another province, couples decide to retire in a province with a more moderate climate, or seniors decide to move to be closer to their children and grandchildren. But in changing jobs, lifestyle and family connections,

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Planning for Your Digital Estate

An estimated 85% of North Americans use online financial tools such as financial accounts, bill payments and digital currency, according to a 2012 BMO Wealth Institute survey. In 2011, Canadians surveyed valued their digital assets including entertainment downloads, personal records and career information at approximately $47,000 each, as reported in

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Planning with Discretionary Trusts for the Matrimonial Home

A common consideration when completing or updating your estate planning is often how best to protect assets in the event of marital breakdown–whether your own marriage, including a second marriage, or an intended beneficiary’s (e.g., a child or grandchild). The need to protect certain assets may be even more pressing

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Joint Ownership – The Third Outcome

Joint ownership of property is a common estate planning tool. Where property is owned jointly with a right of survivorship (as opposed to, for example, as tenants in common), the property passes in the normal course to the surviving joint owner on the other owner’s death. In these circumstances, the

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Mobilize Your Incapacity Planning Across Borders

Now that we’ve heard the predictions from a few furry prognosticators that winter is expected to last another six weeks, some of us may be planning extended stays at vacation properties in warmer climes. In the event that you became incapable of making either financial or personal care decisions–whether permanently

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Marriage Contracts – how enforceable are they?

Marriage contracts can certainly be sensible and valuable planning tools for protecting certain property down the road in the event of a separation or divorce. A marriage contract allows a couple some flexibility in deciding the outcome regarding property division and support if (or when, in the case of death)

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Using a Trust to Hold U.S. Real Estate

Many Canadians have purchased homes south of the border encouraged by a strong Canadian dollar and a buyer’s market for U.S. real estate. In 2012, Canadians were the leading international buyers of U.S. real estate, accounting for 24% of sales to international buyers.[1] When considering a U.S. property as a

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US Citizens and Expatriation

U.S. citizens, including dual Canadian/U.S. citizens, may want to know more about how to expatriate from their U.S. citizenship. Approximately 5600 former Americans have renounced in the last four years, coinciding with an increased general awareness of tax compliance requirements for U.S. citizens worldwide. In this blog, we discuss what

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