Author: Margaret O'Sullivan

For more than a year now, our client meetings have not been in-person, but instead virtual through video conferences. At first, we were enamoured at the novelty of this new way of interfacing with our clients. As time has marched on, we have gained new perspectives on some of the

If you take on the role of executor, trustee, or attorney for property, it is important to understand you will be acting as a fiduciary. Each of these roles is defined by a distinct set of legal principles and rules which constitute fiduciary law. They require that you adopt a

What are some of the trips and traps to be aware of from an estate planning viewpoint if you are a Canadian, but you have assets or other connections south of the border? In this blog, I will give a few concrete examples drawn from my experience of the problems

As we wind down this most unprecedented, uncharted, and unreal year in memory, it might be a good time to reflect on some important truths and essentials as 2021 is on our doorstep, but with hope now in sight as the vaccines start to roll out. The COVID-19 pandemic has

In my prior blog of March 3, 2020, “Inheritance Tax, Wealth Tax and More Capital Gains Tax: The Future of Canadian Taxation”, I raised the issue of whether new forms of tax might be introduced on the Canadian scene, including an inheritance tax or an annual wealth tax. My blog

Are you (or your clients) making estate plans or administering an estate that involves one or more countries? Will you (or your clients) inherit property in England? Do you (or your clients) own a second property in Portugal or Italy? Do you have clients who moved to France, but have left assets in Canada?

Who will be in charge of executing your will is one of the most important decisions to make in the estate planning process. People often only consider close family members, but they may not always be the best choice. Here are some key considerations. An executor must be at least the

Last November 2019, I had the opportunity to organize a session and speak at the STEP Spotlight Conference in London, U.K., along with colleagues from several countries, including Brazil, U.S., Belgium, France, and the U.K. We discussed how our different countries tax on death and how double or even triple

One of the issues in wealth advising and planning is the regulation of those who provide financial product sales advice and financial planning services—often offered under the nomenclature of estate planning or retirement planning advice. A lot has happened recently in many jurisdictions, including Canada and the U.S., as regulators

In my blog distributed to you on April 7, 2020, I told readers to stay tuned as hundreds of years of strict formalities might soon change due to Covid-19. But little did I know that these changes would come later that very day in two jurisdictions: my home province of Ontario