Author: O'Sullivan Estate Lawyers

Major legislative changes in estate law are rare. However, we appear to be on the cusp of just such a change in Ontario. On February 16th, the Ontario Government introduced the Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021. Bill 245 has passed first reading and been referred to the Standing Committee on

Many of our clients often wish to leave a small gift to the younger people in their lives, for example grandchildren. This gift is normally nothing extravagant, often a small legacy to help the future generation with their education, purchase a car, a down payment towards a home, or maybe

Of all the questions I am asked about the administration of estates, the one that comes up the most frequently is “what is probate?” If the question is asked by an executor, the next most frequent question is “how do I know if I need probate?” Often clients in their

One of the most common questions our clients ask is whether they can sign their Wills and Powers of Attorney with an electronic signature. Our lives are getting busier, our goal of reducing paper waste is more focused, and clients are understandably questioning the historically strict formalities of executing estate

When major life events occur, it is important to consider your estate planning and what updates and changes must be done. In no circumstances is this more true than when a person gets married, separated or divorced. Each of these life events affects a person’s estate plan in different ways.

A few weeks ago, Google reported an increase in the number of searches on how to apply for Canadian residency and citizenship. Surprisingly, these numbers may not just be from our friends south of the border: in 2019, Canada welcomed over 284,000 people worldwide. This statistic is not unique to

Income tax matters and Canada Revenue Agency publications are often viewed as dull until they directly apply to our own situation. This is likely true for most people in respect of the prescribed interest rate. However, the prescribed interest rate can be of benefit to you, especially since it has

Trusts are often looked to in estate and wealth planning because of the potential tax advantages they can afford. Some of these tax advantages, including probate tax and income-splitting opportunities, have been examined in a previous blog post “Sometimes it is About the Tax – Inter-vivos Trusts and Spousal Loans.” As

The definition of who is and who is not a spouse, both for legal and income tax purposes, has changed a lot in the last few decades. Some previously discriminatory laws have been abolished (for example, the bar to same-sex couples marrying) and some rules have been updated to reflect

In our previous blog, “Getting Ready for the New Trust Reporting and Disclosure Rules”, we wrote about the new Canadian trust reporting and disclosure rules coming into effect in 2021. Whatever you may think of the new requirements, if you are a trustee of an existing “express” trust (i.e. a trust