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Celebrating

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Category: Tax and Tax Minimization

Unintended Consequences: Multiple Taxation on Death

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

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Estate Planning When A Child Moves to the U.S.

A Canadian estate with U.S. connections can face complications due to the presence of any one of a number of factors. Sometimes these issues are known, and sometimes events occur which were not anticipated. When a child moves to the U.S., parents should review their estate plan and consider what

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Alter Ego Trusts and Joint Partner Trusts: The Ideal Candidate

Alter Ego Trusts (“AETs”) and Joint Partner Trusts (“JPTs”) are effective tools to assist in probate and incapacity planning. AETs and JPTs are inter vivos trusts (meaning they are set up during a person’s lifetime), to which persons 65 years or older can transfer assets on a tax-deferred basis. An

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Death Taxes: Good or Bad and Why Do We Have Them?

In early February, I had the opportunity and pleasure of participating in a panel discussion of lawyers from several jurisdictions, including the U.S., Mexico, and Italy, at an international legal conference on the interesting topic “Inheritance Tax – Should More Countries Implement It?”. We discussed and compared how our different

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Beneficial Ownership Disclosure: Only the Latest Hit

People often wish to ensure confidentiality in doing their estate planning as an important goal. A trust is a common vehicle to do so, since court probate processes, which have been around for centuries, are public and once a will is probated it becomes a public document. The current government

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Canadian Tax Rates: How Do We Compare?

Now that the flurry of another tax season has come and gone, and we can put tax return preparation to the side until next year, its seems timely to consider in a dispassionate way how Canadian tax rates stack up against other countries, in particular the U.S.. Do we pay

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A Happy Ending for Basket Clauses

Many people who live or have assets in Ontario are concerned about the amount of Estate Administration Tax (probate fees or “EAT”) that will be payable on their death given the high rate of approximately 1.5% of the value of estate assets. One common estate planning technique for minimizing EAT

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Death and Taxes: The Buck Does Not Stop Here

Everyone knows that death and taxes are two of life’s certainties, but some of us may not appreciate that our tax liabilities don’t disappear on death and that our legal representatives become responsible for sorting out our unfinished tax business. Some tax liabilities are expected to arise on or after

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Critical Dates in Estate Administration: What You Need to Know

When a loved one passes away, whether it is expected or not, their death begins not only the process of grieving by those left behind, but also the process of dealing with what the deceased family member has left behind. There is often uncertainty and apprehension felt by those in

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