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Celebrating

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Category: Trusts

Trustee Compensation: Silence is Not Golden

If not carefully planned for, the amount of compensation paid to the executor(s) for administering an estate or to the trustee(s) for administering any ongoing trusts (collectively referred to as the “trustees”) has the potential to become a contentious issue. In the scope of estate planning, compensation must be part

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The Big Problem with Leaving Gifts to Minors

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

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Using Trusts When You Lose Trust in Your Loved Ones

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

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New Trust Reporting and Disclosure Rules – 2021 is Coming Up Soon

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

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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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Getting Ready for the New Trust Reporting and Disclosure Rules

In a previous blog, “The Movement to Transparency and the Erosion of Privacy” we wrote about the global move to greater transparency by government and taxing authorities which they claim is necessary to combat money laundering and tax evasion. As part of that agenda which the government asserts is necessary

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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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Special Needs, Special Trusts

When it comes to ensuring a loved one with a disability is taken care of, few things are more important than a well-considered plan. And yet, for many, it can often seem as if few things are more difficult than planning for a disabled family member. Often the difficulty arises

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The Common Reporting Standard – What’s in Store

July 1, 2017 is not only Canada’s 150th birthday and a cause for great celebration, which we are eagerly looking forward to. It is also the date that Canadian financial institutions must have in place appropriate procedures to provide information to Canada Revenue Agency on financial accounts held by non-residents

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