O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers
in the Media
O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers in the Media
The Toronto-based trust and estate lawyers at O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers are regularly sought by reporters, editors, as well as TV and radio producers for their thought leadership, opinions and analysis of important and topical trust and estate issues which impact families in wealth succession and planning.
They are also regular columnists for The Lawyer’s Daily, published by LexisNexis, one of Canada’s most important publications for the legal profession, as well as Advisor’s Edge, published by Newcom. The firm is also a member of Mondaq, and has a robust listing of articles which are distributed through the Mondaq Global Network, with more than 1 million members worldwide, including lawyers, accountants, as well as C-suite executives and business owners.
Beware TFSA pitfalls for non-resident Canadians
“The other caveat is that the account might be taxable in the new country, so the person would have to get local tax advice to see if it’s worthwhile to keep the account while they’re a non-resident of Canada,” Peikes said.
No power of attorney? Here’s what happens
In the absence of a power of attorney for personal care, in Ontario, the Health Care Consent Act, 1996, sets out a hierarchy of who could make personal care decisions on someone’s behalf, however this may not be someone that person would choose, nor does it cover all types of personal care decisions.
Digital assets: Keeping track like you’re James Bond
These days, keeping track of your digital assets (login emails and passwords) is an important part of estate planning. Keeping accurate records of your digital assets makes your estate and trust administration much easier for your executor, too.
Testamentary freedom across Canada: Can you disinherit your child?
The freedom to dispose of your estate as you wish — testamentary freedom — is a long-standing principle in Canada and other common law jurisdictions, although each province and territory in Canada has its own governing legislation as well as its own developing case law.
Pandemic’s impact on trusts and estates: The way ahead
We can so easily (and usually seamlessly, subject to the usual technical glitches we have all grown used to) now communicate using video platforms wherever our clients may be in the world, and not be bound by geography.
Parents: Make sure they have a good estate plan
As your parents age, you may begin to worry that they may not have their affairs in order or they may have a plan that is woefully out-of-date.
Canadian, Ontario laws that can impact estates and trusts
In the interest of giving you some new (or new to you) laws to worry about, here is a roundup of some laws which can have a significant impact on a Canadian or Ontario estate plan or estate administration.
Continuing powers of attorney for property: ‘Effective immediately’ v. ‘springing’
Given the power that is being granted to the attorney for property and the potential for misuse and abuse, there are a number of considerations to balance protecting the grantor and practicality, one of which is when the power of attorney should come into effect.