October 2018

Interpreting “Per Stirpes” In Ambiguous Wills

“The ghosts of dissatisfied testators,” a Chancery judge once noted, “Wait on the banks of the Styx for the judges who misconstrued their wills.” As such, the court will take great care to ensure that wills are properly interpreted, even if they are oblique or confusing. This was the situation in Estate of Stanley Moore v. Moore, 2018 ONSC 6420 where the court had to choose between four different interpretations….

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Estate Litigation

Creation of a Trust

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provided guidance on when a testamentary trust is considered to have been created for purposes of the 21 year deemed disposition rule. A trust is deemed to have disposed of its capital property for proceeds equal to the fair market value of the property at the end of the deemed disposition date and to have re-acquired the property immediately after the day for an amount equal….

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Canada Revenue Agency, Estate Planning, Executors, Tax Issues, Wills

Getting Ready for the Final Scene

While the majority of my work is assisting with the living process, these past few week has been occupied with planning for the dying process. I am currently working with two wonderful ladies who have both been assigned palliative care physicians. One who is lucky enough to be home and the other is currently in the hospital. One had been recovering from a catastrophic stroke and was sent home and….

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Elder Care

Statutory Guardianship of Property vs. a Continuing Power of Attorney for Property: They are not the same!

My June 2017 blog described that most seniors appoint a continuing power of attorney for property (CPOAP), partly to avoid having the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPG&T) assume the role of statutory guardian of property under the Substitute Decisions Act (SDA) or the Mental Health Act (MHA) should the person become incapacitated. The majority appoint a family member who they assume they can trust. I questioned at….

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Capacity Law, Disability, Elder Care, Elder Law, Fiduciary Professions, Geriatric Care Management, Guardianship, Power of Attorney, Powers Of Attorney and Guardianship Disputes

Out-of-Date? You Could be Out of Luck!

          This Blog was written by: Emily Racine It is a hard truth that after a client confirms they have a will done, the first comment to follow is often “but it was done years ago”. The reality is that even when clients have a will, often it has not been reviewed in many years. With the ever-changing landscape of estate law, this neglect can have….

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Estate Administration, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Wills

Unexpected Death? Apply for an Extension

Death is difficult to control. It has also proved impossible to avoid. However, married spouses are given greater options than the rest of us – they can choose to inherit their deceased partner’s estate under the Succession Law Reform Act or the Family Law Act. When a married spouse dies without a will, the default is that his or her estate will be distributed pursuant to the rules set out….

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Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Executors, Property, Spouse
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