our 10th year
blog anniversary
On May 4, 2018, we celebrate our firm’s 20th anniversary. I thought it would be fitting as well as helpful to reflect on one of the most challenging questions in family succession: whether children should be treated equally. Being a trust and estate lawyer now for over thirty-five years has
The Rule Against Perpetuities (the “Rule”) is an old and complex legal rule that aims to prevent the delay of vesting of many types of transferred property interests beyond the “Perpetuities Period” and is the bane of many lawyers who draft wills and trusts. A property interest vests when it
Having a power of attorney for property is a document we continually recommend to clients who are in the process of updating their estate plans. The purpose of a power of attorney for property is to give a named individual (the “attorney”) the authority to act on behalf of the
The increasing pace of technological change is our reality, and when it comes to estate planning, there is no exception. The traditional formalities for wills and powers of attorney are stricter than for most legal documents: for example in Ontario a will has to be in writing and signed at
In both our August 2015 and March 2016 blog posts, we discussed the importance of frequently reviewing your estate planning documents, as personal and financial circumstances can constantly change. Failing to make necessary revisions to your estate planning documents may result in unintended consequences that do not accurately reflect your
U.S. tax reform measures were signed into law by President Trump on December 22, 2017, culminating a whirlwind legislative process at the end of 2017 which resulted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”), the most significant changes to U.S. tax law in over three decades. These
When family wealth is at stake, parents may wish to encourage their children to enter into a domestic contract with their partners. The purpose may include to protect significant gifts and inheritances, a home owned at date of marriage, or a family business. With divorce rates at an all time
No doubt many U.S. legislators were chewing on tax reform over the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, as well as enjoying their turkey, as unprecedented momentum is moving U.S reforms ahead at breakneck speed demonstrating Congress’s desire to complete tax reform before year end. The proposed changes will be the most significant
One of the increasing challenges facing parents and other family members today is achieving success in their estate planning – passing on their wealth well. But how should we define “success”. From a professional viewpoint, much of estate planning focuses on ensuring a tax and cost-efficient transition of wealth to
In estate planning, a parent typically wishes to provide for their children and each child’s family. However, this desire to benefit the child’s family often has a caveat: the child’s spouse should not receive any part of the inheritance in the event of separation or divorce.
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