Toronto Ontario Estate Law Blog

In jurisdictions where there are high probate fees, like Ontario, using multiple Wills in your estate plan is of particular importance. As you may be aware, you can have two Wills – a Primary Will that governs any asset that would likely attract a request of probate, and a Secondary

This is definitely dating myself, but in thinking about this blog I was unable to get Jon Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” out of my head (check it out on YouTube here). Sorry for the earworm! Mr. Bon Jovi (we’ve never met, so I’ll not call him Jon just yet)

A person can only have one original will. In order for a will to be probated in Ontario, the original will must be filed with the Court. A copy of the original will, or even a notarial copy, cannot be used in its place without a court order. So, what

This blog comes to you today, May 4, 2023, on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of our firm. I thought I would share some reflections on the past and some predictions for the future. It’s with a lot of gratitude that we as a firm take a moment to

Clients like to say that they don’t have any personal effects of value. While they likely mean monetary value, they are overlooking the sentimental value these items may have. Fights over estates are not always about the dollars and cents. It is not uncommon to see fights among beneficiaries that

Oh, did you think we were done with real estate and taxes for a while? Sorry to disappoint. Our last blog, “Selling Sunset: Real Estate Taxes Property Owners in Canada Must Know About,” discussed some new taxes and tax filings involving real estate in Ontario. Today we’d like to remind

Underused Housing Tax  The federal Underused Housing Tax Act became effective January 1, 2022, and the first tax returns for those who need to file are due in 2023. It imposes a 1% annual tax on the value of residential real estate in Canada owned by any non-resident, non-Canadian that

What is the current state of play when it comes to U.S. estate tax, including its impact on many Canadian tax residents and others with U.S. connections? First, an update on some key tax rates and concepts for 2023. The lifetime exclusion amount has increased substantially due to the rise

A Continuing Power of Attorney for Property and a Power of Attorney for Personal Care are simple but powerful documents. In short, a Power of Attorney is a document in which the grantor appoints another person – the attorney – the power to act on the grantor’s behalf including in

Digital assets, simply put, are anything stored digitally which has value, either financial, sentimental or otherwise, as further described below. 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