our 10th year
blog anniversary
Many families face challenges that they could not have foreseen when their children were growing up and living at home that one or more, and in some cases all of them, would end up living in the U.S. Children often decide to live permanently in the U.S. to pursue employment
This is a loaded question. The short answer is: it depends. If you’re interested in the long answer, keep reading. Why is this question so complicated? We have the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Pecore v Pecore (2007 SCC 17 (CanLII)) and the caselaw that follows it to thank. In
Canadian families are more global than ever and this trend will only continue. Children and other family members increasingly work in other countries, sometimes staying after post-secondary education at a foreign college or university, forming relationships, including marriage, having children, and settling in their new home jurisdiction. Others emigrate to
In our blog just under a year ago of January 29, 2025, we speculated on what to expect for U.S. estate tax under a second Trump administration. With the decrease to about half the current amount of the lifetime exclusion amount set to occur on January 1, 2026 unless new
Testamentary freedom is one of the hallmarks of Ontario’s estate planning regime. It gives individuals, when drafting and executing their wills and estate plans, the ability to distribute their assets in the manner that they see fit. However, this power is not absolute. A number of legislative restrictions exist on
My blog of July 8, 2025 touched on a few cases where the courts had to step in because beneficiary designations for registered accounts weren’t drafted or updated properly. Case-law suggests that revoking one’s beneficiary designations may also require court intervention if not properly considered by the drafting lawyer. The
Clarence Darrow once said: “Someday I hope to write a book where the royalties will pay for the copies I give away.” Royalties are payments made to the owner of an asset for the right to use that asset, typically being a percentage of the income derived from such use.
Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks. It’s not about laziness or indolence, but is caused by fear or anxiety or as a way to cope with unpleasant emotions. Wealthy, successful people can be the biggest procrastinators. In fact, among respondents with a doctorate or master’s degree,
Although the housing market in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and elsewhere is currently undergoing a downturn, likely due to economic uncertainty, home ownership remains out of reach for many. For young Canadians, a home purchase is often supported (at least partially) by the “Bank of Mom and Dad.” In
In Ontario, individuals may designate beneficiaries for their registered accounts—such as TFSAs, RRSPs, RRIFs, and FHSAs (see Part III of the Succession Law Reform Act, RSO 1990, c S.26 (SLRA)). This designation ensures that, upon the account holder’s death, the proceeds are paid directly to the named beneficiary, thereby bypassing