Estate Planning Archives - Canadian Family Offices

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Writing a will with strings attached? Estate planners want a word

Relying on your will to force changes in behaviour after you’re gone is likely to strain family relationships

November 4, 2024
Estate Planning

Wealthy families watch U.S. elections with ‘death tax’ in mind

Depending on which party wins, those with U.S. tax exposure should consider doing some complex estate planning

October 15, 2024
Estate Planning

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The Murdoch family legal battle highlights a harsh reality: no trust is airtight

Disputes over trusts are all too common, even in Canada. Here are some ways to minimize the risk

September 23, 2024
Estate Planning

A photo collage - From left: Barbara Kimmitt, partner at Bennett Jones; Christopher Alexander, president of RE/MAX Canada; Christine Van Cauwenberghe, IG Wealth Management’s head of financial planning.

New capital gains rules and cottage estate planning

Don’t sell the property to your child for $1, is one piece of advice from experts who also discuss tax planning and effects of recent rule changes on luxury vacation property market

August 20, 2024
Estate Planning

left out of the will, estate planning, inheritance

Wisdom on wills: smart estate-planning for wealthy families

Wills can be like unexploded ordnance. Here’s how to avoid wreaking havoc on the family and business

July 26, 2024
Estate Planning

What you should know if you plan to disinherit a child

Even if you have very good reasons, estate-planning experts urge a rethink, and it could be overturned in court anyway

July 22, 2024
Estate Planning

Settling my mom’s estate: five tips for potential heirs and executors

She planned fairly well, but being my mother’s executor brought appreciation for families of complexity, writes Sarah B. Hood

May 8, 2024
Estate Planning

As families grow, five ways to transfer ownership of the cottage

The cottage of yesteryear — the remote cabin everyone grudgingly shared – is no longer. High-net-worth families are now investing in sprawling, multi-million-dollar properties in coveted areas. Or…

April 8, 2024
Estate Planning

A photo illustration showing five piles of coins with either bags of money, or a bag labelled "tax" or houses with people in them.

Tax benefits and tax traps with estate freezes

Timing is key, and double taxation is a risk, along with complex issues around governance, family entitlements and shareholder rights

December 7, 2023
Estate Planning

Having the right kind of will is crucial in blended families

A ‘mutual wills agreement’ can prevent unwelcome surprises later, especially in contentious families

November 16, 2023
Estate Planning

life insurance estate planning inheritance

Great inheritance equalizer for business-owning families: life insurance

What happens in estate planning if your primary asset is illiquid, i.e., a business? Insurance to the rescue

October 16, 2023
Estate Planning

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Stories continue below

Tiniest errors in your will can result in big costs and delays later

Settling an estate can take years and drain cash if terms are not specific or executors need to account for errors

August 30, 2023
Estate Planning

Should you minimize tax by selling your real estate before you die?

Today’s sky-high property prices have created estate-planning challenges for HNW families, their advisors

July 26, 2023
Estate Planning

Overlooked pension plan can come to the rescue of HNW families

The PPP is not heavily marketed, but it offers dramatic tax savings and the inclusion of non-vanilla investments

June 5, 2023
Estate Planning

New spouses invariably upset the inheritance apple cart

Families who don’t tackle key estate planning issues risk pain and resentment later

May 9, 2023
Estate Planning

Estate-plan pitfalls for the 1 million Americans living in Canada

Tax and estate laws in the two countries don’t jibe well, and cross-border ownership of real estate complicates things

April 3, 2023
Estate Planning

Inheritance power move: leaving money to charity so you don’t spoil the kids

Some parents want to divert money because they are afraid that a big inheritance will taint their children

March 16, 2023
Estate Planning

How to bulletproof your will

If the document has weak spots, it can be challenged – a costly, invasive and time-consuming process

March 7, 2023
Estate Planning

Can you challenge an unfair will? Where you live makes a difference

Success depends on your province and strength of the case. British Columbia and Alberta tend to be more favourable to will challenges

February 6, 2023
Estate Planning

How to transfer wealth to next generation efficiently using trusts

In estate planning, trusts offer precision control over your wealth and can help reduce tax liability, too

December 12, 2022
Estate Planning

Avoiding estate-planning tussles – the fight over mom’s treasured peonies

Estate plans are designed to divvy up possessions, but they can also smooth longstanding disputes and inequalities in the family

November 17, 2022
Estate Planning

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