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estate planning

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In trusts we trust: Three structures to reduce, defer and freeze taxes

While trusts offer tax efficiency and estate protection, they can be quite complicated and expensive to administer

4 days ago
Estate Planning, Taxes 2025

An advisor’s headache: Clients whose lawns are in better shape than their estate plans

‘It’s very challenging to try to deal with someone who really should have done this 10 or 15 years ago,’ says lawyer Margaret O’Sullivan

March 12, 2025
Estate Planning

Photos of Cindy David, Rhonda Rudick and Kathy Bright

Equalizing heirs in the will is a delicate dance for business families

Ensuring harmony among next generations often requires prepayment of taxes, specialty insurance, proper valuation of assets

January 14, 2025
Estate Planning

Photos of Cindy David and Andrew Jeffery

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

Photo of News Corp. Building in New York City

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

David Lesperance citizenship wealth family office

Changing citizenship: Who’s making inquiries now to ensure ‘future mobility’

Some Canadian families see trouble on the horizon and want to have options, says advisor David Lesperance

September 12, 2024
Life & Family

insurance wealth planning financial estate

Four times when insurance saved the day for wealthy clients in a bind

Real-life situations show how people with complex financial needs use insurance to achieve their goals

August 26, 2024
Wealth

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

Mark Borkowski, president of Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corp.: “While will-challenge litigation is rarely pleasant for the parties involved, having an effective ETDL watching over the assets means that legal counsel and family members can devote their time and energy to working towards a fair division of the estate.

An ETDL can prevent estate shrinkage when the family fights

A complex estate, like one involving businesses, real estate and investments, can leave heirs disputing how the pie gets divided as the pie itself shrinks

August 15, 2024
Commentary

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