Are your assets protected from creditors?
Legislation exists at both the federal and provincial level to protect your investments from creditors. Some offer strong protection, while others provide protection with conditions or limitations. Click here to read more.
Estate Planning
If you have accumulated assets during your lifetime, you likely will want to ensure that wealth transitions cost effectively. Read more.
The Value of Naming a Beneficiary
In Ontario, the value of naming a beneficiary can be significant. If you name a beneficiary, an insurance company is obligated, under the Insurance Act, to pay any death benefit proceeds to the named beneficiary on record. Because the death benefit proceeds do not pass through the estate, they not only avoid the delays of settling the estate but also bypass probate and other estate administration fees. To learn more about how important it is to name a beneficiary, please contact us or click here.
Guide to passing on wealth
Planning for death is difficult because it’s an emotional topic. However, to preserve wealth, it’s important to employ a checklist to enable a thorough discussion and encourage trigger questions. Read more.
Your Will Planning Workbook
A great deal of thought and planning needs to go into preparing your Will. Not only should you consider what your estate is currently worth, you should also consider your future sources of wealth. Click here to download a helpful will planning guide.
Having Crucial Conversations
Estate planning is done to prepare families for the financial circumstances when a loved one passes away. Read more.
Estate Planning Resources
Will Planning Checklist
There are many decisions you will have to make when you draft a Will. If not thoroughly considered, some of these decisions can have unintended consequences. Here is a checklist of some of the issues that should be discussed before you make your Will:
Personal Record Keeper
Take the time to document the important information in your life, such as your household accounts, savings and insurance plans, and who your professional advisors are. Not only is this a convenient way to keep a better handle on your personal and financial information, it also becomes an invaluable tool for your loved ones should anything happen to you.
Executor’s Handbook
When you become an Executor you are really becoming a legal Trustee with all the rights and responsibilities that come with that position. This handbook provides you with a solid overview of estate settlement and will hopefully provide you with some useful information and tools to expedite your responsibilities in a timely and competent fashion.
Alter Ego Trusts - the answer to probate fees?
Alter ego and joint partner trusts have been gaining in popularity as a way to avoid probate. But are there alternatives? To learn more, click here or contact us.
Ontario's Estate Information Return
Ontario's probate process is governed by the Estate Administration Tax Act, 1998 ("EATA"). In 2011 Ontario enacted significant changes to the legislation. With these regulations in place, Ontario released its Estate Information Return, which executors will be required to file for estates for which an application of probate had not been submitted prior to January 1, 2015. To learn more about how these regulations may affect you, please contact us or click here.
Eventually everyone retires
The new retirement reality. For years, the baby boom generation has been exerting influence on our culture, politics and the economy. Read more.
Retiring Budget Worksheet
Getting ready to retire? Click here to access a worksheet that can help you determine how your finances today will compare to your finances after you've retired.
CPP Income Planning Guide
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is a mandatory contributory retirement plan that provides you with an inflation-indexed retirement pension, generally beginning at age 65. Read more.
Income splitting and attribution rules
Income splitting is the loaning or transferring of money to a lower-income person (for example, a spouse, common-law partner or child) so that the income or gains from investing the money are taxes at a lower tax rate, which decreases the overall tax burden of the family unit. Read more.
Looking for a retirement home?
If you - or somebody you know - are considering moving into a retirement home, here's a list of questions to consider when choosing a facility.
Year-end tax planning tips
As December 31st is quickly approaching, it’s a good time to look at some tax planning that needs to be implemented prior to year-end. Click the image below for a list of tax tips to keep in mind.
