Featured Blog Posts
Can a Trust Hold Business Shares in Ontario?
A trust can be a powerful tool for Ontario business owners who want to plan for succession, protect assets, and manage tax exposure. This blog explains how family trusts can hold business shares, the advantages of using a trust in an estate freeze, and the important legal and tax rules to consider before moving forward.
Gifts, Resulting Trusts, and Estate Planning in Ontario: Lessons from Pecore and Recent Cases
Ontario courts carefully scrutinize gifts and gratuitous transfers between parents and adult children using the presumption of resulting trust established in Pecore v. Pecore. This blog explains the key legal principles, highlights recent decisions like Balkisson v. Sandy and Doherty v. Doherty, and shows why documenting intent, structuring joint ownership properly, and reviewing beneficiary designations are essential steps in a modern Ontario estate plan.
Avoiding Double Taxation on Private Company Shares: Pipeline Planning for Canadian Estates
Double taxation erodes Canadian estates when private company shares trigger capital gains at death followed by dividend taxes on distributions. This guide explains the problem with real examples and outlines CRA-approved solutions like pipeline plans—transferring shares to a NewCo for promissory note repayment—and expanded loss carryback rules allowing offsets up to three years post-death.