With Estate Services, our firm offers all areas ranging from:
- Inter Vivos (Living Trust): A living trust, also known as an inter vivos trust, is a legal arrangement in which you transfer assets into a trust during and after your lifetime. They can also be organized to end at death, with instructions to distribute the assets with the trust directly to the beneficiaries. Examples would be Providing for minor children until they reach adulthood, caring for someone with a disability, and distributing assets in a specific way according to the testator's wishes, which might differ from the rules of inheritance. These are some of the common uses.
- Testamentary Trusts: Think of them as “after-death trusts.” It acts like a will, where it mentions how an asset under the trust will be managed or how a beneficiary will receive the benefit once the settlor has passed away.
Within the above are several different types, and your Dedicated Accountant can guide you in the correct trust required and work closely with our estate team and, if required, with our external legal counsel in the formation and management of the estates.
Our firm also provides the following estate services (select from the tab's on the left):
Executors hold significant responsibility respecting taxes owed by the Estate. The Executor can be held legally responsible for paying the taxes of an Estate should the Estate have insufficient assets to pay for taxes that it owes. Given the level of responsibility placed on the Executor, it is imperative that you have the proper guidance and support.
We assist Executors in fulfilling their responsibilities with respect to all matters pertaining to income tax, excise tax (GST/HST) and the Canada Revenue Agency. In doing so, we will ensure that we’ve lowered the Estate’s income tax expenses as much as possible and will make an effort to mitigate the risk borne by the Executor. This includes all steps in the estate process, including obtaining Clearance Certificates once the taxes are paid to mitigate the risk to the Executor.
What is the Next Step?
Select the following to book your appointment with your Dedicated Accountant to discuss the benefits of us providing Executor Support Services:
When you are drafting your will, you are required to identify an executor who is a person or institution appointed by you in your will to carry out the terms of your will.
Prior to selecting your executor, we can refer you to our external legal counsel for information on what an Executor’s legal responsibilities are.
Many people have trouble identifying an individual to carry out their will with competence, objectivity and with integrity.
Our firm can act as your executor, and with our written engagement, we will act as your executor of will. You can be assured that your will is carried out according to all terms of your will, including the filing of your estate tax returns and receipt of the required Clearance Certificate. Our fees for this service are affordable, allowing your estate proceeds to maximize the benefit to your beneficiaries.
What is the Next Step?
Select the following to book your appointment with your Dedicated Accountant to discuss having our firm become your Estate's Executor:
To avoid surprises and unintentional problems and to lower your Estate’s overall income tax burden, it’s best to have your estate plans reviewed by our firm, allowing our vast estate tax experience to be utilized for your benefit.
We can review your Will and your Estate plans and provide you with recommendations that will ensure a lower tax bill to the Estate and, ultimately, more assets in the hands of those that matter most, your beneficiaries.
We will work closely with your legal counsel or, if needed, will refer you to our experienced external legal counsel. This will ensure that your Will is drafted in a tax-advantaged manner and provide our insights concerning various business and financial issues that often remain hidden until the Will becomes exercised.
What is the Next Step?
Select the following to book your appointment with your Dedicated Accountant to make sure your estate planning is maximized in order to minimize estate taxes:
If you own a business and are considering succession arrangements with your family or others, we can help you plan this transition in a manner which will cause the least disruption and minimize your tax bill on such succession.
If you are considering selling your business, we can walk you through the process from start to finish. There are typically many questions that need answering, such as: How much is my business worth? How much tax will I have to pay on the sale, and how can I reduce such taxes? Shall I sell the shares of the corporation or the assets, and what are the pros and cons of each? How can I ensure the business will continue as a going concern after the sale? We’ll also work with your legal counsel to prepare appropriate agreements to meet your objectives.
What is the Next Step?
Select the following to book your appointment with your Dedicated Accountant to discuss your succession or business sale. so that we can minimize taxes: