Education & Knowledge

The death of your spouse or common-law partner is a very difficult and emotional time. You may be overwhelmed with grief over losing your partner, as well as trying to understand what your rights and obligations are as the surviving spouse. On top of all of that, your spouse likely named you as the executor of their estate and you may not be familiar with the responsibilities and tasks involved in administering an estate.

The family farm continues to serve an important role in the Canadian economy and, as such, receives special status under Canada’s tax law. In particular, there are two important tax planning strategies that can be used when transferring a Canadian farm property. The Capital Gains Deduction is available to potentially shelter capital gains realized on transfers of qualified farm property, and the Intergenerational Farm Property Rollover (“Intergenerational Rollover”) permits tax-deferred transfers of farm property to other family members. Both strategies can apply to lifetime transfers (i.e., a sale or gift), or to transfers that take place upon the death of the owner. The rules surrounding these strategies are very complex and only a general discussion is provided here.

Maximizing the value of your registered plans by making annual contributions to your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (“RRSP”), Tax-Free Savings Account (“TFSA”), and Registered Education Savings Plan (“RESP”) is an important wealth planning strategy. By making your annual contribution(s) early in the year, you’ll benefit from the tax-sheltered growth all year long.

Statistics show that family enterprise is the most common form of business ownership in the world. In Europe and Asia, some businesses have been family owned for 10+ generations, or several hundred years. In Canada, it is estimated that some 60% of the GDP is driven by family enterprises that employ more than 6 million people. Ironically research on family business has only gained significant traction over the past 50 years.

The benefits of making a charitable donation are countless – from helping those in need to the personal satisfaction of giving back to the causes that are important to us. Charitable giving also makes good sense from a tax perspective. With proper planning, you can reduce your total income tax liability and maximize the value of your donation.

You’ve worked hard to build your family’s wealth; that’s why protecting it is a key priority to ensure you are prepared to meet your current and future wealth management goals and commitments. This article discusses several considerations that can help to safeguard and enhance your wealth.

If you own a vacation property, this provides information on the tax consequences of selling a second home and highlights important estate planning considerations, if your plan is to keep your vacation property in the family for the next generation.