Publications

The 2025 Federal Budget Review was developed by our in–house tax professionals in the Wealth Planning and Advisory Services Group at BMO Private Wealth: Dante Rossi, Director, Tax Planning and Phil Haines, Director, Tax Planning.

Many Canadians enjoy spending time in the U.S., and at some point may consider the purchase of a U.S. vacation property. As a result, it is important for Canadians to fully understand U.S. reporting and tax issues related to their ownership of U.S. real property, in addition to any Canadian tax implications.

Although Canadian snowbirds reside in the U.S. for only a part of the year, there is the potential of being considered a U.S. resident and, in turn, having to pay U.S. income tax on the same basis as a permanent U.S. resident. This article outlines how the U.S. government determines whether you are a resident for income tax purposes; namely, it covers the criteria for meeting the Substantial Presence Test, Closer Connection Exception and the Canada U.S. Income Tax Treaty Tie-Breaker Rules.

At BMO Nesbitt Burns we can help you determine the best way to finance your child’s education and work with you to develop a savings program that helps meet your educational savings goals.

This article provides information on how, and when, to withdraw funds from an RESP, as well as information on qualifying educational institutions and programs. In situations where the RESP beneficiary decides not to pursue post-secondary studies or leaves before completing a qualifying program, the subscriber of the plan must decide what to do with the money that has accumulated in the RESP.

You have devoted yourself to providing for your family and saving for a comfortable retirement, but have you also planned for what would happen if you were no longer around to take care of things or if you became incapacitated? While there are a number of legitimate reasons for avoiding the issue – ranging from “I don’t have time” to “it’s a difficult topic to think about” – estate planning is too important to ignore.

We’re truly living in a digital world where, increasingly, routine tasks are conducted online and important information is stored digitally. Digital assets include, but are not limited to, online accounts (e.g., social media, email, eCommerce, banking and investment), loyalty programs, cloud storage, domain names, and website content. Until recently, the idea of leaving a digital inheritance wasn’t generally a consideration for most people, but not anymore. In fact, it’s become a necessity when preparing your estate plan.

Many Canadians are concerned about their financial security in retirement and preserving the value of their estates for the next generation. It’s a common and understandable situation.

This is designed to help your family, executor (referred to as a “liquidator” in Quebec), or Power of Attorney for Property (referred to as a “mandatory” in Quebec) locate all of your important documents and other information needed to administer your estate or act as your Power of Attorney for Property

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.

Choosing the right Executor is a very important step in the estate planning process.

The locking-in of pension benefits is an important concept. Pension regulations are designed to ensure that the pension benefits promised by an employer are available at the employee’s retirement date and that the accumulated pension funds are used to provide a lifetime retirement income for the employee. In response to the growing demand for more flexibility, many provinces, as well as the Federal government, have amended their pension acts to allow additional maturity options.

A RRIF is very much like an RRSP in reverse. An RRSP is an account designed to help you save for retirement – a RRIF is an account designed to provide annual income in the form of withdrawals from a registered plan during your retirement. Click to read on about how you can benefit from an RRIF.

Make the most of your retirement. Each person has a unique vision for how they will spend their retirement. Whatever your plans, make sure you make the most of your retirement by staying physically and mentally active, and ensuring your money lasts as long as you need it too.

As you plan for your retirement, it is critical to consider your current expenses as well as your future expenses.

The table below outlines the 2025 top combined Federal and provincial/territorial marginal personal tax rates. The rates apply to taxable incomes over $253,414 in all jurisdictions, with the exception of the following thresholds: $259,829 in British Columbia; $362,961 in Alberta; $400,000 in Manitoba; $500,000 in Yukon; and $1,128,858 in Newfoundland and Labrador

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.

Knowing how tax rules affect your investments is essential to maximizing your after-tax return. In addition, keeping up to date on changes to the tax rules ensures that you take advantage of all the tax savings available to Canadian-resident individuals. This article provides an overview of select strategies to assist you in reducing your tax bill.

This is a helpful resource summarizing important tax, retirement and estate planning information.

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.

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.