estate planning

Preparing for Wealth Transfer

By 2026, an estimated $1 trillion in personal wealth will be transferred from one generation to the next in Canada1, the largest transfer of wealth in our country's history. This transition involves financial complexities for both benefactors and their heirs. Without planning and clarity, wealth transfer can lead to confusion and misunderstandings.

If you are preparing to bequeath wealth to your heirs or anticipate receiving an inheritance, some of the information outlined below might be helpful.

Estate Planning Tips and Traps

Julia wants to make sure that her estate passes to her heirs with as little hassle and cost as possible when she dies. She knows she needs a will and decides to buy a do-it-yourself will kit. When she opened it, she soon discovered some serious shortcomings.

Where's the Money?

When Dora died on August 1, 2018, most of her assets passed by Will to her adult children and were therefore subject to probate. $250,000 was in GICs and a fairly rapid transfer of this money to her heirs was expected. But that was not the case. They had to wait until March 2020 for it. That's right, almost two years.

Gifts That Keep On Giving

It's that time of year when wish lists for gifts are circulating. Before purchasing that iPad, game system, e-bike or leather jacket, consider a gift that will keep giving well into the future.

Using a Trust to Avoid Probate Fees

When Simon's father passed away two years ago, he didn't think much about how his estate would be handled. His mother had died five years before, and his dad's will was clear about how his assets would be divided. Then came probate, a process to confirm the validity of his will. Not only did unexpected fees come out of his dad's estate, it took almost a year to settle and distribute it.

Advice for the Sandwich Generation

It seemed there was nothing her father couldn't do when Margaret was growing up. He was the most capable person she knew. Widowed by the time he was 55, he lived an independent and full life, never relying on Margaret for anything other than her company.

Caring For Aging Parents

Planning to Protect Your Legacy

Your estate is everything you own today - your home, savings, investments, life insurance and personal possessions. So, no matter where you may be on your financial journey, you have an estate that needs protecting. But how you approach this plan is important.

Helping Adult Children Buy A Home

With the average price of a home in Canada 1 costing roughly $530,000 in 2020 , it's getting harder for first-time buyers to enter the market. This is likely why a growing number of parents are stepping up to help their adult children purchase a home. While it's admirable to offer this level of support in an increasingly expensive world, it's also a complex decision that both parents and their adult children should ponder carefully.

Leaving a Legacy

Recently retired Ross and Penny have an estate planning challenge. They've accumulated a comfortable net worth, with a good portion of it in liquid investments. They plan to leave everything to their three adult children, but they also want to help them financially right now. The problem is that all of their children have a different relationship with money than Ross and Penny. In a nutshell, the parents are savers and the children spenders. If they give large sums of money, Ross and Penny would want their children to use the cash to improve their financial lives. Would they do that?

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