Estate planning

Close the gap in your client’s will

Odds are, your clients all have their wills drawn up. Providing for loved ones is a crucial part of financial planning, after all. But a vital piece of that puzzle is missing, according to a survey by BMO Harris Private Banking: custody of minor children.

By Staff |December 15, 2011

2 min read

Industry

IFRS sideswiping advisors, clients

The headaches International Financial Reporting Standards have created for accountants will pale in comparison to the impact it will have on Canadian financial advisors and their clients.

By Pierre Ghorbanian |November 8, 2011

3 min read

Estate Planning

The quintessential fiduciary

Trustee duties explained - A trust is a relationship between three parties: the settlor, the trustee and the beneficiary.

By Elaine Blades |October 1, 2011

6 min read

Estate Planning

How to tailor insurance to affluent clients

Regular folks worry about debts, mortgages and the ability of their dependants to generate income after they die. High-net-worth clients don’t have to.

By David Wm. Brown |September 19, 2011

2 min read

Five ways clients can avoid property hassles

Holding property jointly has long been called the “poor man’s will”—a way for a person to transfer wealth on death without spending the money to draw up proper documents. So, if a client is considering transferring property into joint ownership with a spouse or children, play devil’s advocate and explain the risks

By Barry Corbin |September 1, 2011

2 min read

Will estate taxes come back?

Read: André L’Espérance’s column Increasing estate value for the affluent Will estate taxes come back to Canada? They are certainly in the spotlight. The estate tax debate lurches back and forth in the U.S., as the legacy of the tax package enacted by the Bush administration in 2001 – with a sunset clause allowing the […]

By Scot Blythe |August 15, 2011

4 min read

Help clients keep their cottages

Succession planning for the cottage is complex, especially when it’s to be shared by multiple family members who all have an emotional attachment. For many cottage owners, values have increased so significantly that their children may be forced to sell it just to pay capital gains and probate taxes.

By Mike George |August 1, 2011

7 min read

Estate planning

Close the gap in your client’s will

IFRS sideswiping advisors, clients

The quintessential fiduciary

How to tailor insurance to affluent clients

Income splitting from beyond the grave

Get beneficiary designations right

Inter vivos trusts help minimize tax

Five ways clients can avoid property hassles

Will estate taxes come back?

Help clients keep their cottages