Laura West at the All About Estates blog posted last week about planning for your pet's care during your incapacity. I have blogged before about pet trusts on your death, but it is also important to set up a plan for what will happen in case you are unable to care for...
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cesia@wall-arm.ca
Checking on your home inspector
TheRedPin.com posted this article a few weeks ago about what home inspectors do and do not check when doing the inspection on your home – or rather, what they are and are not required to check. The list is quite informative, especially if you have not bought a home...
A trust that goes on forever
Last Tuesday, I blogged about The Descendants and powers of attorney/advance directives. Today, I thought I would talk about one of the central plot points: the Rule Against Perpetuities. The Rule Against Perpetuities is a very old common law rule that states,...
Time to jump into the market?
The Globe and Mail ran this article a few days ago about home ownership becoming more affordable. According to national statistics, house prices in the largest markets - Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal - all decreased in the last quarter. This combined with still...
Protect your care
I recently returned from a much-needed vacation down south (which is also the reason this blog has been silent for a little while). On the plane ride home, I flipped through my movie options and came across The Descendants, which I was a little familiar with because...
Beware of flying objects
My friend, Sean Bawden, is a lawyer in Ottawa. Last year, he wrote a guest post for a friend's blog called "Who do you sue for damages after the zombie apocalypse?" It was a highly entertaining read, especially the section on possibly suing the estate of the zombie. I...
Facebook after death
Mashable posted this article last month about a new Facebook app called If I Die. Basically, it allows you to prepare messages and Facebook posts that will appear on your profile after three “trustees” – trusted Facebook friends – have independently confirmed your...
Tax breaks for space burials
Here's a new one: the state of Virginia is considering offering a tax break for anyone who agrees to have their cremated remains sent into space. The state is looking to increase revenues for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, and is considering tax breaks as a...
Tax breaks for accidental Americans
A while ago, I blogged about the tax consequences of being American outside of the United States. Americans are taxed based on citizenship, and so Americans living in Canada still have to file their taxes with the IRS, even if they have become Canadian citizens and...
Can a sale be guaranteed?
It sounds like quite the coincidence, but my roommate from law school also ended up practising in real estate – albeit in a much larger firm in Toronto. I got an email from Mahira a little while ago with a link to a case she thought I would find interesting, and I’ve...