Trusts
Episodes on Trusts
SoloFamily Trusts Explained: Why The Wealthy Never Gift Their Kids Anything
Why wealthy Canadian families never put assets in their kids' names, how a family trust actually works, and the timing decision worth $1.3 million.
- Family Trust
- Trust Planning
- Income Splitting
SoloYour Family Can Save 12K A Year Through This Tax Strategy
How Canada's 3% prescribed-rate trust strategy can legally shift investment income to children – but new AMT rules may now reduce or even reverse the tax savings.
- Family Trust
- Tax Planning
SoloEstate Planning Explained: Will vs. Trust In Canada
How wills, beneficiary designations, joint ownership, and trusts actually control your assets in Canada – and why many families discover critical estate planning gaps only after a crisis occurs.
- Estate Planning
- Wills & Estates
- Trust Planning
EpisodeCanada Wants $500K to Let You Leave | Majority, Exit Tax, Bare Trusts
How majority government power, headline tax cuts, and hidden compliance rules can quietly cost Canadians far more than they realize.
- Bare Trust
- Cross-Border
- Politics
SoloCRA’s 2026 Rule Punishes You For Helping Family
How Canada's proposed bare trust reporting rules could impose costly filing requirements and penalties on ordinary family arrangements – even when no tax is owed.
- Bare Trust
- CRA Powers
- Penalties & Interest
EpisodeHelping Your Kids? CRA Takes a Cut
Why “gifts” can create tax exposure for parents.
- Wealth Transfer
- Family Trust
- Income Splitting
Posts on Trusts
Should You Put Assets In Your Kids' Names? Why Wealthy Canadian Families Never Do
Wealthy Canadian families almost never put assets in their kids' names. Here's why, how a family trust works instead, and the timing decision worth $1.3 million.
Do You Need A Holding Company In Canada? The 5 Signs
A holding company can save hundreds of thousands in tax – or add needless complexity. Learn the five signs it makes sense, from surplus cash and investments to asset protection and business sales.
The RRSP Trap: Why CRA Takes 54% Of Your RRSP When You Die (And How To Stop It)
A $1 million RRSP can trigger a $540,000 tax bill at death. Learn the little-known strategy that can legally reduce that tax burden and preserve more wealth for your family.
The 3% Trick: How High-Income Canadian Families Legally Pay Less Tax On Investment Income
A legal 3% trust strategy can help high-income Canadian families shift investment income to children and save thousands in tax – but new AMT rules may now turn those savings into costly surprises.
Will vs. Trust: Which One Actually Controls Your Assets In Canada?
Most Canadians think their will controls everything they own – but beneficiary designations, joint ownership, probate, and tax rules often determine where assets actually go.
The Tax Rule That Punishes Canadians for Helping Family — And What You Can Do About It
New CRA bare trust filing catches family bank accounts, joint titles, crypto held for relatives—$50K penalties even if you owe $0 tax. Bill C-15 passed House, Senate next. Sign petition + download checklist before 2026 tax year.
3 CRA Powers Coming in 2026 That Every Canadian Needs to Know
The CRA's new 2026 audit powers — compelled sworn testimony with no transcript, $50/day penalties without a court, and reassessment clocks frozen indefinitely. Here are the three every Canadian needs to understand.
One Mistake Killed His $5M Deal — Why the Wrong Team Destroys Business Sales
Selling your business? One wrong hire and hidden tax traps can kill the deal. Why regular accountants fail at business-exit tax planning — and how to build the deal team that protects your sale.
$800K Tax Bill That Should’ve Been $0 — The 5 Mistakes That Cost This Business Owner Everything
Discover the 5 critical errors that turned a $0 tax bill into an $800K disaster for a business owner. Learn how to protect your company from CRA reassessments, audits, and massive penalties.
Visual Guides on Trusts
The Power Of A Family Trust
Same business. Same sale. Same CRA rules. The only difference is how the shares were held. Without a trust: $1,275,000 sheltered through LCGE. With a family trust and three kids: up to $3,825,000 sheltered. The math speaks for itself.
Same $1M RRSP, $390,000 Difference
Same $1M RRSP. Same family. $390,000 difference.
CRA Takes 54% Of Your RRSP When You Die
CRA can take 54% of your RRSP when you die. Not your business. Not your real estate. The retirement savings you built one paycheque at time. Here's what almost nobody tells you: your entire RRSP lands on your final tax return as income, all in one year. On a $1M RRSP, combined with the deemed disposition on the rest of your estate, the tax can hit $540,000. But there's a provision in the Income Tax Act that can redirect your RRSP to a minor child or grandchild, taxed at their rate instead of yours. It can drop the total tax to around $150,000. That's a $390,000 difference. Same RRSP. Same family. Same law.
Will Vs. Trust Explained
Most Canadian think their will handles everything. It doesn't. Your RRSP goes to whoever is on the beneficiary form. Your jointly-owned house goes to the surviving owner. Your will? It only controls what's left over. Here's what a will CAN'T do: • Save you tax • Control when your kids get their money • Help if you're incapacitated • Protect assets from creditors A family trust does all of that. And the difference can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
5 Signs You Actually Need A Holding Company
Not everyone needs a holding company – but for the right person, it can save hundreds of thousands in tax and protect everything you've built. Here are 5 signs it might be time to consider one.
Why The Wealthy Never Gift Their Kids Anything
The wealthiest families in Canada almost never put anything in their kids' names. Not the company. Not the property. Not the investments. It isn't because they don't trust their kids. It's because a gift is the one financial move you can never take back. Swipe for what they do instead, and the $1.3 million difference it made for one family.
Resources on Trusts
The RRSP Escape Plan
Estimate how much of your RRSP could be lost to tax at death – and compare strategies that may help preserve more wealth for your family and heirs.
Estate Planning Audit: Where Are Your Gaps?
Map every asset you own to one of three transfer buckets. See exactly who gets what when you die, and whether that's who you intended. Most people find at least one surprise.
The Family Trust Decision Guide
Use this guide to determine whether a family trust fits your situations and learn when it can help protect wealth, reduce tax, and preserve flexibility.
Prescribed Rate Loan Family Trust – Tax Savings Model
A detailed calculator showing how Canada's 3% prescribed-rate trust strategy can save – or lose – families thousands under the new AMT rules.
The Holding Company Decision Guide
Find out if a holding company is right for you with a practical self-assessment covering tax savings, asset protection, and business planning.
Bare Trust Filing Checklist
A 3-phase guide to identify bare trusts under Canada's reporting rules, including exemptions, 5% penalty calculations, and required T3/Schedule 15 filings.
MP Letter Template — Bare Trust Rules
A pre-written letter to your Member of Parliament asking them to oppose the bare-trust reporting penalties before Bill C-15 becomes law. Add your name, find your MP, send. No email required.