Stephen Hsia comments on new BC estate planning laws in The Lawyer’s Daily
The Lawyer's Daily, "B.C. sees new year changes to estate planning, real estate laws"
Stephen Hsia is featured in an article from The Lawyer’s Daily on amendments in British Columbia to permanently allow for remote electronic witnessing of the signing of enduring powers of attorney and representation agreements: …practitioners usually recommend clients get what […]
CRA releases draft guidance on new qualifying disbursements rules, invites feedback
The CRA’s Charities Directorate has issued its long-awaited draft guidance on “Registered charities making grants to non-qualified donees“. The Income Tax Act was amended on June 23, 2022 to include new rules on “qualifying disbursements” (Read our previous article on […]
Elena Hoffstein and Stephen Hsia write on the laws governing gifts by will
The Philanthropist, "The laws governing gifts by will – and the pressures they put on executors"
In this article, Elena Hoffstein and Stephen Hsia propose that extending the window for executors to make a testamentary gift to charity could unlock more giving to the charitable sector: Executors have 60 months from a donor’s death to make […]
Stephen Hsia quoted in Advisor’s Edge article on electronic wills
Advisor's Edge, "B.C. lawyers still wary after a year of electronic wills"
The article looks at the adoption of electronic wills in British Columbia: Stephen Hsia, an estate planning lawyer with Miller Thomson LLP in Vancouver, always regarded electronic wills as the next step in the evolution of testamentary documents. “I just […]
Important dates and reminders for charities
The ever-shorter August days remind me that autumn is around the corner and that most of 2022 is over. In 2022, the Government of Canada had proposed several significant changes to charity law, which we summarized in our special issue […]
Stephen Hsia and Jillana Schmidt-Kim write on electronic witnessing and signing of estate planning documents
The Lawyer's Daily
Stephen Hsia and Jillana Schmidt-Kim’s article titled “Estate planning: Electronic witnessing and signing in B.C.” is published in The Lawyer’s Daily: When preparing an estate plan, British Columbians are generally advised to make three basic documents: a will, an Enduring […]
Electronic witnessing and signing of estate planning documents in British Columbia
Much has changed since May 19, 2020. That is when British Columbia first allowed the remote witnessing of wills, enduring powers of attorney (EPAs), and representation agreements (RAs) to accommodate those isolating because of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions on […]
Does a promise to transfer property create an express trust?
The British Columbia Court of Appeal recently dealt with whether a promise to transfer property created an express trust in Virk v. Singh, 2022 BCCA 153. Background Mr. and Mrs. Virk married in India in 1977, where they met Mr. […]
Funding non-qualified donees just got one step easier for Canadian charities
It might soon be easier for Canadian registered charities to give funds directly to non-qualified donees in Canada and abroad. Currently, Canadian registered charities can use their resources only on their “own activities” or on gifts to other qualified donees. […]
Choosing One of Your Adult Children as Your RRSP/RRIF/TFSA Beneficiary? Think -and Act- Carefully
Planning Matters
Stephen Hsia authors an article outlining a few issues to consider when naming one of your adult children as the beneficiary on a registered plan: It’s an increasingly common story. A widow has several children, all of them adults. She […]
