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estates and trusts

McMillan's Estate and Succession Planning lawyers use careful planning and analysis to protect and preserve hard-earned financial assets in the way that best meets the needs of each individual and family.  We craft personalized estate and succession planning solutions, including the structuring of trusts and drafting and administration of Wills, to make sure they are carried out the way our clients intend, maximizing financial benefits while minimizing taxes and fulfilling all fiduciary responsibilities.

Our lawyers are recognized for their estate and succession planning skills.  Some of the partners of our team have been listed in several editions of Lexpert (a directory of leading practitioners and law firms in Canada) as leaders in estate planning.  Marni Whitaker has contributed two chapters to Widdifield on Executors and Trustees (the first new edition of this important book in over 20 years) and she serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Estates, Trusts and Pensions Journal (a Canada Law Book publication).  Catherine Roberts is also on the editorial board of the Estates, Trusts and Pensions Journal.  Sheila Crummey contributes a chapter to the looseleaf service Financial & Estate Planning for the Mature Client in Ontario (a Butterworths legal publication) which is a very popular resource for estate planning professionals.  Sheila has also co-authored a book with other professional advisors on business succession planning, On the Shoulders of Atlas.

We are actively involved in estate planning seminars under the auspices of the Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Tax Foundation, Law Society of Upper Canada, The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and other organizations, and have frequently written on estate planning and administration topics for professional audiences.  Such activities and distinctions symbolize our commitment to understanding and applying the most current and effective estate planning techniques.




Publications / Presentations
October 2011
further changes to new RRSP/RRIF anti-avoidance rules introduced
tax bulletin
September 2011
Securing & Sustaining "Mutual Fund Trust" Status – Tips & Traps
Portfolio Management Association of Canada Seminar
June 2011
Canada Revenue Agency provides list of exempt and taxable health care service providers
Tax Bulletin
April 2011
power of attorney: the law that may affect you
Trusts, Estates and Succession Planning Bulletin
April 2011
why you should have a will
Trusts, Estates and Succession Planning Bulletin
Summer 2005
Estates: Limiting Probate Fees Using Two Wills
InBrief Summer 2005
June 2004
Succession Planning for the Family Cottage
Personal Wealth Management Group Bulletin
March 2004
'Power Struggles' - Impact of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 ("SDA") on Powers of Attorney 'Coupled with an Interest' in the Commercial Context
Personal Wealth Management Newsletter
April 2003
Probate Taxes: An Estate Planning Opportunity
Personal Wealth Management Bulletin