The Canadian income tax system is structured in such a way that taxpayers and their estates are often liable to pay significant taxes upon their death.
These taxes can represent a large proportion of the value of the deceased’s estate and can significantly reduce the amount of residual assets available for distribution to the estate’s beneficiaries.
Fortunately, the tax an estate will be subject to isn’t set in stone and with a properly structured will, a taxpayer can significantly reduce the taxes payable on their final income tax return (as well as the taxes payable by their estate subsequent to their death).
A strategy used to reduce a taxpayer’s liability on a final tax return involves the drafting of a will that leaves assets to their spouse rather than other beneficiaries.
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