Death and Taxes: Beating One of the Two Certainties in Life-Death and Taxes

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is also the
author of The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Women’s Lives, Kurlek, and
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Hom

Cleverly subtitled, Death and Taxes is a useful collection of nine
articles by experts in such areas as estate planning, offshore trusts,
life insurance, international tax planning, and the long-range
maximization of an estate for a secure old age.

The latter topic, addressed by editor Jerry White, alerts us to
sobering statistics such as the projection that by 2120, Canadians will
be spending one-third of their lives in school, one-third working, and
one-third in retirement. Very few have planned for such a future. While
we struggle with the prospect or reality of longevity, we must also cope
with government clawbacks in Old Age Security, reduced RRSP contribution
levels, and cutbacks in health care.

Tim Cestnick offers 10 strategies for the necessary planning. Barry
Fish and Les Kotzer cover the legalities of making a will, dying
intestate, and creating a plan or structure for your will. Carmen
DaSilva focuses on life insurance as a tool for estate planning.
Christopher V. Radomski and Gordon Polovin analyze the implications of
offshore planning and offer alternatives. Brian Koscak and Mark Simone
provide insights into “The Snowbird Lifestyle.”

Death and Taxes is a well-written guide on an important topic, a solid
contribution to the field by industry experts.