What will you learn about?

  • Estates, Trusts and Agencies
  • Wills
  • Introduction to Law: Intestate Succession
  • Probate
  • Estate Administration
  • Basics of Estate and Trust Tax
  • Legal Representation (Common Law)
  • The Administration of the Property of Others (Civil Code)
  • Introduction to Investing
  • Trust Accounting

What is the course syllabus?

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Module 1

Section 1 - Estates, Trusts and Agencies

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Estates (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Trusts (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Agencies (Common Law and Civil Code)

Section 2 - Wills

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction to Wills
  • Legislative Considerations
  • Introduction (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Capacity to Make a Will (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Forms of Wills (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Formal Requirements for a Valid Will
  • Changes to Wills (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Revocation of a will (Common Law Provinces)
  • Marriage, Partnership, Separation and Divorce
    (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Revival and Republication (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Incorporation by Reference / Memorandum
  • Fee Agreements
  • Letter of Instruction (Letter of Wishes) and Memoranda (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Foreign Wills (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Multiple Wills
  • Lapse and Anti-lapse (Common Law)
  • Lapse and Nullity of Legacies, Accretion and Representation, and Illicit and Impossible Condition (Civil Code)
  • Legacies, Ademption and Abatement OR Reduction (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Survivorship Legislation OR Simultaneous Death (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Distribution Per Capita and Per Stirpes (By Roots in Quebec)(Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Will Reviews
  • Will Interpretation (Common Law)
  • Will Interpretation (Civil Code)
  • Vested vs. Contingent Interests
  • The Order and Contents of a Will (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Common Types of Trusts (Common Law and Civil Code)
  • Types Of Wills

Section 3 - Introduction to Law: Intestate Succession

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction
  • Intestate Succession
  • General Distribution Rules (All Provinces)
  • Intestacy in the Province of Quebec
  • Appendix I
  • Appendix II
  • Appendix III

Module 2

Section 1 - Probate

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Probate (Common Law)
  • Letters of Administration (Common Law)
  • Other Grants of the Court (Common Law)
  • Probate of Wills (Civil Code)
  • Probate Fees
  • When Probate Should Be Presented
  • Intestate Succession
  • Letters of Verification

Section 2 - Estate Administration

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction
  • Initial Steps
  • Valuation of Assets
  • Cost of Valuation of Property
  • Production of an Inventory
  • Transfer of Ownership of Assets of the Deceased
  • Distribution of Residue
  • Sample Letters
  • Agent for the Executor
  • Family Law Legislation (Common Law)
  • Matrimonial Law (Civil Code of Quebec)
  • Family Patrimony
  • Appendix 1 – Administration Checklist
  • Appendix 2 – Sample Letters
  • Appendix 3 – Statement of Assets and Liabilities (Inventory)
  • Appendix 4 – Ontario – Rules in Estate Proceedings
  • Appendix 5 – British Columbia
  • Appendix 6 – Basic Reference Under Civil Code for Succession Administration

Section 3 - Basics of Estate and Trust Tax

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction
  • Income Taxation: An Overview
  • Role of the Personal Representative
  • Deceased Taxpayers: Required and Elective Returns
  • Types of Income Reported to Date of Death
  • How to Locate the Information Needed to Prepare the Returns
  • Objections, Appeals and Reassessments
  • Penalties and Interest
  • Filing A T3 Trust Return (TP646 in Quebec)

Module 3

Section 1 - Legal Representation

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction
  • Powers of Attorney for the Management of Property
  • Personal Care Decisions
  • Court Appointed Guardians of Property (Common Law); Tutors, Curators, Advisers (Civil Law)
  • Guardianship of the Person
  • Statutory Guardianship of Property in Common Law Provinces and Public Protective Supervision in Quebec
  • Dealing With Minors
  • Particular Considerations on Tutorship to Minors and Protective Supervision for Incapacitated Adults (Quebec)

Section 2 - Introduction to Investing

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction
  • A Working Definition of Investing
  • Financial Instruments: What Are They?
  • Debt Securities
  • Corporate Debt Securities
  • Equities
  • Managed Products
  • Investment Objectives
  • The Principle of Risk and Return
  • Trustee Responsibility

Section 3 - Trust Accounting

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction
  • Duty to Keep Accounts
  • The Basic Trust Accounting System
  • Compensation on Passing of Accounts
  • Vouchers
  • Accounting to the Public Trustee or
    Official Guardian Public Curator in Quebec
  • Assisting the Court at the Audit
  • Court Order at Common Law or Final rendering
    of Accounts In Quebec
  • Release from a Beneficiary
  • Executor’s Compensation Reported as Income
  • Out of Pocket Expenses
  • Inter Vivos Trusts — Accounting Requirements
  • Guardianships Accounting Requirements (Curators and Tutors for Minors and Persons of Full Age in Quebec)
  • Agencies — Accounting Requirements
  • The Effect of Income Tax on Accounting Requirements
  • Beneficiary Statements
  • Apportionment – As it Relates to Credits
  • Appendix 1 – Sample Set of Accounts: Frank Gavin Estate
  • Appendix 2 – Under the General Umbrella of Revenue
  • Appendix 3 – Form of Accounts
  • Appendix 4 – Basic References Under Civil Code for Trust and Estates Accounting

Section 4 - The Administration of the Property of Others in the Province of Quebec

Topics covered in this section are:

  • Introduction (a. 1299 to 1370) MLR 02/2018
  • General Provisions (a. 1299 to 1300)
  • Two Kinds of Administration
  • Rules of Administration (a. 1308 to 1354)
  • Investments (a. 1339 to 1344)
  • Apportionment of Profit and Expenditure (a. 1345 to 1350)
  • Annual Account (a. 1351 to 1354)
  • Termination of Administration (a. 1355 to 1370)
  • Administration of the Property of Other in Context

How will you learn?

CSI’s online learning system helps you meet your study goals. You’ll benefit from:

  • Textbook readings available in PDF and printed format
  • Course materials accessed through your computer or laptop
  • Learning objectives that help you to keep the learning focused
  • Each section ends with a learning activity, a self-study exercise and review question
  • Online assistance from CSI’s academic support specialists

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