A Happy Ending For Basket Clauses

Many people who live or have assets in Ontario are concerned about the amount of Estate Administration Tax (probate fees or "EAT") that will be payable on their death given the high rate of approximately 1.5% of the value of estate assets. One common estate planning technique for minimizing EAT is the use of multiple wills (for a discussion of techniques to minimize EAT please see our advisory " Planning to Minimize Estate Taxes"). While multiple wills have long been accepted by the Ontario courts and are specifically provided for in the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure, the recent Ontario decision in Re Milne Estate held wills that contain "basket clauses", which are commonly used in multiple will planning, to be invalid. Fortunately, the decision was recently overturned on appeal, and now that the appeal period has expired for that decision, the issue appears to have been settled.