There is one variable (again, a time-based one) that is crucial for your estate. When you die is that variable.
If you die on December 31st, 20XX at 11:59 PM, it is vastly different from dying on January 1st, 20XX+1 at 12:01 AM.
In the first Scenario your estate can be wrangled, wrestled and closed (most likely) on Tax Year 20XX, which usually means year 20XX+1.
If you choose to leave this mortal coil in the second scenario, your estate’s works with the CRA will not close until year 20XX+2! You died in year 20XX+1, thus you need to:
- File a return for year 20XX+1
- File a closure for year 20XX+1, which most likely, only happens in year 20XX+2!
I think I was aware of this. The concept was brought home again when my mother passed away in 2025.
⚰Important Point on Date and Time of Death ️🌹
In Ontario, you are only declared dead (complete with Date and Time) when the Doctor starts doing your paperwork. Makes sense, no worries. If this happens in a hospital, no problems, easy peasy.
If this happens somewhere without a Doctor around, the Doc must show up within 48 hours after being asked. This supports the first point I made about the year you passed away in the CRA.
I learned this from the Doctor who showed up at my Mother’s Residence after my mother passed away. The Doctor knew my mother's condition. Thus, the Doc was "On Call" despite the impending snowstorm. The Doc arrived within an hour of my mother’s passing.
The Doctor told me that she is on call on every New Year’s Eve. She stays nearby for the reason pointed out in Section 1. Hell of a way to celebrate the New Year.🎉
Remember to plan your estate ahead of time. Please check with your liquidator, or executor to make sure they want to do it. You can always hire an Estate Firm to do it instead.
🏛️ Estates and Taxes in Ontario and Quebec: 5 Authoritative Resources
Avoid costly mistakes and have a smooth succession. Here are five trusted resources to help navigate estate taxes in Ontario and Quebec.
🗂️ Ontario Resources
1. Estate Administration Tax – Ontario.ca
💡 Official Ontario guide to the Estate Administration Tax. Learn how it's applied to estates over $50,000 and how to file the Estate Information Return.
2. Calculating the Estate Administration Tax – Ontario.ca
🧮 Step-by-step calculator and asset overview. Easily estimate what your estate will owe and which assets are subject to taxation.
3. Inheritance Taxes & Estate Taxes – Miltons Estate Law
📘 Legal insight from an Ontario estate law firm. Understand what is taxed (and what’s not) and how to minimize the estate’s tax burden legally.
🗂️ Quebec Resources
4. Successions and Taxation IN-313-V – Revenu Québec
📄 Official Quebec government guide for estate liquidators. Details all tax obligations when settling an estate in Quebec.
5. Estate Planning – Éducaloi
🌱 Plain-language tips for minimizing estate taxes. Learn how to plan using trusts, charitable gifts, and other Quebec-specific strategies.
📝 Need help interpreting this for your situation? Consult with a notary or estate lawyer in your province to get tailored advice.
