FOCA and estate lawyer Peter Lillico have been teaching families about cottage succession planning for over fifteen years.
Download an information sheet (PDF, 2 pages) about FOCA’s Cottage Succession Seminars, and sub-topics covered in the recordings – more on that, below.
2025 Seminar Series with Peter Lillico
Register for an Upcoming FOCA Cottage Succession Webinar:
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 from 7:00pm-8:30pm by Zoom webinar –TRUST THE COTTAGE! Protect the Family Legacy AND Save Taxes.
Register to join FOCA and estate lawyer Peter Lillico for an in-depth look at a combination of trust techniques that can help avoid payment of probate tax, protect against claims by children’s creditors and divorcing in-laws, and defer capital gains tax by “generation skipping” ownership. Bring your questions for the “chat” Q&A session.
MEMBERS register for free here; remember to tell us your FOCA affiliation when you register!
Registrants receive the slides after the event, but not a recording. For more on purchasing access to past recordings, see below.
Not a member, but still want to attend an upcoming cottage succession seminar? You can:
- pay the $30 non-member fee per registrant, then register using the link above.
- or, become a Friend of FOCA (our paid annual supporter category) to receive free access to all FOCA Cottage Succession events over the coming year, plus additional supporter benefits.
Completed 2025 Series Webinars:
- March 26, 2025 – TARGETING TAX: a “deeper dive” into cottage succession tax issues. This talk provides an overview of how and when capital gains tax applies; techniques to avoid, reduce or defer tax; and planning approaches to fund it.
- May 28, 2025 – COTTAGE SHARING AGREEMENTS: a “deeper dive” into one critical part of the family cottage succession plan: how a well-crafted Cottage Sharing Agreement can help your family avoid conflict and ensure a smooth transition of your shared property.
SPECIAL new taxation recording with the experts:
US & Canadian Cottage Succession Tax Planning
April 2025 – FOCA is very pleased to release a special new recorded resource about cottage succession planning and tax implications for (1) American and (2) Canadian owners of cottage properties in Ontario.
This 1.5 hour video features deep-dive tips from the professionals: estate lawyer Peter Lillico, and Kaz Nesbitt (CPA, CA), tax planning accountant with Doane Grant Thornton LLP.
PRICE: $175 for members with the access code; or $250 non-members
Members: login below for your member discount code before checkout!
You're missing members-only content!
The offer access code is only available to members of our Member Associations & current Friends of FOCA (our annual supporters).
If you are already registered on the FOCA website, please login below with your Username and Password.
Need help with your login? Contact us for assistance during business hours. Not yet a Member Association? Find out why you should be!
ASK THE EXPERT - "Passing the Torch"
Each month, estate lawyer Peter Lillico answers a member question about cottage succession planning. Peter is the expert speaker in FOCA’s ongoing Cottage Succession Seminar Series.
June 2025 – Our next question comes from Barbara B.:
- “I’d like to leave my cottage to my three adult children. I own no other dwelling now and live in a retirement home. Can I designate my Cottage as my principal residence since I spend more than a month there every summer?”
FOCA members can login below for Peter’s response.
You're missing members-only content!
Peter's response is only available to members of our Member Associations & current Friends of FOCA (our annual supporters).
If you are already registered on the FOCA website, please login below with your Username and Password.
Need help with your login? Contact us for assistance during business hours. Not yet a Member Association? Find out why you should be!
On January 6, 2025, Justin Trudeau announced he will resign his post as Prime Minister once a new leader of the federal Liberal party is chosen. He then prorogued Parliament which will not sit again until March 24. This brings to an end all Government bills that were in progress, making it unlikely that the capital gains tax inclusion rate change announced by the Federal Government last summer will ever become law. However, the Canada Revenue Agency announced the 2024 tax forms will reflect the higher inclusion rate. Read about the complexity from the legal minds at Fasken, and be certain to get professional advice about your own tax situation.
EARLIER RELATED NEWS:
On April 16, 2024, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled a 2024 federal budget including an announcement that the capital gains tax on amounts over $250,000 will rise on or after June 25, 2024. This will negatively impact many FOCA members who sell or transfer ownership of their cottages to the next generation. FOCA sent a letter to the government in opposition to this development; read the letter and related media coverage on our Taxation webpage.
Purchase Cottage Succession Series Digital Recordings:
You can purchase access to up to five individual digital recordings of Peter Lillico’s cottage succession talks, so you can review them with your family at your leisure:
Title #1 – Cottage Succession Planning “A” to “Z” – this is the recommended introductory session that provides an overview of considerations for starting your cottage succession plan (recorded 2021)
Title #2 – Cottage Sharing Agreements – an in-depth look at considerations for creating the Cottage Sharing Agreement, one important step in your cottage succession process (recorded 2016)
Title #3 – Targeting Tax – an in-depth session explaining capital gains tax, and tips to reduce or defer it (recorded in March 2025 with updated tax info)
Title #4 – Trusting the Cottage – an in-depth look at trust techniques (recorded in 2021)
Title #5 – Seize the Time or Bide your Time? – an in-depth look at choosing when to transfer the cottage to the kids (recorded in 2024 with updated tax info)
Member Pricing (with codes – see below): $50 each
Non-Member Pricing: $110 each (+ HST)
Bulk Discounts: buy 2 for $10 off; buy 3 for $20 off; buy 4 for $30 off; or buy 5 for $40 off
IMPORTANT: capital gains tax changes announced in April 2024 will change the taxation information outlined in our past Cottage Succession seminar recordings. Most of the information remains appropriate, but tax illustrations are now less accurate. ANY TAX DECISIONS MADE SHOULD ALWAYS BE AFTER CONSULTATON WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS TO ENSURE YOU ARE ACTING UPON CURRENT INFORMATION. Stay tuned for updates from FOCA.
After online payment, you will receive an email with the online link(s) to view the digital video recording(s) as many times as you wish, and you may share the link(s) with your family members. NOTE: Internet is required to view the video postings.
MEMBERS: login below for the discount codes to save $60 off the regular price of each video, plus bulk purchase savings!
You're missing members-only content!
The offer access codes are only available to members of our Member Associations & current Friends of FOCA (our annual supporters).
If you are already registered on the FOCA website, please login below with your Username and Password.
Need help with your login? Contact us for assistance during business hours. Not yet a Member Association? Find out why you should be!
Please note: the following is archival material, and some links to third-party resources may no longer be active.
January 2023 – “Cottage Concerns” – a three-part series by Peter Lillico about succession planning (Peterborough Examiner) – Part 1: Sprinkling Cottage Trusts; Part 2: Cottage Sharing Agreements; Part 3: Prenuptual Agreements
June 3, 2021 – Peter Lillico quoted in: The perils of passing down the family cottage (Globe & Mail)
August 22, 2020 –Navigating the often rough waters of cottage ownership (Peterborough This Week)
Peter Lillico is quoted in this article about “What happens to our joint-owned cottage after we pass?” from Cottage Life.
June 2018 – Peter Lillico is quoted in this article: “What to know about owning a cottage with friends or family,” Times Colonist.
Peter is also the backbone of this article: “How to hand down your cottage while keeping the peace and saving money,” Cottage Life, by Penny Caldwell.
“4 different ways families approached cottage succession,” Cottage Life, by Penny Caldwell.
Sept.2015 – Read this article about FOCA’s Cottage Succession Seminar series with estate lawyer Peter Lillico (source: My Kawartha)