Section 9(1) of the Estates Administration Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E 22 (“EAA” ) provides, among other things, that real property vests in persons beneficially entitled to that property under a will if that property was not disposed of, conveyed to, divided or distributed among the persons beneficially entitled by the personal representative within three years after the death of the deceased (unless a caution has been registered on title). The EAA does not provide further clarification on when vesting takes effect if a property is subject to a life interest, and further, what happens to that property upon the termination of the life interest.
The recent decision of Lewis Pelicos, Executor and Trustee of the Estate of James Pelicos v. The Estate of Stelios Pelicos, 2019 ONSC 5304 provides clarity on when vesting takes place in circumstances where real property is subject to a life interest.
In that case, the Applicant’s father, James, died testate. The beneficiaries of James’ estate were his two sons, Steven and Lewis (the Applicant). James’ last will and testament required his two sons, Steven and Lewis (the Applicant) to hold his residential property in trust for his wife, Lillian, for her lifetime. Steven passed away some years later, leaving only the Applicant as the beneficiary of his father’s estate. The Applicant was also the executor and trustee of his father’s estate.
Following the death of the life tenant, the Applicant wished to sell the property, but required the court’s direction on whether Steven’s estate would be entitled to a share of the proceeds of sale. The answer to that question depended on whether the property vested in the beneficiaries of James’ estate on his death, or the death of the life tenant.
The Applicant brought an application seeking the court’s directions, with the issues stated as follows:
(1) Can it be inferred that the property falls into the residue of the estate upon the termination of the life interest?
Or
(2) In the alternative, do the beneficiaries of James’ estate take their interest on the testator’s date of death, or the date of death of the life tenant?
The court ultimately found that the property vested in both Steven and the Applicant as of the date of death of the testator, and as a result, the property did not fall into the residue of the estate upon the death of the life tenant.
To learn more about Vesting of Real Property, check out this blog:
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