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Courses/Accounting & Tax/Federal Tax Law Update

Bare Trust Reporting Update

Navigate the complexities of Canada's latest bare trust reporting rules, mastering new definitions and exemptions to ensure full compliance for your clients.

Created byAJAG Professional Developmentworkspace_premium
BeginnerUpdated Jan 24, 2026
Bare Trust Reporting Update

What You'll Learn

check_circleDefine bare, express, and deemed trusts.
check_circleAnalyze new T3 reporting requirements.
check_circleIdentify key filing exemptions for 2025.
check_circleDistinguish legal from beneficial owners.
check_circleAssess trust and agency relationships.
check_circleReview current draft legislation updates.

About This Course

Navigate the evolving landscape of Canadian tax law with this comprehensive update on Bare Trust reporting. Led by Anna Malajevaya, Principal at Advo Tax Law Professional Corporation, this course addresses the significant confusion surrounding the new reporting rules that have impacted tax practitioners and taxpayers alike. Following the administrative stay of the rules for the 2023 taxation year, the regulatory environment has shifted once again with new draft legislation released in August 2024 and further revised in August 2025. This session is designed to provide clarity on what constitutes a reportable arrangement and how to prepare effectively for the upcoming filing deadlines.

The course begins by establishing a solid foundation in trust law theory, explaining the critical distinctions between legal and beneficial ownership. You will explore the essential definitions of trusts, including express, resulting, and constructive trusts, and learn why the distinction between an active trust and a bare trust is vital for compliance. The presentation delves into the historical context of these rules, tracing the trajectory from OECD transparency initiatives to the current amendments in the Income Tax Act, helping you understand the government's intent behind these rigorous disclosure requirements.

A significant portion of the content is dedicated to dissecting the new "deemed trust" rules. You will be guided through the complex decision trees used to determine filing obligations under the proposed legislation. The instructor provides a detailed analysis of the August 2025 proposals, highlighting critical changes to exemptions. This includes a deep dive into the expanded "de minimis" rules for trusts with assets under $250,000, specific exclusions for family arrangements involving principal residences, and the treatment of joint bank accounts. Through practical examples—ranging from complex corporate structures to common family scenarios like adding a child to a property title—you will learn how to apply the law to real-world situations.

Key topics covered in this course include:

  • The legal definition of a trust and the specific characteristics of express versus bare trusts.
  • An analysis of the "deemed trust" concept and when an agency relationship triggers a filing requirement.
  • A detailed review of the legislative timeline, including the current status of the August 2024 and 2025 draft rules.
  • Specific exemptions for bare trusts, including rules for related persons, spouses, and short-term existence trusts.
  • Practical guidance on filing T3 returns and Schedule 15, including identifying settlors, trustees, and beneficiaries.
  • Common pitfalls in estate planning and real estate holding arrangements that may inadvertently create reporting obligations.

Whether you are a lawyer, accountant, or tax professional, this update provides the essential knowledge needed to mitigate compliance risks and advise clients accurately on the latest Bare Trust reporting obligations for the 2025 taxation year and beyond.

Your Instructors

AJAG Professional Development
AJAG Professional Development
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AJAG Professional Development was founded in 2003 with a mission of making professional development easier and more cost-effective for Canadian accountants and other financial advisory professionals. Our comprehensive range of flexible and reasonably-priced courses, programs and seminars are delivered online and in classroom-style settings in the Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, Oakville and Markham). AJAG features a roster of highly-qualified instructors who deliver content that is pertinent, up-to-date and engaging.

Anna  Malazhavaya
Anna Malazhavaya

Tax Lawyer, Founder of Advotax Law

Anna helps clients who are being audited or were reassessed by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) resolve their disputes with the tax authorities. Anna represents her clients at the CRA level, at the Tax Court of Canada, and at the Federal Court. In addition to her tax litigation work, Anna advises her clients on a wide variety of Canadian income tax, HST, and international tax issues. She helps business owners organize their affairs in the most tax-efficient manner. Most of Anna's clients are small and medium-sized businesses, as well as individuals and estates. Anna's specific expertise is in income tax and HST issues related to the real estate and construction industry. Anna graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto in 2007 and was called to the Ontario bar in 2008. She completed Parts I–III of the CICA In-Depth Tax Course. Prior to founding Advotax Law, Anna practiced tax law at one of the largest Bay Street firms. Anna is the founder of Canadian Tax Nerds, an informal discussion and study group of over 1,800 Canadian tax professionals. Anna is active in the Greater Toronto Area's Russian-speaking legal community. Anna provides legal services in English and Russian.

Credit Information

Do these courses count toward my professional development requirements?

This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.

If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.