The Government of Saskatchewan began distributing Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit (“SATC”) cheques on Monday, November 14, 2022. There have been instances where people have received SATC cheques issued in the name of someone who has passed away. If you received a SATC cheque in the name of a deceased person, you may ask yourself: what should I do with this payment?
The Ministry of Finance has provided guidance for an executor or administrator that receives a SATC cheque for a deceased person:
- If the estate is still open, executors or administrators of an estate may deposit the cheque and distribute the funds according to the residue clause of the Will; and
- If the estate has been closed, the executor or administrator of an estate may return the cheque to the Ministry of Finance.
- If the estate has been closed, the executor or administrator may re-open the estate to cash the cheque, if this is possible.
Re-opening a closed estate can come with additional administration work for the personal representative such as re-opening bank accounts that may have been closed, determining which beneficiary (or beneficiaries, as the case may be) receives the funds, and requiring further accounting to the beneficiaries, amongst other requirements. An executor or administrator that receives a SATC cheque for a deceased person should obtain legal advice when considering whether any of the above-mentioned options are appropriate for a particular estate.
The SATC payments are not taxable to the Estate. Contact the estate accounting advisor with respect to any estate tax advice.
Our Wills & Estates team can assist you with dealing with a SATC cheque for a deceased person. If you have any questions or need our assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to one of the members of our Wills & Estates team.
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