SWPP
By Ron Cooke
June 18th, 2026
A living trust in Canada—also known as an inter vivos trust—is a legal arrangement created during your lifetime to manage assets.
This involves transferring assets into a separate legal entity, where they are governed by a written trust document. The person who sets up the trust (the settlor) appoints a trustee to manage the trust’s assets on behalf of the beneficiaries.
Living trusts are not subject to probate because the trust—not the individual—owns the assets. While they can be used for many purposes, living trusts require careful consideration of tax implications.
