Bueti – Tax Court of Canada seems to imply that s. 70(5)(b) cannot apply to property acquired by a residuary beneficiary

Owen J made a factual finding that a particular property (a house in the estate of the taxpayer’s father) was purchased for cash consideration by her and her husband, as joint tenants, rather than being devised to her under her father’s will. Accordingly, it was clear that her and her husband’s cost of the property was their cash purchase price rather than being deemed by s. 70(5)(b) to be its higher fair market value at the time of their purchase.

Before so concluding, he made the interesting observation that, under the laws of Ontario, residuary beneficiaries do not acquire an interest in any specific property in the residue of the estate and it is instead the executors who acquire the property in the residue – with a possible implication that s. 70(5)(b) cannot apply to property acquired by a residuary beneficiary (as contrasted to property acquired by specific devise or bequest). Neither counsel mentioned s. 248(8)(a), which deems property acquired “as a consequence of the terms of the will” to be acquired “as a consequence of the death” (being the triggering phrase in s. 70(5)(b).)

Neal Armstrong. Summary of Bueti v. The Queen, 2015 TCC 265, under s. 70(5).