Estate transitions go wrong when they're not planned. We build structures that protect your assets, minimize taxes, and ensure your wealth transfers exactly as intended.
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We design personalized estate plans to ensure clarity, control, and tax efficiency, establish family trusts to manage wealth distribution and future benefits, coordinate wills and legal structures to protect long-term family interests, and implement strategies to minimize probate costs and administrative delays.
We develop ownership transfer plans to maintain stability and leadership continuity, structure share transfers to balance control, equity, and tax optimization, prepare valuations and transition models to support informed decision-making, and advise on buy-sell agreements to protect all parties during business handovers.
We integrate retirement, investment, and estate strategies for lasting financial growth, review capital gains exposure to reduce tax burden on asset transitions, coordinate charitable giving plans to align with personal and family objectives, and ensure ongoing compliance with CRA requirements for estate-related filings.
We begin with a full review of your assets, existing structures, family situation, and transition goals. Understanding what you own, how it's held, and what you want to happen is the foundation for building a plan that actually works.
We model the tax consequences of your current structure and the transition you have in mind. We identify capital gains exposure, probate costs, and estate tax obligations, and present strategies to reduce them, including trusts, rollovers, freezes, and charitable structures.
We build the structures required to execute your plan, whether that's a trust, a holding company reorganization, or a share transfer, and coordinate with your estate lawyer to ensure everything is properly documented and legally sound from all angles.
Estate structures require ongoing attention. We handle trust filings, estate returns, and CRA compliance year over year, and review your plan periodically to adapt to changes in your assets, family, tax law, or succession timeline.
Whether you're structuring an estate, planning a business succession, or protecting wealth for the next generation, we'll tell you where you stand, what's at risk, and how to transition on your terms.
Book a Free ConsultationEstate planning ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes, with minimal tax and delay. Without a plan, assets may be subject to probate, unintended tax exposure, or family disputes. We build structures that make the transition clear, efficient, and legally sound.
An estate freeze locks in the current value of your assets for tax purposes, shifting future growth to the next generation. It is commonly used by business owners to cap their capital gains exposure. The right timing depends on your business value, family situation, and succession goals.
Canada has no inheritance tax, but a deemed disposition occurs on death, meaning all assets are treated as sold at fair market value. This can trigger significant capital gains. RRSPs and RRIFs are also fully included in income unless transferred to a spouse. We plan to minimize these exposures well in advance.
A family trust can distribute income among family members, protect assets from creditors, and facilitate intergenerational wealth transfer with tax efficiency. Whether it makes sense depends on your income level, assets, and family structure. We assess the tradeoffs before recommending one.
Options include a gradual share transfer, an estate freeze followed by a family trust, or a structured buy-out arrangement. The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption may also shelter a portion of the sale. The right approach depends on whether the successor is a family member, a partner, or a third-party buyer.
Probate is the court process that validates a will and authorizes the executor to distribute assets. In BC, probate fees are calculated on the gross estate value. Strategies to minimize probate include holding assets jointly, designating beneficiaries on registered accounts, and using trusts to transfer assets outside the estate.
Yes. We work alongside estate lawyers regularly. We focus on the tax and financial structuring layer, including valuations, reorganizations, trust filings, and CRA compliance, while coordinating with your lawyer to ensure the legal documentation reflects the plan accurately. Having both sides aligned avoids costly gaps.
As soon as you have assets worth protecting or people who depend on you. For business owners, the sooner the better, as many strategies require years to implement effectively. Waiting until illness or urgency limits your options significantly. A free consultation is the right starting point.
