Independent financial planning · Alberta & Yukon
Estate & family wealth
An estate plan is a conversation before it's a document.
A will says who gets what. An estate plan works out how it actually gets there — what happens with taxes, which assets pass outside the will, who's in charge, how the family is prepared, and what happens if you're still here but can't make decisions yourself.
Who's around the table
You and your partner — your wishes, your values, your family
Your lawyer — wills, powers of attorney, personal directives, trusts
Your tax preparer — the final tax returns and the estate's filings
Me — investments, insurance and beneficiaries lined up with the plan
Your executor and adult children — when the time is right to involve them
Working with your accountant
Your documents and your finances should tell the same story
I don't draft wills or give legal advice — that's your lawyer's role, and it's an important one.
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What I bring is the financial side: making sure your investments, insurance and beneficiary designations support what your documents say, and keeping everything aligned as life changes.
What you can expect
A clear picture of what happens to each part of your estate
Beneficiaries and ownership reviewed and kept current
Coordination with your lawyer and accountant
Help preparing the next generation, when you're ready
Estate planning FAQ
Questions worth asking
It's an important start. But a will only covers what passes through your estate. Beneficiary designations, joint ownership, insurance and powers of attorney all need to line up with it.
Any time your life changes significantly — marriage, separation, children, a move, a business sale — and every few years regardless.
That's your call, and there's no single right answer. Many families find that an open conversation, at the right time, makes things much easier for everyone later.
Why it's complicated
More pieces than most people expect
Estate planning is where your investments, insurance, taxes, property and family all meet — and each follows its own rules.
How we work through it
The conversations that matter
What do you want to happen — and why?
Before anything is drafted, we talk about your wishes and the values behind them. Who do you want to take care of? What do you want to pass on, and how? This is the foundation your lawyer builds the documents on.
Do all the pieces line up?
We review every account, policy and property — who owns it and who is named to receive it — and compare that with your will. It's common to find something that no longer matches, and it's much easier to fix now.
How will the taxes and costs be handled?
We work with your tax specialist to understand what the estate will face, then plan for it — including whether insurance should provide the cash so your family isn't forced to sell something at the wrong time. See life insurance for how that works.
Who's in charge?
Choosing an executor, powers of attorney and guardians for young children is a big responsibility to hand someone. Your lawyer will talk you through who's best suited and make sure they'll know where to find what they need.
How do we bring the family in?
Heirs who understand the plan are far better prepared to receive it. When you're ready, a family conversation can prevent confusion and conflict later — and I'm happy to help guide it.
Own a business?
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Succession adds another layer — who takes over, how they'll pay for it, and how it's fair to the rest of the family. See planning for business owners.
Not everything follows your will
Beneficiary designations, jointly held property and insurance often pass outside the will entirely. If they don't line up with it, the result may not be what you intended.
There's a final tax bill
Death can trigger tax on investments, property and registered plans. How it's paid — and whether there's cash available to pay it — needs to be planned.
Families are complicated
Blended families, a child who needs extra support, a family cottage everyone loves, a business only one child works in. Fair and equal aren't always the same thing.
Incapacity comes first
Before an estate plan is about death, it's about who makes decisions if you can't. Powers of attorney and personal directives matter just as much as the will.
Rules vary by province
Property, family or accounts in more than one province can add layers to how things are handled and settled.
Plans get stale
Marriages, separations, births, deaths, moves, a new business. A plan drafted years ago may no longer reflect your life today.