Independent financial planning · Alberta & Yukon
Tax planning
Tax planning happens all year, not in April.
By the time your return is filed, most of the decisions that shaped it were made months earlier — which account you contributed to, when you sold something, how income was shared in the household, how you paid yourself. Good tax planning is an ongoing conversation between you, your advisor and your accountant.
Who's around the table
You and your partner — your goals, your timeline, your household
Your tax preparer — the expert on the rules and your return
Me — the forward-looking plan, accounts and timing of decisions
Your lawyer — when wills, trusts or corporate structures are involved
Your bookkeeper — for business owners, keeping the numbers ready
How we work through it
The conversations that matter
Which accounts, in which order?
RRSP or TFSA first? Is the FHSA worth it for you? What about the kids' RESP? There's no universal answer — it depends on your income today, where you expect it to be later, and what you're saving for. We work it out for your household, then revisit as things change.
Who in the household should hold what?
Couples often have very different tax situations. Thoughtful decisions about who contributes, who owns which investments and who draws income in retirement can make a meaningful difference. There are rules around this, which is exactly why it's a conversation with your accountant, not a guess.
When should the big decisions happen?
Selling an investment property, realizing gains, taking a lump sum, stepping back from work. We plan the timing ahead so you aren't discovering the tax consequences after the fact.
How do we build retirement income without surprises?
In retirement, income comes from several places at once, and each is taxed differently. How you combine them affects not just your tax bill but some government benefits too. We map it out before you get there.
What about the business?
For business owners, how you pay yourself and what stays in the company are some of the biggest planning decisions you'll make. That's a whole conversation of its own — see planning for business owners.
What happens at the end?
The final tax return is often the largest one a person ever files. Planning for it is part of estate planning, and it's much easier to do well with time on your side.
What that looks like in practice
Planning conversations before year-end, not after
Your tax preparer gets what they need without you chasing paperwork
Big decisions are run past everyone involved first
You understand the "why," not just the result
Tax planning FAQ
Questions worth asking
No. Your tax specialist or accountant stays. The goal is to work alongside them so the planning and the filing are connected.
Not at all. Choosing the right accounts, timing withdrawals and planning for retirement income matter at every income level — the decisions just look different.
At least once a year, ideally before year-end, and any time something significant changes — a new job, a sale, a retirement date, a change in the family.
A win today can cost you later
A move that lowers this year's bill can raise a future one, or quietly reduce a government benefit down the road. You have to look at the whole timeline.
Every account has its own rules
RRSP, TFSA, FHSA, RESP, non-registered, corporate — each has different rules for putting money in, taking it out and what happens at death.
It's a household, not a person
Two incomes, two sets of contribution room, different tax situations. Who holds what, and who draws what, makes a real difference — within rules that need care.
Timing is everything
When you sell, when you withdraw, when you retire, when you start government benefits. The same decision can play out very differently depending on when it's made.
The rules keep changing
Budgets adjust limits, rates and rules. A strategy that made sense a few years ago may need a second look.
Nobody sees it all
Your accountant sees the past year. Your advisor sees the portfolio. Your lawyer sees the documents. Planning works best when they're talking to each other.
Why it's complicated
The rules are connected — and so are the decisions
Tax doesn't sit in its own box. It touches your investments, your retirement, your insurance, your business and your estate.