Most Canadians lose 1.5–3% of their estate to probate fees — and far more to poorly structured beneficiary designations and terminal tax events. We work alongside your lawyer to structure a transfer that maximizes what your family receives, and minimizes what goes to the CRA and the courts.
Estate planning sounds like something for the ultra-wealthy. It isn't. Any Canadian with a home, registered accounts, and named beneficiaries has an estate — and without a plan, a significant portion will be transferred to the wrong place, taxed at the wrong time, or delayed for months in probate court.
The deemed disposition rule is the most overlooked threat: at death, the CRA treats all assets as sold at fair market value. RRSP/RRIF balances are included in final income — potentially triggering 50%+ marginal tax on the entire balance if not structured correctly. On a $600K RRIF, that's $300,000 to the CRA, not your family.
A properly structured plan using spousal rollovers, insurance contracts, and designated beneficiaries can eliminate or dramatically reduce that exposure — legally, and with minimal complexity.
Insurance contracts with named beneficiaries bypass the estate entirely — no probate fees, no public disclosure, no 6-month delay. On a $1M life insurance policy, this saves $15,000+ in Ontario probate fees and delivers proceeds directly to beneficiaries within weeks of a claim.
The single most common estate mistake: outdated or missing beneficiary designations. Your will cannot override a named beneficiary on an RRSP, TFSA, life insurance policy, or pension. We audit every account and ensure designations align with your wishes — and minimize tax exposure.
The deemed disposition on death triggers a terminal tax return that can dwarf the estate's liquid assets. We model the full tax exposure on your estate — including capital gains, RRSP/RRIF income inclusion, and principal residence claims — and structure strategies to minimize it years before it matters.
A well-structured charitable bequest can eliminate capital gains tax on appreciated securities and generate a donation receipt worth 46–53% back in tax credits. For clients with philanthropic goals, we model the tax-optimal structure — whether direct securities donation, donor-advised fund, or charitable remainder trust.
Most people think of life insurance as income replacement. But for clients with $500K+ in net worth, insurance is primarily an estate planning tool — and one of the most tax-efficient vehicles the Canadian tax code allows.
A life insurance policy with a named beneficiary: pays out tax-free, bypasses probate entirely, avoids public disclosure in probate court, and arrives within weeks of a death claim. No other financial instrument does all four simultaneously.
We place insurance products with over 12 carriers — including IA Financial, Equitable Life, Manulife, ivari, and Foresters — ensuring the product and structure recommended fits the client's estate goals, not the advisor's preferences.
Check off items you've already addressed. Any unchecked item is a potential gap in your estate plan — and possibly an unnecessary cost or delay for your family. Book a strategy session to address any gaps.
Book Estate Review →We inventory all assets, accounts, policies, and existing documents — then model the terminal tax exposure on your estate as it stands today.
We identify every gap: outdated designations, probate exposure, uncovered RRIF tax, and missing documents. Every gap is quantified in dollars.
We produce a prioritized plan: what to do now, what to do within 12 months, and what's optimal over the longer term. We coordinate with your lawyer on legal documents.
Estate plans decay. We trigger reviews at major life events — death in family, marriage, divorce, business sale, new tax legislation — and update the plan accordingly.
Book a free estate snapshot session. In 45 minutes we'll model your current estate exposure — terminal tax, probate fees, and settlement timeline — and show you exactly what's at stake.