Advice

As Estate Planning Advisors, we can provide personalized financial solutions for our client’s estate and insurance planning needs.

We deal with leading providers of insurance, accounting, and legal services. As an independent firm, we are not obligated to promote any particular company's services or products. As part of our commitment to you, we constantly survey the market to obtain the best value available.

Why do I need an Estate Plan?

If you are unsure as to why you really need an estate plan, then consider this:

  • If you die without an estate plan, the law will not assume you have made beneficiary choices, tax elections or financial planning decisions, no matter how advantageous they might be for you and your family or your business.
  • If you die without a plan, your surviving family members will be left to deal with your business as is and may not have the resources or experience to manage the financial decisions.

You don’t need a complex estate plan if you’re comfortable with how your property will be disposed of with a simpler plan or even by law, and the tax effects that go with it. First, however, make sure you fully understand who will receive your assets according to applicable laws.

Is an estate plan different for business owners? The simple answer is yes because it is more complicated.

  • Complicated tax issues.
  • More complex investment structures.
  • Issues relating to business succession.
  • Personal and business relationships.

Estate Planning is an ongoing process, over a long period of time, with many changes along the way. Inevitably, there will be issues that you haven’t resolved and questions you don’t have the answers to at this time. You shouldn’t let that stop you from beginning the planning process. It’s perfectly acceptable to have an estate plan in which some decisions are deferred to a later date. A partial plan is better than having no plan at all.

What is Estate Planning?

Estate Planning is the process of organizing a tax-efficient transfer of your assets to specific groups such as family or charities. In addition to determining who should receive your assets and when they should receive the proceeds of your estate (during your lifetime, at death. or long after death or never), estate planning does consider the following:

  • The financial and other needs of your surviving family members in the event of your death.
  • Your financial, contractual or moral obligations.
  • A plan for orderly business succession.
  • Tax minimization strategies.

Your estate plan does not stand alone. It should be integrated with your financial, retirement and business plans. For a complete plan, also consider the plans of family members and the co-owners of your business. If you own assets in more than one province or country, your estate plan will need to reflect the different law and layers of taxation that will apply.

Our trusted team of estate planners will give you all the information you need to make the best plans for your future. Contact us today!