Detailed Service Category: Business & Succession Planning

Estate Freezes and Succession Planning: When Might An Estate Freeze Make Sense?

Older couple discussing estate and succession planning with an advisor.

If you own a successful private company, there’s a good chance a significant portion of your wealth is tied up in the business. As that business grows, so does the value of your shares. That can be great while you’re building the company, but it can also create a larger… Read more

Corporate Wills in B.C.: Could a Second Will Simplify Your Estate?

Business owner discussing succession and estate planning beside farm equipment.

If you own a private company, your shares may be one of the most valuable assets you’ll eventually leave behind. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be handled in the same way as your home, investments, and other personal assets when you die. For some B.C. business owners,… Read more

Beyond the Traditional Sale: Two Succession Options You May Not Have Considered

Business owner discussing succession planning with two members of her management team.

When you start thinking about stepping back from your business, the most obvious succession options may be passing it to family or selling to an outside buyer. But what if the next owners are potentially already working for you? For some business owners, selling to the people who already know… Read more

Selling Your Professional Practice: What to Start Doing 3–5 Years Before You Exit

Doctor shaking hands with a client in a medical office, representing the sale or transition of a professional practice.

For many professionals, their practice is their largest asset. Years of building a client base, developing a reputation, and reinvesting profits often culminate in one major financial event: the eventual sale of the business. Yet one of the most common challenges advisors see is timing. Many practice owners only start… Read more

Avoiding a Forced Sale: Using Life Insurance to Fund Taxes at Death

Two men, one older and one younger, walking outdoors together and smiling, representing intergenerational business succession and estate planning.

For many incorporated business owners, a large portion of their wealth is tied up in their company, a real estate portfolio, or long-term investments held inside a corporation. On paper, the value can be significant. In practice, much of that wealth may not be easily converted to cash. That distinction… Read more

Bridging the Gap: Aligning Corporate and Personal Tax Strategies

A business advisor speaking with an older client on a farm, with agricultural equipment in the background.

When you own a business, the line between your money and the company’s money can get blurry fast. Many owner-managers think about taxes in two buckets: corporate and personal. In reality, both are part of one financial picture. The decisions you make in your company directly affect what ends up… Read more

2024 Federal Budget: Crystallizing Accrued Capital Gains Before the Inclusion Rate Changes

A red alarm clock sits on a desk calendar.

UPDATE (June 10, 2024): Notice of Ways and Means Motion on Capital Gains Inclusion Rate On June 10, 2024, the Canadian government released a Notice of Ways and Means Motion providing further details on the capital gains inclusion rate change. The motion clarifies that the inclusion rate will increase from… Read more

The Property Playbook: Acquiring, Holding, and Disposing of Residential Real Estate in B.C.

A young couple of a man and woman sit down with their female real estate agent to discuss considerations around purchasing their first home. A table with a laptop is in the foreground.

In recent years, each level of government—federal, provincial, and municipal—has introduced legislation to further their goals of increasing the availability and affordability of residential real estate in Canada, and improving the transparency of the true ownership of Canadian real estate. When combined with existing legislative requirements, these new pieces of… Read more

Navigating Common-Law Tax Filing: Tips for Canadian Couples

A young couple stands at their kitchen counter working on their taxes on a laptop , while the woman looks lovingly at the man.

UPDATE (February 13, 2026): This article has been updated to reflect changes in legislation, regulations, and accounting practices since the original date of publication (February 14, 2024). It’s Valentine’s Day, and that means you might be getting together with your partner, sharing a nice dinner, maybe a bottle of wine,… Read more

ESG: A Game-Changer for Your Business

A group of businesspeople sit around a table examining a solar panel. A presentation is on a screen behind them with graphs displaying renewable energy percentages.

In recent years, there’s been a growing emphasis on the adoption of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles as an expectation of the private sector. As we’ve previously explored in the context of Corporate Social Responsibility, companies that embrace ESG principles are seeing significant benefits in terms of revenue growth… Read more