Who we help

Planning within a corporate structure

You, as a business owner, have put significant time, resources, and effort into making your business successful. So how do you proceed with protecting that value? A proper tax and estate plan works with you and your business throughout its life cycle to ensure you are maximizing wealth and minimizing taxes, both now and in the future.

Income splitting

Directing income from your business to members of the family who participate in the business can be an effective strategy for reducing the family’s overall tax bill. For distributions to non-business family members, there are exceptions to the TOSI rules which may be relevant to reduce the family’s overall tax bill.

Creditor protection

There are two types of creditors: known and unknown. Your bank, credit card company, and supply vendors are all known creditors and are part of normal business operations. It is the unforeseen creditor that leaves the profits of a business vulnerable.

Succession planning and estate freezes

A key aspect of estate planning is asking: How does the business or shares of the corporation pass to the next generation? Various considerations are taken into account in deciding if and when to hand the business or corporation over to the next generation.

Sale of a business

There are two ways to sell a business: through either an asset sale or share sale. In an ideal world, all business owners would prefer to sell shares. Selling shares generally provides the best after-tax result to the business owner. In other words, more cash in your hands personally. If you are expecting a significant amount of growth in the market value of your business in the coming years, having a plan in place could be a crucial part of decreasing your overall tax.

Will planning

A properly drafted will is one of the key documents used to ensure that your intentions and wishes are carried out upon your death. The will is also a key component of succession planning. As a business owner, you have a wide range of issues to consider when preparing your personal and corporate will.

Shareholder agreements

While shareholder agreements typically set out the division of duties and how decisions are made regarding financing, compensation and other important matters, a well-drafted shareholder agreement also deals with unexpected events.

Corporate & personal life insurance

Life insurance can be a useful planning tool in many different aspects of retirement and estate planning for the owner-manager. Understanding your estate value, distribution requirements, and taxation of the overall estate will be key factors when determining the appropriate level of life insurance coverage for your needs.