Estate Planning at Death: For Business Owners, It’s Complex

Estate planning at death remains one of the most complex—and highest risk—areas for clients and an areas of increasing demand for service from tax and financial advisors.  With evolving trust rules, increased reporting requirements, and the need to coordinate corporate and personal tax strategies, the margin for error is small, and the stakes are high. At the May 27 CE Savvy Summit, Leanne Rodrigo will lead a detailed session on “Estate Planning on Death of a Taxpayer,” focusing on the practical realities advisors face when working with business owners and their families.  Here’s what you’ll learn and why you should register by May 13 (to save money as an early bird!). 

Beyond the Final Return. Planning for death is not limited to filing a final T1 return. Advisors must consider a range of interconnected issues, including corporate tax implications, liquidity needs, asset protection, and the efficient transfer of wealth.

For business owner clients in particular, this means addressing deferred capital gains, planning for tax liabilities at death, and ensuring that sufficient liquidity exists to meet those obligations, often through the strategic use of insurance and corporate structures.

New Rules, New Risks

Recent changes to trust reporting requirements add another layer of complexity. Advisors must now determine who is required to file under expanded rules, including bare trust arrangements, and understand how these filings interact with other estate structures.

The role of the Graduated Rate Estate (GRE) is also critical. Coordinating reporting across T1, GRE, and other testamentary trust returns requires careful planning to optimize the use of income, deductions, and credits, including charitable donations.

Planning Before - and At - Death

Effective estate planning increasingly requires action before death occurs. In cases involving terminal illness, advisors may need to consider strategies to crystallize gains, manage deemed dispositions, and optimize the transfer of both registered and non-registered assets.

At the same time, clients continue to ask fundamental questions: how to avoid probate, how to minimize tax on registered plans such as RRSPs, TFSAs, and FHSAs, and how to manage emotionally significant assets like family cottages or foreign properties.

From Technical Knowledge to Client Value

The ability to navigate these issues is what distinguishes technical compliance from true advisory leadership. Advisors who can integrate tax, trust, and estate strategies into clear, actionable plans will be better positioned to guide clients through one of life’s most significant financial events.

The May 27 CE Summit offers a timely opportunity to strengthen that capability—providing practical insights that can be applied immediately in client conversations.

This CE Summit brings together leading experts: Evelyn Jacks, Douglas Nelson, Leanne Rodrigo, and Ruth Horst, to provide practical, actionable insights into today’s most pressing planning challenges.

A Practical Agenda for Real Client Needs

The program focuses on real-world application across key areas, including:

• New Legislation that impacts June 15 business returns, trust filings plus 2026 Retirement & Estate Planning strategies.
• Retirement Readiness: Income Layering Plans at Every Life Stage.
• Estate Planning on Death of a Taxpayer Part A: T2 Fundamentals - Your Business Owner Client
• Estate Planning on Death of a Taxpayer Part B: Intervivos Trusts, GRE, and Trust Filing Fundamentals
• Filing T3 Returns with AMT implications for investment council.
• Connecting the Dots: Incorporating tax efficient retirement strategies in Your Conversations with clients.

Receive the Presentations PLUS Your Online Course - Advanced Retirement & Estate Planning Update:

• What’s New for 2026?
• Intro to Tax Efficient Retirement Income Planning
• Intro to Completing the Final T1 Return
• Intro to Completing the GRE Return
• Intro to Completing Trust Returns

Course available for pre-reading May 26, Completion Date August 31

“Great detail and the speakers are very knowledgeable.”  -Barbara Rice, London

“Very Informative and Engaging. All the presenters were going above and beyond.” -Anmol Singh Bedi, Calgary

The May 27 CE Savvy Summit offers a focused opportunity to earn up to 20 CE/CPD credits while gaining insights that can be applied immediately in practice.

Register now and review the full agenda to secure your spot at learn.knowledgebureau.com/CESummits