Inheritance Planning · Kelowna & BC
You just got the family fortune. And nobody gave you an owner’s manual.
The first 90 days matter more than you realize.
Do this first
Three things, before anything else:
Move what's distributed into a high-yield holding account. Not an investment account yet, a holding account.
Give it 90 days before any major decision. A large lump sum causes a real spike in cortisol and dopamine. The brain's decision-making center is measurably less reliable right after, which is exactly why long-term decisions made in the first weeks are so often reversed or regretted later.
Get a full inventory of what you've inherited before deciding anything. Registered accounts, non-registered investments, and real estate are taxed differently, and the difference matters before you touch any of it.
Estate not yet settled? The highest-leverage moment is before probate finalizes, not after, it's when the flow of funds can still be structured. Read about pre-distribution planning →
Not ready to talk to anyone yet?
That's normal. Most people aren't, this early.
Georgia is my private intake specialist. Lay out your situation, ask what's actually urgent, and understand your options, before any human conversation, and before your name is attached to anything. Your data stays in Canada. Nothing is saved unless you choose to take a next step.
When you're ready, she'll point you to the right next step, a free Clarity Call with me, or straight to the Sovereignty Survey if you already know you want to move.
The Problem Nobody Names
The Post-Inheritance Void Is Real. It Has a Name.
Heirs don't struggle because they lack money, they struggle because it arrives without structure while everyone around them has an opinion. That's The Noise: banks and investment firms who want to move fast because they're incentivized by assets under management, well-meaning family and friends with opinions and no stake in your sovereignty. You're a beneficiary now, but you're also still yourself, and that identity shift is exactly what the Sovereignty Operating System™ is built to hold while you find your footing.
"When my mother passed away, I knew I wanted to love and honour her and her memory by making careful and wise decisions with the inheritance she left me. Though it was a steep learning curve, and admittedly I am still learning, I am profoundly thankful that I can trust Rolf and that I have his expertise to guide me."
Geneva, Heir, Kelowna, BC
Two Different Jobs
Your Estate Lawyer Got the Papers Done. I Integrate What Comes After.
Your Lawyer's Job
Your estate lawyer handles probate, title transfers, and final distribution. Their engagement ends when the legal work is done, as it should.
My Job
I work where they finish: mapping the assets, identifying tax exposures, managing the investment structure during the Stabilization Period, coordinating with your accountant, and building your Sovereignty Charter before a single major decision is made. The planning and system design are one flat fee, so that advice stays about your transition, not about how fast capital moves. Where implementation later involves products with built-in commissions or asset-based fees, those are disclosed separately, in advance.
How this works
Week 1
1. The Sovereignty Survey
We map what you've inherited, registered accounts, non-registered investments, real estate, and move distributed funds into a secure, high-yield holding account while we do. You leave with a Stabilization Map, an Immediate Risk Scan, and a 30-Day Action Framework.
Months 1–12
2. The Virtual Family Office
We write your Sovereignty Charter: investment policy, income needs, family governance, and assemble your Personal Board of Directors, before a single dollar is deployed.
After the Charter
3. The Integration
You step into stewardship: quarterly reviews, structured giving, a clear plan for the next generation, all governed by the Charter.
What Heirs Ask Before They Ask Anyone Else.
What should I do first when I inherit money in Canada?
Nothing, for 90 days. That's the Stabilization Period, it prevents premature investment decisions, tax errors on inherited RRSPs, and family conflict driven by urgency. Use the window to inventory what you've inherited and understand the tax implications first.
Do I pay tax on an inheritance in Canada?
There's no inheritance tax in Canada, but inherited assets can still trigger tax events: RRSPs and RRIFs are fully taxable as income unless rolled to a spouse, non-registered investments may trigger capital gains, and real estate outside the principal residence exemption creates a taxable disposition.
When should I start planning my inheritance?
Estates typically take 12–18 months, or longer, to settle. That's the natural window for the Stabilization Period. Heirs who plan during it experience much less Sudden Wealth Syndrome.
What happens to my identity after the inheritance?
You were a beneficiary. Now you're a steward. Without a structure reflecting that shift, money tends to erode through drift, not bad investments.
Ready to go further
Most heirs start with a free Clarity Call, 15 minutes with me, no pitch. If you already know you're ready to move, you can start directly with the Sovereignty Survey, a structured process that culminates in a 90-minute working session, and leaves you with a Stabilization Map, an Immediate Risk Scan, and a 30-Day Action Framework.