- Words by Lauren Kramer Photography by Lia Crowe

It happens to many Okanagan residents. Introduced to the region as visitors, they fall in love and make the move, smitten with the beauty of BC鈥檚 wine country. For Judith Charbonneau Kaplan, vice president of advanced wealth planning at Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, that鈥檚 precisely how she came to move to Kelowna in 2014.

The Montreal native studied law at L鈥橴niversit茅 de Montr茅al and received a master of law degree in taxation. She was working as a tax lawyer at a national law firm in Montreal when her boyfriend, now her spouse, coaxed her west.

鈥淗e took me running on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail and swimming in Okanagan Lake,鈥� she says, laughing at the memory. 鈥淗ow could I not move here?鈥�

At Wellington-Altus, the 37-year-old uses her tax law expertise to help ensure her clients are as tax-efficient as possible. That means protecting their assets, assisting with estate planning and helping them understand how to transition their assets in a tax-efficient manner during their lifetimes and after their death.

鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about making tax law relevant and accessible to all,鈥� she admits. 鈥淚 remember being astounded during my first year of law school that what we were learning wasn鈥檛 something taught to everyone. I think that a basic understanding of the law and our tax system is 鈥榯able stakes鈥� to smoothly navigating most aspects of our lives. I love taking those intricate rules, identifying how very tangibly they impact an individual, and then utilizing those same rules to bring about the best possible outcome for a client.鈥�

She works closely with high-net-worth clients to help them establish a wealth plan that is consistent with their needs and life goals.

鈥淢any people don鈥檛 have any kind of wealth plan in place and the first step is helping them understand why they need one, regardless of their level of wealth,鈥� she explains.

鈥淲e start our wealth-planning discussions with a discovery process, where we ask clients about their assets, liabilities and incomes, but more importantly, about their values, hopes and dreams for themselves, their families and their businesses. By asking hard and sometimes probing questions, we empower clients to think very intentionally about what they want for themselves today and in the years to come. Then, through the wealth planning process, we help them get there.鈥�

The approach at her firm is very holistic.

鈥淓verything we do at Wellington-Altus is to serve our clients in the manner that is best for each particular client, and that can look very different from one client to the next,鈥� she reflects. 鈥淲e have the freedom and support to try things at this firm, which is a very dynamic and entrepreneurial workplace. What I love about working at Wellington-Altus is that everyone here has chosen to be here, and we鈥檝e chosen it because we are empowered to do what鈥檚 right for our clients, always. It鈥檚 really energizing.鈥�

These days, Judith is doing a lot of running around. She鈥檚 running after a busy toddler, but she鈥檚 also lacing up her running shoes several times a week. In her 25 years as an athlete, she鈥檚 completed many marathons and triathlons, and with a front door located five minutes from a trail run, she鈥檚 out on trails a few times a week. And when she鈥檚 not running, she鈥檚 cycling.

But catch her tearing down a trail, she says, and there鈥檚 a good chance she鈥檚 thinking about tax law.

鈥淚 love the challenge of it, the fact that you could read the same provision of the tax act every day, and a new fact pattern will force you to view that provision in a new light and bring a different approach to how you solve your clients鈥� problems,鈥� she says.

鈥淚t鈥檚 never dull and the law is always evolving, so it forces you to be on top of changes to find the best opportunities for clients. The other amazing thing about tax is that it allows me to meet people who鈥檝e built up significant wealth and to hear their approaches on life, business, work and wealth. Everyone has a great story with a different trajectory, and it鈥檚 really fun and fascinating to get to know my clients.鈥�

Judith is also passionate about literacy and began tutoring adult literacy programs as a student at McGill. Since moving to Kelowna, she鈥檚 tutored with Project Literacy, helping students learn English as a second language. 鈥淭he ability to read is critical to one鈥檚 day-to-day, but it also opens up new worlds of possibility and adventure,鈥� she reflects.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today without having been given the tools for success, and that starts with reading. So I鈥檝e tried, where I can, to impart that love of learning onto others who haven鈥檛 had the same opportunities as I鈥檝e had.鈥�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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