.webp)
.webp)
Who would manage your finances if you became incapable? Who would care for your children? And would your estate actually be distributed the way you intend?
Good estate planning begins with questions like these. It involves understanding your family, your assets, and your wishes. and preparing documents that work together.
I am pleased to share that I have been admitted as a Full Member of STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, and have earned the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation.
For clients of LC Notary, this recognition builds on my legal education and my experience serving British Columbia families as a Notary Public since 2014. Here is what it means for you.
What Is a Trust and Estate Practitioner?
STEP is an international professional association for advisers working in trusts, estates, and inheritance and succession planning. Its members come from several professions, including law, accounting, financial services, and notarial practice.
The TEP designation identifies Full Members whose qualifications and experience meet STEP’s admission requirements. Members must also follow STEP’s Code of Professional Conduct and meet continuing professional development requirements.
There are different pathways to the designation, recognizing relevant education, professional qualifications, and practical experience.
When choosing an estate-planning professional, TEP is a useful credential to consider alongside their professional licence, relevant experience, and ability to understand your circumstances.
How Does This Benefit Our Clients?
The value of estate-planning knowledge lies in the questions it helps us ask—and the issues it helps us recognize before documents are signed.
At LC Notary, our discussions go beyond who receives what. Depending on your circumstances, we may explore:
- Your choice of executor and alternate executors.
- Arrangements for minor children and their inheritances.
- How jointly owned property and beneficiary designations fit with your Will.
- Who should make financial, personal-care, and health-care decisions if you cannot.
- Family circumstances or assets that may require advice from another professional.
A Will is an important part of this picture, but it does not necessarily control every asset you own. Looking at how the pieces fit together can help identify gaps or unintended results.
Understanding Trusts and Knowing When to Involve Others
Trusts can serve different purposes, from managing an inheritance for a minor to providing ongoing support for a beneficiary. Choosing an appropriate arrangement requires an understanding of both its benefits and its limitations.
BC Notaries can prepare certain trust provisions in Wills, including provisions for minor beneficiaries, within the limits of our authorized practice. Other trust arrangements require an estate lawyer.
Understanding the broader range of trusts helps us serve you better. We can recognize when a trust may be appropriate, prepare provisions within our scope, and identify when to refer you to a practitioner with the relevant expertise.
This knowledge also helps us explain why a referral may be important and what issues you should discuss with that adviser.
When Does Estate Planning Need Extra Attention?
Blended Families
Providing for a spouse while also considering children from a previous relationship requires careful discussion. Ownership arrangements, beneficiary designations, and the terms of your Will can all affect the outcome.
Recognizing these issues early helps determine whether your wishes can be addressed within our notarial services or whether an estate lawyer should be involved.
Business Ownership and Assets Outside BC
Business interests and property outside British Columbia can introduce additional legal and tax considerations.
These situations may require coordination with your accountant, an estate lawyer, or an adviser in another jurisdiction. Identifying that need is an important part of responsible planning.
Beneficiaries Who Need Additional Support
An inheritance may require special consideration when a beneficiary has a disability, receives income-tested benefits, or needs ongoing assistance managing money.
We can discuss these concerns and identify when specialized legal or benefits advice is needed before you decide how to leave a gift.
How TEP Complements My BC Notary Practice
My authority to provide legal services comes from my role as a BC Notary Public. The TEP designation complements that role through recognition of relevant knowledge and experience, continuing education, and access to a broader professional community.
The designation does not expand a notary’s legal scope of practice. It supports an informed approach to helping clients within that scope and recognizing when additional expertise is needed.
Our goal is to help you make informed decisions, understand the documents you are signing, and access advice suited to your circumstances.
Estate Planning in Langley and Aldergrove
Whether you are preparing your first Will or reviewing an existing plan, we begin by listening: What matters to you? Who depends on you? What has changed in your life?
At LC Notary, we help clients prepare Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, and Representation Agreements suited to their circumstances and within our professional scope.
I am proud to bring the TEP designation to this work and grateful for the trust our clients place in us.
Contact LC Notary to arrange an estate-planning consultation at our Langley or Aldergrove office.
