Who We Serve
Families & Individuals
We have had the privilege of guiding generations of clients through the financial decisions that matter most, building wealth, protecting it, and passing it on. For families and individuals with ties to both Canada and the United States, those decisions carry an extra layer of complexity. Different tax systems. Different estate laws.
Family members living in different countries. Assets on both sides of the border that need to work together, not against each other.
At Sartorial Wealth, we take a consultative approach that looks at your full financial picture, coordinating across your legal, tax, and investment advisors to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Why Cross-Border Complexity Affects Families More Than You’d Expect
It often starts simply: a parent in Toronto, a child in New York. A family vacation property in Florida. An inheritance from a relative in the U.S. A move for work that turns into a permanent life somewhere new. These situations are common, and they have real financial and legal consequences that most advisors aren’t equipped to manage across both systems.
Without coordinated planning, families can face unexpected tax exposure on inheritances, estate documents that don’t hold up in both jurisdictions, retirement accounts that are treated very differently depending on which side of the border they sit, and education savings vehicles that create complications for beneficiaries living in the other country.
Core Areas of Planning
Wealth & Investment Management
We provide personalized, goals-based wealth planning designed to grow, preserve, and protect your assets at every stage of life. Our portfolios are built using The Sartorial Method, a disciplined, evidence-based approach that eliminates emotional bias and keeps your strategy grounded in your long-term objectives.
Estate & Legacy Planning
Estate laws differ significantly between Canada and the U.S. We work alongside cross-border attorneys and tax professionals to help ensure your wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations reflect where you and your family actually live, and that your wishes can be carried out on both sides of the border without unnecessary delay, taxation, or legal friction.
Wealth Transfer
Transferring assets to the next generation is rarely straightforward when family members live in different countries. We help structure wealth transfers in a way that minimizes tax exposure and ensures your heirs receive what you intend, without the cross-border complications that come from poor planning.
Insurance & Annuities
From life and disability coverage to long-term care planning, we integrate insurance solutions into your broader financial plan to safeguard your wealth and your loved ones. We work with specialists to ensure coverage structures reflect your cross-border obligations.
Strategic Charitable Giving
For families who want to give back, we help structure charitable contributions in a way that aligns with your tax situation across both countries, ensuring your generosity works as efficiently as possible.
Risk Management
We assess the risks your family faces at every stage, investment risk, longevity risk, healthcare costs, and cross-border regulatory risk, and build a plan that accounts for all of them.
Who We Work With
Multi-generational families with assets, property, or members in both Canada and the U.S. Individuals navigating an inheritance from a foreign estate or a cross-border family situation. Families planning for the long-term care and financial security of aging parents in a different country. Dual citizens managing the intersection of two tax systems in their personal financial lives. Individuals who have accumulated significant wealth and need a coordinated, holistic strategy that goes beyond basic investment management.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How does cross-border estate planning affect my family?
If family members or assets are in both Canada and the U.S., your estate plan needs to account for both jurisdictions. Wills drafted in one country may not automatically hold up in the other, and tax treatment of estates differs significantly between the two systems. We help coordinate with legal professionals to make sure your plan works on both sides.
What happens to Canadian education savings plans like RESPs if my child moves to the U.S.?
RESPs can become complicated if the beneficiary becomes a U.S. resident or citizen, as the U.S. does not recognize the RESP’s tax-deferred status. These situations require careful planning. We help families think through education savings in the context of their cross-border lives.
Can I pass assets to a beneficiary in another country without double taxation?
With proper planning, yes. The U.S.-Canada tax treaty provides mechanisms to reduce double taxation, and thoughtful trust and estate structuring can further minimize exposure. The key is planning before the transfer, not after.
Do I need a separate advisor for Canadian and U.S. financial planning?
Not with us. As a dual-registered firm in both countries, we manage your full financial picture across jurisdictions, coordinating with your tax and legal professionals in both countries so your family’s plan is coherent and complete.