- 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乌鸦传媒檚 wine country. For Judith Charbonneau Kaplan, vice president of advanced wealth planning at Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, that乌鸦传媒檚 precisely how she came to move to Kelowna in 2014.

The Montreal native studied law at L乌鸦传媒橴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.

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

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.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 passionate about making tax law relevant and accessible to all,乌鸦传媒� she admits. 乌鸦传媒淚 remember being astounded during my first year of law school that what we were learning wasn乌鸦传媒檛 something taught to everyone. I think that a basic understanding of the law and our tax system is 乌鸦传媒榯able stakes乌鸦传媒� 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.乌鸦传媒�

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

乌鸦传媒淢any people don乌鸦传媒檛 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,乌鸦传媒� she explains.

乌鸦传媒淲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.乌鸦传媒�

The approach at her firm is very holistic.

乌鸦传媒淓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,乌鸦传媒� she reflects. 乌鸦传媒淲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乌鸦传媒檝e chosen it because we are empowered to do what乌鸦传媒檚 right for our clients, always. It乌鸦传媒檚 really energizing.乌鸦传媒�

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

But catch her tearing down a trail, she says, and there乌鸦传媒檚 a good chance she乌鸦传媒檚 thinking about tax law.

乌鸦传媒淚 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乌鸦传媒� problems,乌鸦传媒� she says.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檝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乌鸦传媒檚 really fun and fascinating to get to know my clients.乌鸦传媒�

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

乌鸦传媒淚 wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be where I am today without having been given the tools for success, and that starts with reading. So I乌鸦传媒檝e tried, where I can, to impart that love of learning onto others who haven乌鸦传媒檛 had the same opportunities as I乌鸦传媒檝e had.乌鸦传媒�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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