If you have been listening to my podcast for a while, you will know how much I value my involvement with STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners). It is not just about the TEP designation. What I love most are the connections, the learning, and the high-quality professional development that STEP provides. Honestly, it is some of the best CPD I get all year!

So, I am taking a quick detour from regular podcast programming to share with you the exciting lineup of events we have planned for our STEP Saskatchewan Branch!

Attendance at STEP events is open to non-members and members. We are excited to launch the 2025-2026 Season for STEP Saskatchewan, and in this episode, I walk you through what is coming up this year! All sessions are available in person or on demand - and the topics for this season have broad applicability outside of just Saskatchewan practitioners. Here is the scoop:

• September 15, 2025 - We are kicking off the season with a BIG celebration (STEP Saskatchewan is the first Chapter in Canada to achieve full branch status!)
• October 8, 2025 – Tax Update: Top Estate and Trust Issues (with special guest, Kenneth Keung, CPA, CA, CPA (CO, USA), CFP, MTAX, LLB, TEP, Vancouver: Doane Grant Thornton LLP)
• November 5, 2025 – Death of a Property Owner - Planning with Interests in Real Estate (with special guests, Tannis Dawson CPA, CA, CFP, RRC, FEA, TEP, Winnipeg: TD Wealth and Krista Evanisky, JD, TEP, Saskatoon: Clarity Law)
• April 8, 2026 – A Practitioner's Guide to the Trust Life Cycle: Tax and Best Practices (with special guest, Troy McEachren, BCL, LLB, TEP, Montreal: Miller Thomson LLP)
• May 6, 2026 – US Cross Border Properties and Estates (with special guest, Mariska Loeppky, CPA, CA, CFP, TEP, Winnipeg: IG Private Wealth Management)

RESOURCES DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE:

• www.step.ca
• STEP Saskatchewan Registration
• Our fabulous speakers:
  • Kenneth Keung
  • Tannis Dawson
  • Krista Evanisky
  • Troy McEachern
  • Mariska Loeppky

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"

This mini-episode is inspired by one of the most common questions I get from clients and advisors alike: “What is estate planning?” We hear about it all the time, but what does it actually mean?

Spoiler alert: it’s more than just writing your Will!

I break down:
- The core documents that make up an estate plan
- The "investigation" stage
- Understanding the "little" tax and the "big" tax
- Death folders

Estate planning is about more than documents. It is about communication, preparation, and making life easier for the people you leave behind. It is a team effort, and it is never too early to start!

For more information on this topic, check out Season 2, Episode 10 of the Podcast, "Estate Planning 101 with Christine van Cauwenberghe".

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"

Welcome to a very special celebration episode of The Tax Chick Podcast!

This week marks five whole years since I hit “publish” on my very first podcast episode. That means the podcast is officially in kindergarten!!!!

In this milestone episode, I hit pause on tax talk and reflect on the journey of building the podcast from a simple blog during the early pandemic days, to a globally downloaded show with over 80 episodes and listeners in 75+ countries.

In this episode, I chat about:

• How it all started: from blog posts to podcasting, and the fears I had to overcome
• What’s changed over the last 5 years (both for the show and for me as a person and professional!)
• Behind-the-scenes podcast realities
• How the podcast unexpectedly reshaped my tax law practice and built a community
• What’s next??? Solo episodes, tax-adjacent topics, and putting into the universe some wishes for potential new guests...

Whether you are a longtime listener or just joining The Tax Chick Podcast community, thank you for being part of the journey. This episode is for you.

🎶 Special thanks to DJ CWC (aka my husband Craig) for five years of original podcast music!

In this special (and slightly chaotic) summer edition of The Tax Chick Podcast, I am joined by summer students Frank, Blake and Tone, and articling student, Nick, for a candid and fun game of tax trivia!

From weird historical levies to modern-day deductions, it’s law school meets game show in the most entertaining way possible!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY GUESTS?

• Nick Kane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-kane/
• Blake Barnes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-barnes-usask/
• Frank Chou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-chou888/
• Tone Hagen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tone-margareta-hagen-8135b11a5/

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"

As a tax lawyer, I spend a large portion of my day discussing difficult topics with clients - including discussions of death and dying. Often, I am one of the first phone calls after the death of a loved one.

In this episode, we delve into a deeply personal topic: the emotional impact of losing a long-time client. My special guest, Dr. Brian Chartier, shares valuable insights and strategies for:

• Letting go of the idea that there is a "right way" to respond in the situation, or that there is the "right thing" to say.
• Navigating your own personal grief
• Supporting grieving family members by helping to provide structure, and engaging in curious conversations
• Maintaining emotional health in our professional lives

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"

So you finished your estate planning... but do you have a Power of Attorney?
Check out this mini-episode for details on:
- What is a power of attorney? (2:13)
- When should you consider having more than one power of attorney? (4:00)
- How do you choose who to appoint as your power of attorney? (6:05)
- What are some tips/traps to consider? (7:18)

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"

So often when completing our estate planning, we focus on what will happen when the last spouse dies. But what about after the death of the first spouse? In this episode, I outline some key planning considerations to keep in mind on the death of the first spouse, including: cash flow planning, access to credit, and practical considerations!

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"

Switching it up today and chatting about a very specific section of the Income Tax Act... s. 160. This section can be used to assess one person for the tax debts of another person... it is typically applied between spouses and/or between parents and children. However, some recent case law has resurrected a discussion on this topic, including who is really a "spouse" for the purposes of this section.

Update (05/07): The episode did not fully load on some streaming platforms so I have reloaded the audio!

RESOURCES DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

• STEP SK - May 7 event on Canadians owning US real estate
• Enns v. Canada
• Harvard Properties
• Barwicz v. HMTK

HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• My website!
• Email: thetaxchickpodcast@gmail.com
• @tax.chick (IG)
• LinkedIn
• Be a "Tax Chick VIP"