RLF Advisory

RLF Advisory Advise Meaningfully | Serve Honourably | Enhance the Lives of Others | Since 1976

A recent survey from Willful shows 41% of Canadians have never had a detailed conversation with their family about end-o...
06/03/2026

A recent survey from Willful shows 41% of Canadians have never had a detailed conversation with their family about end-of-life wishes.

For many families, conversations about aging, wealth transition, and future decision-making feel uncomfortable, so they get delayed – often until a health event, cognitive decline, or family crisis forces decisions to happen quickly.

That uncertainty can leave families asking:

➡️ Who has authority to make decisions?
➡️ Where are the important documents?
➡️ What were Mom or Dad’s intentions?
➡️ Does anyone fully understand the financial picture?

For families with businesses, investments, properties, or multi-generational wealth, these conversations become even more important.

At RLF Advisory, we believe wealth transition planning is about more than transferring assets. It’s about preserving relationships, communicating openly, and helping families move forward with clarity and alignment before important decisions become urgent.

One of the greatest gifts families can give each other is clarity before it becomes necessary.

Learn why having financial conversations matter (and see our tips for how to navigate these discussions!) in our latest article. https://bit.ly/4vKaS7F

Rising costs. More complexity. Less money at the end of the month. For many Canadians, financial stress has become a con...
05/27/2026

Rising costs. More complexity. Less money at the end of the month.

For many Canadians, financial stress has become a constant.

According to this year’s Financial Stress Index from FP Canada, 43% of Canadians say money is their biggest source of stress, and two in five Canadians say bills and everyday expenses are what cause them the most financial worry.

The financial pressure so many are feeling doesn’t stay at home – it shows up in the workplace every day.

The challenge for employers isn’t just offering benefits. It’s helping employees gain clarity.

We wrote about what this means, and what forward-thinking organizations are doing differently.

See the difference: https://rlfadvisory.com/blog/40912-Financial-stress-at-work-the-cost-employers-dont-measure

Team Spotlight: The RLF Advisory Coffee Bar ☕️ It may not be on the org chart, but it’s been part of our team for 50 yea...
05/20/2026

Team Spotlight: The RLF Advisory Coffee Bar ☕️

It may not be on the org chart, but it’s been part of our team for 50 years.

In the early days, coffee here meant a simple drip machine (and, if we’re being honest, not the best cup of joe you’ve ever had!) We later moved to pods (a step forward), but it still wasn’t the experience we wanted to offer.

When we moved to our home on Edmonton Street, we decided to change that. Coffee became a centerpiece.

What started with an automated espresso machine has since evolved into a semi-automatic setup, whole beans, and a growing menu: Americanos, cappuccinos, lattes, iced macchiatos, and more. To date, we’ve made more than 30,000 coffees and counting!

Today, many of us at RLF Advisory are enthusiastic amateur baristas, continually honing our craft. Although there are sometimes a few spills (scroll through for unfortunate evidence), the quality has come a long way.

But the real joy isn’t just in the coffee itself. It’s in sharing the experience.

Some of the best conversations we’ve had with clients have started over a cup of coffee. It’s a small detail, but an important one – and a reflection of how we think about the experience we create when you walk through our doors.

We’ve even partnered with local roaster Sunstone Coffee Roastery to develop a custom RLF blend, continually refining it to make it better.

Next time you’re in, feel free to challenge us with your favourite order. We may not get it perfect, but we’ll enjoy the process and the chance to share it with you. ☕️

Victoria Day long weekend is here, and with it is a chance to step back, spend time with the people who matter most, and...
05/15/2026

Victoria Day long weekend is here, and with it is a chance to step back, spend time with the people who matter most, and enjoy the unofficial start of summer.

Our office will be closed on Monday for the holiday, and we’ll be back on Tuesday.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable long weekend!

Most executives spend years building complex compensation structures. Stock options, deferred plans, performance incenti...
05/13/2026

Most executives spend years building complex compensation structures.

Stock options, deferred plans, performance incentives, and so much more, all designed to create opportunity over time.

But complexity doesn’t just require strategy; it requires understanding.

Not just for you, but for the people around you.

Because at some point, the question isn’t just “Am I optimizing this?”

It becomes “If something unexpected happened, would someone else know how to step in?”

Who understands how it all fits together, and knows what decisions need to be made (and when)?

A coordinated team doesn’t just help you make better decisions today. It ensures that everything you’ve built can be understood, managed, and carried forward when it matters most.

We explore the benefits of taking a team approach to your compensation in our latest article. Check it out now!

https://rlfadvisory.com/blog/40882-Why-complex-executive-compensation-requires-a-team-approach

Mother’s Day is a chance to pause and recognize what sits quietly at the centre of so many families. A mother’s influenc...
05/10/2026

Mother’s Day is a chance to pause and recognize what sits quietly at the centre of so many families.

A mother’s influence often shapes more than day-to-day life. It shapes values, guides decisions, and brings a sense of direction to the things that matter most.

We see it in the way families support one another, celebrate milestones, and navigate both the expected and the unexpected.

These moments don’t happen by accident. They’re built over time, often led by that steady, thoughtful presence.

Today, we recognize and thank the mothers who play such an important role in the lives of those around them.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Legacy isn’t just something you plan for at the end of your life or after you’re gone. It’s something you build while yo...
05/06/2026

Legacy isn’t just something you plan for at the end of your life or after you’re gone.
It’s something you build while you’re still here.

Too often, legacy planning gets reduced to documents and distributions. Wills are drafted. Documents are signed. And the real conversations are deferred for another day.

A living legacy takes shape through action. It shows up when you:

✔️ Share the story behind how you built your wealth and worked for your success.
✔️ Involve the next generation in conversations early, not after a health scare, crisis, or other triggering event.
✔️ Clarify what matters to you, and why.
✔️ Create structures that support good decision-making over time.

When families address legacy proactively, they reduce uncertainty and avoid rushed decisions later. More importantly, they give the next generation context, confidence, and a clearer sense of responsibility.

This kind of planning isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about preparing people.

Because the most effective legacy plans don’t start with an estate event. They start with intention, communication, and leadership today.

If you want to take a more active approach to legacy, reach out. Let’s start the conversation.

https://rlfadvisory.com/contact-us

Earlier this week, our team had the privilege of volunteering with the Harvest Manitoba Meals to Go program. Each week, ...
05/01/2026

Earlier this week, our team had the privilege of volunteering with the Harvest Manitoba Meals to Go program.

Each week, this program delivers meal kits to 18 schools, reaching over 7,000 students so they have food to take home over the weekend. It’s done in a way that includes every child, ensuring no one is singled out. Just something simple, consistent, and meaningful that everyone can count on.

In just the past two years, they’ve increased their operations to nearly triple their impact.

During our shift, we packed 1,160 meal kits alongside an incredible team of volunteers. Each one included a variety of easy, kid-friendly foods that don’t require adult help. Things like yogurt tubes, fresh fruit, cucumbers, cheese, milk, and cereal. The items are rotated throughout the year and thoughtfully planned with a pediatric dietician to make sure they’re both nutritious and something kids will actually eat.

At about $5 per kit, the program invests more than $35,000 every single week to make this happen.

What stood out most wasn’t just the scale of the operation, but the care behind it. From the food itself to the small affirmation cards included in each kit, everything is designed to make kids feel supported and included heading into the weekend.

We were grateful to play a small part in that effort, both through our time in the warehouse and by helping fund additional meal kits for the weeks ahead.

At RLF, we believe it’s a privilege to serve, not just our clients, but the community around us. Experiences like this are a reminder of how important that is, and how much can be accomplished when people come together with a shared purpose.

Employee benefits are one of the most meaningful investments organizations make in their people. But there’s a common ch...
04/29/2026

Employee benefits are one of the most meaningful investments organizations make in their people.

But there’s a common challenge many employers encounter: employees don’t always recognize the full value of what’s available to them.

📊 According to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey, just 53% of plan members say they understand their benefits extremely or very well. While that’s an improvement from 47% last year, it’s still well below the 65% reported in 2018 when the question was first asked. Another 37% say they understand their plan only somewhat well.

These numbers don’t reflect a lack of interest from employees. More often, they reflect the reality that modern benefits programs have become more robust and complex.

Health spending accounts, mental health supports, paramedical coverage, retirement savings plans, and wellness programs can deliver tremendous value. But if employees only encounter these features when they need them, it’s easy for the bigger picture to get lost.

➡️ That’s where clear communication and education can make a meaningful difference.

When organizations take the time to explain how their programs work through onboarding sessions, simple reminders, or periodic education, employees often begin to see their benefits very differently. The same plan suddenly feels more relevant, accessible, and valuable.

For business owners, that shift matters. When employees understand the support available to them, benefits programs become more than a line item in a compensation package: they become a visible investment in people’s well-being.

That’s why help our business clients not only design cost- and tax-efficient benefits programs, and also ensure employees understand how to make the most of them.

Because the greatest opportunity isn’t always changing the plan.

It’s helping people understand the one they already have.

📆 What would happen to your business if you stepped away for six months? Not permanently. Just six months. For many busi...
04/22/2026

📆 What would happen to your business if you stepped away for six months?

Not permanently. Just six months.

For many business owners, that question is surprisingly difficult to answer.

The reality is that in many owner-led businesses, the founder or leader plays a central role in decisions, relationships, and day-to-day operations. Over time, the business can become deeply dependent on one person’s knowledge, judgment, and presence.

Most owners aren’t planning to step away unexpectedly. But life has a way of introducing events we didn’t plan for.

Illness. Injury. Family circumstances. Even a well-earned break.

When the business relies heavily on one person, an unexpected absence can create real challenges. Decisions may stall. Key relationships may feel uncertain. Cash flow and operations can quickly feel the strain.

The good news? These risks are often manageable with thoughtful planning.

Clear leadership structures, documented processes, and contingency plans can help ensure the business continues to run smoothly even if the owner needs to step back for a period of time. In some cases, financial planning tools can also help provide the liquidity needed to stabilize operations or bring in additional leadership if required.

For many business owners, this type of planning creates something valuable: the confidence that the business they’ve worked so hard to build can continue to thrive, even when they’re not in the room.

We help business owners think through these scenarios and design strategies that protect both their business and the life they’re building outside of it.

Because sometimes the most important question isn’t what happens when everything goes according to plan.

It’s what happens when life takes an unexpected turn.

Address

37 Edmonton Street
Winnipeg, MB
R3C1P8

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(204)5942210

Website

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