What happens when leaving your children an inheritance isn’t as simple as writing a cheque? In this episode, Shelly Appleton-Benko sits down with estate-planning lawyer Raphael Tachie to explore testamentary trusts and the role they can play in inheritance planning, wealth preservation and family legacy. They discuss how a testamentary trust can help determine when and how an inheritance is received, protect family wealth through life’s uncertainties, and give the next generation the freedom to take risks without putting inherited assets at risk.

Could an Alter Ego Trust help you protect your wealth, avoid probate and plan for the future—while keeping control during your lifetime? In Episode 2 of Trust Issues, Shelly Appleton-Banco and estate lawyer Steve Parr unpack Alter Ego and Joint Partner Trusts, including tax deferral, incapacity, blended families, and protecting your legacy. Most importantly, they ask the question that should come before any trust: What do you actually want your wealth to accomplish?

Think trusts are only for wealthy people? Think again. Could a trust be right for you or your family? Shelly Appleton-Benko sits down with Naz Khodarahmi, Wills and Estates lawyer, to make trusts easier to understand. Learn how trusts can help with tax planning, privacy, incapacity planning, family dynamics, protecting inheritances, and passing wealth to the next generation. Find out if a trust could make sense for you—and what to consider before putting one in place.

Featuring:

Naz Khodarahmi - Wills and Estates, Real Estate, and Corporate Solicitor

The last in our three-part series, Shelly Appleton-Benko, Lauren Shewfelt and Faith Benko discuss the importance of the client-advisor relationship. We'll explore why regular reviews, open communication with your advisor, and sharing important life updates are key to keeping your financial plan on track. As your life evolves, your financial strategy should evolve with it. Join us as we wrap up the series by empowering you to take an active role in building and maintaining your financial future.

In the second episode of the Women & Wealth Series, Shelly, Lauren, and Faith break down the specifics of your financial journey by exploring the different account types and investment options available to Canadians.

From TFSAs and RRSPs to building an investment strategy that aligns with your goals, they share practical guidance to help you invest with confidence and find the right stride for your financial future

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Insights on women and investing were based on research reported by Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization’s Investor Advisory Panel from September 2025.

In the first episode of the Women & Wealth Series, Shelly, Lauren and Faith discuss the importance of where to start your financial journey and how to build financial confidence and take ownership of your financial future. They share practical insights on developing healthy money habits and taking small steps toward long-term financial well-being. This educational conversation is designed to be approachable, relatable and relevant for women at all stages of life.

Before the wedding day arrives, there are important financial and legal conversations every couple should be having. In this episode, we’re joined by family lawyer and founder of Illuma Law, Abby Pang, to unpack the realities of prenups, inheritances, business ownership and the legal changes that come with marriage. Abby shares practical insight into the conversations couples often avoid and the costly misunderstandings that can happen when they do. So while you’re on your way to tour venues and finalize seating charts, this episode is a great use of time, full of valuable guidance to help protect your future together.

In this episode, Shelly Appleton-Benko and Lauren Shewfelt unpack one of the most overlooked aspects of investing: trimming your winners. While it may feel counterintuitive, your best-performing positions can quietly become your biggest source of risk. It’s a conversation about discipline, balance, and why a healthy portfolio requires trimming the roses – not just pulling the weeds.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Odlum Brown When to Sell PDF

In this episode, Shelly Appleton-Benko and Tax and Estate Planner Simon Leon discuss the real definition of retirement. Rather than being defined by age, retirement is a shift in lifestyle, identity and financial structure. Together, Shelly and Simon unpack common myths around retirement and explore what modern retirement planning actually looks like beyond age 65 and why the old rules no longer apply.

What does it take to earn a green jacket or build lasting wealth? In this episode, we draw parallels between golf strategy and long-term investing. From navigating bunkers to staying disciplined through market swings, Steven shows that success is not about one moment, it is built through decisions made long before the spotlight.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by cybercriminals. From deepfakes to increasingly sophisticated digital scams, the financial fraud landscape is changing at an unprecedented pace. In this episode, Neumann Lim, Manager of Infrastructure & Cybersecurity at Odlum Brown and an expert in digital risk management, emerging technology threats, and certified digital forensics, shares valuable insights into the rise of AI-driven fraud. He breaks down how these scams work and offers practical steps you can take to help protect yourself and your family.

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Links:

BCSC: https://avoidaiscams.investright.org/

CIRO - https://www.ciro.ca/office-investor/avoiding-fraud-and-protecting-your-investments/artificial-intelligence-ai-and-investment-fraud

Anti-fraud centre – https://reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca/

Before you ask AI about your finances… listen to this. AI can auto-generate a portfolio in seconds – but can it understand your life, your fears, and your financial future? In this episode, host Shelly Appleton‑Benko and Kevin Fabian, Investment Associate at Odlum Brown, put AI to the test, revealing where it shines, where it fails and why human judgment still matters more than ever.

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Links:

Equity research - https://www.odlumbrown.com/the-ob-difference/research/equity-research

PGA pro and serial entrepreneur Matt Palsenbarg joins The Financial Long Game to share how discipline, resilience and smart decision‑making shape long‑term success — in business and on the course. He explores the power of leaning on the skills of experts around him, pursuing big ideas and building the mindset needed to stay focused under pressure and create something that lasts.

This week's episode explores why clear and confident financial choices are essential both individually and within a relationship. We break down the personal habits, beliefs and money stories that quietly guide our decisions, often without us realizing it. Then we look at how those individual patterns show up when two people try to build a life together.

From transparency and shared goals to navigating debt, spending differences and long‑term planning, we highlight the conversations that strengthen trust instead of creating tension. This isn’t about judgment or perfection, instead building greater awareness, honesty and working as a team. Whether you’re single, dating or decades into a partnership, this episode offers practical guidance for making money a source of clarity rather than conflict.

Most people don’t procrastinate with their finances because they don’t care – they wait because they’re unsure. In this episode of The Financial Long Game, your host Shelly Appleton-Benko explores the hidden costs of delay: lost time, missed opportunities and the mental weight of unfinished decisions, offering a simple, realistic framework for moving forward without overwhelm.

Chasing a dream means more than ambition – it’s about what it really takes to pursue passion at the highest level. This episode explores how financial realities intertwine with resilience, risk and reward, reminding us that finance isn’t just numbers, but the dreams those numbers make possible.

Salary, dividends, CDA – incorporation isn’t just paperwork, it’s a strategy. Ready to unlock it? In this episode, CPA Denise Wong explains how to pay yourself, tap into tax free dividends, and use advanced planning tools to grow beyond the numbers.

NYT bestselling author and legacy architect Craig Kielburger reveals the lessons behind a lifetime of service—from launching a movement at 12 to partnering with Martin Luther King III. A conversation about purpose, impact, and the power of everyday choices.

Follow Craig Kielburger:

Website - https://www.craigkielburger.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-kielburger

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/craigkielburger/

Wikipediia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Kielburger

No will? You’re not alone — but you are taking a risk.

In this week’s episode of The Financial Long Game, Shelly Appleton-Benko and Aleksandra Mihailovic from KSW Lawyers break down why every Canadian adult needs a will, what happens if you don’t have one, and how to make estate planning easier (and even digital).

Thinking of adding someone to your bank account to “make things easier”? It might not be that simple. On the latest episode of The Financial Long Game, we break down the risks, benefits and what to do before signing anything.

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*Odlum Brown Financial Services Limited (OBFSL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Odlum Brown Limited offering life insurance products as well as tax, retirement, estate and financial planning services exclusively to Odlum Brown clients. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide tax, legal, financial or other advice. Recipients of this information are expressly cautioned to seek the advice of professional advisors, as applicable, before acting on any part of the information provided herein. The information presented, while obtained from sources we believe reliable, is checked but not guaranteed against errors or omissions.