About Katherine
Katherine Ratcliffe: Expert Estate Planning and Tax Law Attorney in Alberta and British Columbia
Katherine Ratcliffe is a trusted advisor to high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners seeking comprehensive estate planning and tax solutions in Alberta and British Columbia. She develops sophisticated, client-centric planning strategies that reflect legal precision, practical insight, and a deep understanding of clients’ particular objectives. Katherine’s practice is firmly rooted in delivering tailored legal counsel for complex estate planning, trust and corporate structuring, business succession, and post-mortem tax planning, ensuring families can preserve wealth and values for generations to come.
Katherine’s core expertise lies in navigating the intricacies of tax law within the estate planning landscape. She brings clarity and confidence to complicated planning scenarios, implementing strategies that are not only legally sound but also demonstrably tax-efficient and forward-looking. A cornerstone of her approach is her collaborative style; she works closely with accountants, financial advisors, and other professionals to deliver seamless, holistic solutions that align with her clients’ individual goals.
Representative Examples of Katherine’s Work:
- Testamentary Trust and Related Guidance for Trustees: Katherine has expertly crafted complex Wills, including secondary Wills for corporate assets, designed to establish long-term testamentary trusts for shared family wealth and real property. She goes beyond simply preparing documents, providing detailed guidance for the trustees, outlining the maintenance, use, and potential future sale of real property – ensuring a smooth and compliant administration.
- Incapacity Planning: Recognizing the importance of proactive planning, Katherine prepares detailed Enduring Powers of Attorney (also referred to as Continuing Powers of Attorney or Powers of Attorney for Property) and Personal Directives (also referred to as Representation Agreements or Powers of Attorney for Personal Care) concurrently with the preparation of new Wills. This critical approach ensures the client’s needs are met and their wishes made known in the event of their future mental incapacity or infirmity, offering peace of mind and safeguarding their autonomy.
- Estate Freeze & Succession Planning: Katherine assists families with multi-generational businesses to safeguard their legacy. She recently facilitated the formation of a new family trust, implemented an estate freeze, created new Wills, and developed a Unanimous Shareholders’ Agreement—a robust strategy designed to protect family harmony and facilitate a structured business transition.
- Alter Ego Trust: Katherine’s expertise in protecting testamentary wishes was evident in her advice regarding the formation of an alter ego trust. This strategic move shielded the client’s testamentary instructions from potential legal challenges by comprehensively summarizing relevant legal considerations, ranging from estate law and probate fees to federal income tax and GST, as well as property transfer tax and other federal and provincial taxes and reporting obligations.
- Post-Mortem Tax Planning: Katherine’s sophisticated tax planning skills were utilized to implement a reorganization of private corporation shares held in an estate. Utilizing a combination of loss carryback, pipeline, and ACB-bump strategies, she recovered taxes paid on death and significantly reduced future taxes payable by the beneficiaries – a testament to her proactive and technically proficient approach.
- Family Governance: Katherine understands that estate planning extends beyond individual documents. She facilitates annual meetings with clients, their adult children, the trustees of their family trusts, and their accountant to review the family’s structuring, discuss trust administration matters, review changes of law and family circumstances necessitating updates to estate planning and trust documents, consider tax planning opportunities, and assist with the preparation of a detailed mission statement for the governance of family trusts and the underlying corporate structure upon the clients’ deaths. This focused approach ensures ongoing alignment and effective wealth management.
Katherine is deeply engaged in the professional community and dedicated to fostering the next generation of legal professionals. She has volunteered with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Canada since 2018, currently serving as Deputy Chair of the Calgary Branch, and was named STEP Calgary’s Volunteer of the Year in 2022. Her contributions include regularly presenting on trust and estate planning topics, contributing to STEP Canada’s national newsletter, and connecting with aspiring practitioners through STEP Calgary’s exam prep seminars and other student events. At Linmac, Katherine is a dedicated mentor known for fostering a collaborative environment and guiding the next generation of legal professionals to uphold the firm’s high standards for legal excellence and client service. Katherine’s expertise in trusts and estates has been consistently recognized by her peers, culminating in her inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada™ for Trusts and Estates in 2024 and 2025.
Memberships and Affiliations:
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Law Society of British Columbia
- Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
- Member, Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch (South), Wills and Trusts Section & Elder Law Section
Practice Areas: Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
Awards: Recognized: Tax Law, Recognized: Trusts and Estates
Education: Katherine Ratcliffe possesses a deep understanding of legal complexities, combining strategic thinking with meticulous attention to detail. She’s a reliable and responsive legal professional committed to protecting your legacy.
