Principals
John H. Askin, B.Comm LL.B
Founder, The Wealth Strategy Group
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John Askin is the founder of Wealth Strategy Group. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta in 1977 and his Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980. Prior to founding Wealth Strategy Group in 1998, John was a tax lawyer for 15 years in Alberta and British Columbia.
In addition to advising high net worth individuals and families, John’s corporate clients include Sun Life, Equinox Financial Group, TD Evergreen, Maritime Life, Investors Group, The Berkshire Group, Manulife Financial, Scotia McLeod and the Hong Kong Bank. John currently consults with clients and professional advisors throughout North America in the area of wealth protection planning.
John is past President of the Estate Planning Council of Edmonton and is a current member of the Vancouver Estate Planning Council and the Canadian Tax Foundation. He has written and presented papers for organizations such as the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Life Underwriters and the All China Lawyers Association, Beijing, China. John is co-author of Materials on Corporate Taxation and Materials on the Alberta Business Corporations Act and has authored articles in numerous publications including Canadian Tax Journal and Insurance Digest. He is also a contributing editor to the Insurance Planning Journal.
Associates
Jas Butalia, CA, BSC
WBM Partners LLP
Jas Butalia joined BDO Dunwoody in 1976 after completing his CA at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. Over the years he has held many roles such as a tax consultation practitioner and has continued to serve as a member of the International Tax Working Group, the Transfer Pricing Group of BDO and the BDO Tax Committee. He has recently moved to WBM Partners llp.
Jas’ specialties include Canadian and international tax consultation and planning; corporate and personal taxes; mergers and acquisitions; United States taxation; structuring of inbound and outbound transactions vis-à-vis Canada; and planning for individuals entering and leaving Canada, including offshore structures.
R. Paul Jacobson, Q.C.
BA, LL.B, LL.M International Taxation
Paul Jacobson is a lawyer residing in Calgary Alberta. He has a Master of Laws degree in International Tax and has lectured on international tax and trust law. Paul’s practice includes international tax planning; domestic tax planning; trust law; estate planning, preservation and administration. Typical clients include owner/managers, global entrepreneurs and consulting to smaller accounting firms, law firms and financial planners.
Jeff Graham, B.Comm, CFP, CLU
Jeff has been in the Financial Services industry since 2012, commencing his career in a Financial Administrative role where he learned the intricacies of effective tax planning. He then transitioned into a Financial Planning role with a primary focus on insurance-based planning and taxation principles.
Jeff obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Thompson Rivers University. In addition, he has also completed a Marketing Management Diploma Program, the Life License Qualification Program and holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations.
Scott Grant
Scott graduated from BCIT in Business in 1988 and has also completed courses for the Certified Financial Planners designation, Elder Planning Counselor, Mutual Fund licensing and Life License Qualification. He has been practicing since 1995 working with families, business owners and professionals. He is a Life and Qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table with 20 years of membership. He is a member in good standing with Advocis, Independent Broker of Canada and Deposit Brokers Association of Canada.
Nancy Fong
Born, raised, and educated in Vancouver, Nancy has business and law degrees under her belt, and close to 20 years of working as a Certified Financial Planner, specializing in financial and intergenerational wealth management.
Nancy practiced law as a solicitor for 12 years before becoming a financial planner, earning her CFP designation in 2005. She joined a prominent financial planning and insurance services firm in Richmond, BC, joining as a partner in 2013. In 2018, Nancy founded NYF Wealth Management. Nancy also holds a designation as a Family Enterprise Advisor through the Family Enterprise Canada & UBC’s Sauder Business School and is a member of the Canadian Advanced Life Underwriters (CALU). Currently Nancy serves as the Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Estate Planning Council of Vancouver and is also on the Government Relations Committee of CALU.
Nancy’s community work includes more than 25 years in volunteer and committee positions with various organizations including the Vancouver Pacific Lions, BCCH Foundation Chinese Canadian Planned Giving Committee, Pacific Canada Heritage Centre – Museum of Migration and her church. She has appeared on Chinese radio and TV for various charities regarding estate planning and charitable gift planning in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Nancy and her husband Edwin live in Vancouver with their adult children and two dogs.
Bobby J. Ning, CFP
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Financial Literacy Counsel Inc.
For over 20 years, Bobby’s practice as a Certified Financial Planner has focused on delivering comprehensive financial, tax, and estate planning solutions to clients. He also provides financial coaching to ultra high net worth families to better prepare their heirs and beneficiaries for the responsibilities of wealth. Bobby demonstrates his belief in lifelong learning as a keen book club member and serves on various committees and non-profit boards. He is a 16-year Million Dollar Roundtable member and a member of both Advocis and the Financial Planning Standards Council.
Alphil J. Guilaran
Co-Founder, Financial Literacy Counsel Inc.
Alphil co-founded Financial Literacy Counsel (FLC) in 1999 out of a passion to build financially literate generations. His team develops and delivers financial education programs for ultra affluent families through family offices, private banks, and private schools to better prepare heirs and beneficiaries for the responsibilities of wealth. FLC’s programs and resources are also offered to companies, professional associations, and educational and government institutions. Alphil is a lifetime qualifying member of the Million Dollar Roundtable and is a frequent guest speaker and contributor to local and national media publications.