Why human connections still matter in wealth planning.
Finding answers has never been easier. Two-thirds of Canadians use at least one AI-based tool or service, according to a recent survey by Narrative Research and Logit Group . For many, AI has become a practical tool for finding information, conducting research and increasing productivity.
Yet some decisions can’t be reduced to only the results generated by a prompt.
Managing wealth rarely comes down to a single answer, or even a combination of single answers. It involves balancing priorities, recognizing how one decision influences another and considering circumstances that may not seem directly relevant to the question at hand. What might appear to be a straightforward financial decision can look very different once the broader context—and complexities—are understood.
AI excels at analyzing data and identifying patterns. That makes it a valuable tool for exploring options and gathering information.
Managing wealth and taking into account the uniqueness of each person’s or family’s situation is different.
A decision to help minimize taxes today may influence retirement income years from now. A business-succession strategy may affect estate planning, charitable giving or family dynamics. Purchasing property in another country can introduce cross-border tax considerations. While each decision impacting your wealth may make sense on its own, it’s important to step back and look at how decisions are interconnected to ensure all aspects of planning are tied together effectively.
Looking at one issue in isolation can solve an immediate problem but might create unintended consequences elsewhere. And sometimes, the information that appears relevant to a decision is only part of the story.
“AI responds to a question you ask based on the information you provide,” says Tony Maiorino, head of RBC Family Office Services and president and CEO of RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc. “The answer might be valuable and accurate, but the lens may be too narrow for someone’s entire financial picture. This is where having a client’s trust, knowing the client and their family, and being able to dig a little deeper becomes so important.”
“Every family is different, so their planning has to reflect that. What we do is tailored to each family’s circumstances.”
— Tony Maiorino, head of RBC Family Office Services and president and CEO of RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc.
The strategies that helped build your family’s wealth are not always the same ones needed to preserve and transfer it.
A business owner who has spent decades building a successful company may face entirely different considerations after selling it. A family preparing to transfer wealth may also need to educate the next generation on the responsibilities that come with it. As wealth evolves, so do the questions families face and the guidance they may need along the way.
That’s where an integrated approach and personalized planning through RBC Family Office Services comes in. An RBC advisor who knows the client and their family can recognize when specialized knowledge may be valuable and introduce them to the appropriate Family Office Services professionals.
The team includes lawyers, accountants, tax specialists, financial planning specialists, philanthropic advisory specialists, business owner and succession specialists and other professionals well-versed in addressing the full spectrum of wealth needs.
“Every family is different, so their planning has to reflect that,” says Maiorino. “What we do is tailored to each family’s circumstances. Working alongside a client’s RBC advisor, we bring together qualified professionals from various disciplines to truly understand the family and their objectives. With that in mind, we can develop a coordinated, holistic plan that reflects the family’s goals and priorities, now and for the future.”
Let’s talk about your financial future and build a plan to help you achieve your goals.
Financial information is only part of the story. Family Office Services professionals bring experience and insight gained from helping households navigate decisions and transitions that can affect how everyone gets along. While every family’s circumstances are unique, these professionals anticipate the questions that may arise, the dynamics that may need to be considered and the long-term implications that may not yet be apparent.
“Our objective is to understand not just what the client wants, but why,” says Maiorino. “A client may come to us with a specific request, but we dig a little deeper to reveal what they are really trying to accomplish and how decisions will impact the family today as well as 20 or 30 years from now.”
Clients also benefit from the continuity these advisory relationships provide. Once introduced, Family Office Services professionals remain part of the client’s broader advisory team, offering strategic insight as new opportunities and challenges emerge.
The most effective conversations are rooted in trust and, according to Maiorino, being comfortable discussing personal areas of concern. The more Family Office Services professionals learn about a client’s circumstances, priorities and challenges, the better equipped they are to provide guidance that aligns with the family’s needs and aspirations.
VP, Financial Planning, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
“Our Financial Planning Specialists have deep knowledge in financial and tax planning, and they play an integral role working with clients to understand their financial situation and goals. Our team helps clients build a comprehensive financial plan, really focusing on their personal objectives and the journey towards their goals.”
VP and head, HNW Planning Services, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
“The High Net Worth Planning Services and Business Owner Specialist team has broad experience working with families and business owners who have complex wealth planning needs. We look strategically and holistically at each client’s picture, providing customized guidance to help families and business owners protect, grow and transfer their wealth with clarity.”
VP, National Will and Estate Planning Services, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
“For our Will and Estate Consultants, the focus is on what’s important to the client and planning that will help them protect their loved ones and gain peace of mind. Whether it’s effectively transferring wealth, safeguarding assets, protecting their estate or leaving a lasting legacy, our team supports with guidance that fits the client’s needs and intentions.”
Director, RBC Charitable Gift Program, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
“Philanthropy is at the heart of some clients’ ambitions, and we approach conversations with that in mind. Rooted in the client’s values, charitable giving sits at the intersection of those values alongside taxes and planning. Our Philanthropic Advisory Services team explores options and incorporates giving into wealth and legacy planning in a meaningful way.”
“Our Financial Planning Consultants work with RBC advisors and clients, supporting the wealth planning journey with financial projections and assisting with complex planning scenarios. We’re often the beginning of the planning experience and take pride in helping clients visualize and plan for their financial future.”
“Technology can help answer questions, but it can’t know which questions matter most to you, your family or your future,” says Maiorino.
Finding answers has never been easier—but working with a team to connect those answers into a personalized wealth plan that reflects your values and goals has never mattered more.
A: Family Office Services is a team of highly skilled financial, Will and estate, tax, business owner, philanthropic and other planning professionals who work alongside RBC advisors to help clients with integrated wealth planning. The team focuses on understanding each client’s goals and circumstances, providing personalized guidance and recommendations.
A: With a collaborative approach, professionals within Family Office Services take the time to learn about a client’s goals, aspirations, needs and objectives. Working in tandem and with a full view of a client’s picture, Family Office Services can recommend options and uncover opportunities to help clients track towards and reach their wealth goals. Whether it’s minimizing tax, ensuring a comfortable retirement income, creating a charitable giving strategy, effectively transferring wealth and leaving a legacy, planning for business succession or otherwise, Family Office Services can assist with personalized planning options to fit each client’s situation and vision for the future.
A: Through a client’s RBC advisor, the Family Office Services team is available to help high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners throughout all life stages. For example, the team can provide support and planning services to:• Individuals looking to build and protect their assets in a tax-effective way• Families wanting to balance their current needs with a savings strategy to meet their long-term goals• Retirees who want to ensure their income supports their retirement lifestyle while preserving their capital for the long term• Parents and grandparents who want to transfer wealth efficiently to the next generation• Families who are charitably inclined and want to structure their giving as part of their wealth plan• Business owners who want support in managing personal and business assets or who are starting to think about business succession• Individuals with U.S. or international connections who need specialized tax and estate planning support
A: In planning for personal or family financial goals, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one may not work for another—each client’s situation is unique and connecting the dots can be complex. A personalized, integrated approach helps bring all aspects of planning into the conversation and helps ensure everything is in place and that different elements of the plan work together. This type of approach also focuses on a deep understanding of the client’s goals and what matters to them; plans are built around each client and can evolve to help keep them on track as changes or life events take place.
A: The planning journey will be unique for each client and their family. An integrated approach brings together the right planning professionals at the right times, depending on a client’s situation and needs. Whether it’s financial planning, estate planning recommendations, tax planning opportunities, charitable giving, financial education, business succession or any other aspect of wealth, it’s about looking at a client’s entire structure and tying everything together. An integrated approach centres on specialists across a range of disciplines, all working collaboratively to help clients effectively plan for their future.
This document has been prepared for use by the RBC Wealth Management member companies, RBC Dominion Securities Inc.*, RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc., RBC Global Asset Management Inc., Royal Trust Corporation of Canada and The Royal Trust Company (collectively, the “Companies”) and their affiliate, Royal Mutual Funds Inc. (RMFI). *Member – Canada Investor Protection Fund. Each of the Companies, RMFI and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated.
The strategies, advice and technical content in this publication are provided for the general information only and benefit of our clients. This publication is not intended to provide specific financial, investment, tax, legal, accounting or other advice for you, and should not be relied upon in that regard. Readers should consult their own professional advisor when planning to implement a strategy to ensure that individual circumstances have been considered properly and it is based on the latest available information.
RBC Wealth Management is a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. Please click the "Legal" link at the bottom of this page for further information on the entities that are member companies of RBC Wealth Management. The content in this publication is provided for general information only and is not intended to provide any advice or endorse/recommend the content contained in the publication.
® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © Royal Bank of Canada 2026. All rights reserved.
We want to talk about your financial future.