You spent years as a tax and estate planning lawyer. What made you decide to create Epilogue?

When I was practicing law, I saw firsthand that the estate planning experience in Canada wasn’t working for a lot of people. About half of Canadian adults still don’t have a will, and many others haven’t updated theirs in years.

That told us something was broken. For some people, it’s cost. For others, it’s time, inconvenience or simply not wanting to think about mortality. If you were trying to design something people would procrastinate on, you’d probably design traditional will-making.

My co-founder and I felt there had to be a better way — something easier, more affordable and less intimidating that could help more Canadians actually get this important piece of planning done.

What’s the biggest misconception Canadians have about making a will?

A lot of people think they’re not ready — that they need to have more money, own more assets or have every detail perfectly organized first. But making a will is about much more than finances. It’s about naming guardians for your children, choosing an executor and making sure the people you care about are looked after.

Another misconception is that you only make a will once. In reality, your will should evolve with your life. The important thing is simply to start. Once people begin the process, they often realize it’s much easier than they expected.

One thing that makes Epilogue unique is its connection to charitable giving. Why was that important to build in?

Canadians are incredibly generous. People donate every month, support causes they care about and show up for their communities in meaningful ways. Legacy giving is really an extension of that generosity — a way to continue supporting the causes that matter to you long into the future.

As part of the Epilogue platform, every single person who creates a will is asked whether they’d like to include a charitable gift. Because the process is built into the experience, we’re able to introduce people to an option many simply didn’t know existed. And what we’ve seen has been really powerful — people are often excited by the idea that they can leave a meaningful impact through their will.

What have you learned about how charities can help inspire legacy giving?

We’ve found that context matters enormously. When someone is introduced to will-making through an organization they already care about, they’re significantly more likely to consider including a charitable gift in their plans.

For us, that’s been one of the most exciting parts of the work. A few years into building Epilogue, we saw an opportunity to create something specifically for charities — helping make estate planning easier while also helping organizations sustain their missions for generations to come. It’s become a true win-win for donors and charities alike.

North York General has a personal connection for you. What has this partnership meant?

North York General has been part of my family’s story for years. I’ve received care there, I’ve visited loved ones in the hospital over the years and, more recently, my son was treated there after breaking his elbow.

So, there’s something especially meaningful about being able to work alongside an organization that’s cared for people I love. It feels good to know that, in a roundabout way, the work we’re doing through Epilogue can help support a hospital that’s been part of our lives for so long.