Tax Planning Consultant
Prashant Patel, CFP, TEP
Vice-President, High Net Worth Planning Services, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Prashant has assisted high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families with tax, estate and retirement issues since 1992.
His guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom he frequently interacts.
His expertise includes tax and estate planning for executives, business owners, retirees, sports professionals and individuals with U.S. issues. He also assists individuals facing significant financial events (sale of business, financial windfall, retirement, job loss, moving to Canada, leaving Canada, etc.)
Prior to joining RBC in 1999, Prashant honed his expertise by working as a Canadian and U.S. tax specialist for two of the big four accounting firms in downtown Toronto.
Prashant is a Certified Financial Planner, Associate of the Society of Actuaries and member of both the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and Canadian Tax Foundation.
Financial Planning Specialist
Steve Mogdan, CPA, CA, CFP
Financial Planning Specialist, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Steven completed his Bachelor of Business Administration at York University in 1989 and subsequently completed the CICA In-Depth Tax course. He has also achieved the advanced designations of Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
During his time as a tax and financial practitioner with several professional service firms, Steven specialized in Canadian, U.S. and cross-border personal income taxation, and provided planning and preparation services to clients. He also has professional experience with the RBC Tax Advisory Group and RBC Dexia, where he provided tax advice to various business units within RBC.
As an experienced practitioner in financial matters, Steven has written or contributed to many research articles, industry publications, training materials and client presentations.
Steven’s role as a Financial Planning Specialist is to work with, and support, your advisor in preparing and presenting comprehensive financial planning solutions.
Omair Zaman, CPA, CA, CFP
Financial Planning Specialist, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Omair is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner (CPA, CA, CFP). He holds a Masters degree from the University of Toronto in Management and Professional Accounting and has completed the three-year CPA Canada’s In-depth Tax program.
Prior to working at RBC, Omair worked as a Senior Manager in tax at one of the largest public accounting firms. In his role, Omair gained experience working with private companies, high-net-worth individuals, trusts and partnerships. His work included tax minimization through appropriate tax planning (corporate and personal), estate planning and business restructuring. As a Financial Planning Specialist, Omair’s role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting your Compass Financial Plan, as well as to identify and assess any related financial, tax and retirement planning concerns you may have.
Will & Estate Consultant
Ariel-Charles Guigui, B. Admin, LL.B, TEP
Vice-President & Will & Estate Consultant, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Ariel graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Business Administration in 1992, and from the Faculty of Law in 1994 where he served on the editorial board of the Law Review.
He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. Prior to joining RBC, Ariel spent 5 years teaching Real Estate Law and Estate Law at La Cité Collégiale in Ottawa. For the previous 12 years, Ariel held several positions at a major trust company, culminating in the role of Trust Manager.
Ariel is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada, and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Canadian chapter). His significant practical experience in estate planning and administration allows him to offer valuable guidance during the creation of your estate plan.
Megan graduated from Queen’s University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree, and in 2017 from the Faculty of Law. During law school, she worked as a student caseworker for the Queen’s Elder Law Clinic, providing testamentary and incapacity planning services to clients, including drafting wills, powers of attorney, and guardianships.
Since her call to the Ontario Bar in 2018, Megan has dedicated herself to the areas of wills, estates, and trust law. Prior to joining RBC, Megan practiced at a boutique estate litigation firm in downtown Toronto, assisting beneficiaries, trustees, executors and other parties with both contested and uncontested litigation of estates and trusts, including, estate and trust administration, passing of accounts, interpretation and rectification of wills, variations of trust deeds, and will challenges.
Megan is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario. She is also a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association (OBA), Young Women in Law, and the Junior Trusts and Estates Practitioners Group (JTEP). Recently, she served as an executive member of the OBA’s Elder Law Committee.
Megan would be pleased to work with you and your advisor on your estate and trust matters, and help you to ensure your goals are met in a prudent and efficient manner.
Connie Freitas, BA, LL.B
Vice President and Will & Estate Consultant, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Connie obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.
Prior to joining RBC in 2012, Connie practised law for 18 years. As a partner in a mid-sized full-service law firm, her practice was varied and covered the areas of corporate/commercial law, real estate, and Wills, trusts and estates law. In that role, Connie advised her owner-manager clients on a broad range of business and personal needs, from purchases and sales of businesses, to shareholder agreements and corporate reorganizations, to Will and estate planning.
For many years Connie taught the Business Law section of the Bar Admissions Course and was involved with preparing the licensing exams for Ontario lawyers. Throughout her career, Connie has been involved in her broader community, serving on many non-profit boards as well as providing pro bono legal services.
Estate and Insurance Planning Specialist
Andrew loves the insurance business. It’s not the products, it’s the opportunity to learn about you, your family and your life as a whole and how insurance may help you to reach your most cherished goals. That accounts for Andrew’s core purpose: to focus on people and provide the optimal solution for their unique circumstances.
Fundamentally, Andrew is an educator. He says, “If I hadn’t chosen the insurance business I would probably be a teacher. As an Estate Planning Specialist, my role is to educate clients on which situations these products are for, and how you make them work.” It is not about the sale. It’s about helping people discover an insurance solution that works for them, if any. It’s always about people, not product.
Andrew has been an Estate Planning Specialist since 1993. He lives in Toronto with his wife, daughter and their dog. An amateur boxer until 1992, he was the Ontario middleweight champion. Now he’s an avid squash player and fisherman.
Premier Banking
Margaret as a Premier Banking Advisor will be providing customized advice to high-net-worth clients for their unique banking and credit needs. She is focused on building enduring relationships with clients and their families, while ensuring all aspects of their financial needs are addressed through the full range of comprehensive solutions available at RBC.
As an Advisor, Margaret works as a single point of contact providing personalized service and tailored advice to help save time and effectively manage day-to-day banking and credit needs for select clients of Wealth Management Canada.
Margaret brings 34 years of experience under her belt in the Financial Services Industry. Her focus on outstanding customer service and client care is what builds that strong connection and successful relationships with high net worth clients.
Highly respected by her industry peers and clients alike, Margaret has continued delivering holistic advice and helped clients reach their financial goals. Prior to her current role, Margaret has worked as a Personal Banker and a Financial Planning Associate. She has proven that collaboration along with her business growth mindset is a great asset to RBC Premier Banking and RBC Wealth Management Canada.
Margaret believes in giving back to the community. She is a strong supporter of JDRF Canada and Run for Vaughan. She fundraises each year and is a strong advocate for both causes.
As a Premier Banking Advisor for Toronto, Niaz Dharas works as a single point of contact providing banking and credit solutions for select clients of Wealth Management Canada and their families. Partnering with Investment Advisors and Investment Counsellors across the Toronto region, he provides personalized service and tailored advice to help clients efficiently and effectively manage their day-to-day banking needs.
With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry with Royal Bank of Canada, Niaz is well respected by his clients and peers. Niaz's solid track record for providing Exceptional Customer Service and his consistent engagement with key partners have proven to deliver Top Level Client Loyalty results.
Niaz was born and raised in Toronto. He is happily married to his wife of 20 years and currently resides in Markham. In his spare time, Niaz enjoys working out, meditation and watching sports with his friends. He is also an active volunteer with the Ismaili Council for Ontario for over 10 years.
Along with his Investment Funds in Canada certification, Niaz also holds a Specialized Honors Bachelor degree from York University.
RBC Royal Trust
As a Senior Trust Advisor, Manish Gosrani is responsible for managing a complex book of accounts. He works with individuals, families and businesses throughout Toronto and the GTA to provide customized estate, trust and incapacity solutions.
Whether it is helping someone to settle an estate, establishing a trust to ensure the successful transfer of family assets, or arranging to assist with the administration and responsibilities for a Power of Attorney, Manish can help.
Manish has more than 25 years of wealth management experience in Canada and the UK. He holds a Bachelor of Law degree (LL.B), is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and is working towards his Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation to further strengthen his industry knowledge and expertise.
Manish has a deep understanding of priorities and needs of wealth advisors and delivers well balanced advice by staying abreast of product, industry, investment, tax and legislative developments. With a career focused on building client relationships, he brings to each client the necessary skill set to provide both the technical expertise as well as the genuine understanding of the emotional complexities that underlie these issues. He is dedicated to providing assistance in the preservation, management and transfer of wealth between generations by providing solutions to implement clients’ estate, trust and philanthropic plans