Our story

Conversations that matter

Family Constitution Builder™ exists because wealth rarely holds a family together on its own. What holds a family together is shared understanding—and that has to be written down.

Jayson Lowe and Richard Canfield at the memorial site of their mentor, R. Nelson Nash

Our mentor

Remembering R. Nelson Nash

Richard and Jayson were both mentored by the late R. Nelson Nash, author of Becoming Your Own Banker. Nelson taught that money is only part of the story. What lasts is how a family talks, decides and cares for what it has been given.

He urged the people he taught to have the conversations that matter while there is still time. This photo was taken at his memorial site. His lesson on stewardship is at the heart of everything we build.

The book · USA Today featured bestseller

Don’t Spread the Wealth

How to Leverage the Family Banking System to Own All the Gold, Make the Rules, and Enjoy Generational Riches

By Jayson Lowe and Richard Canfield

Richard and Jayson co-wrote this USA Today featured bestseller about building family wealth that lasts across generations—and the family conversations, values and clear rules that make that possible.

Readers often asked the same question: how do we actually write these things down? The Family Constitution Builder™ is our answer—mainly based on the family constitution Jayson created for the Lowe family.

Jayson Lowe and Richard Canfield holding copies of Don't Spread the Wealth

The founders

Meet Richard and Jayson

Richard Canfield

Creator of Before I Pass™ · Co-author, Don’t Spread the Wealth

Richard is a Canadian educator based in Calgary, Alberta, and a Nelson Nash Institute® Authorized Practitioner who serves on its Practitioner Council and mentors other practitioners. He works with families and entrepreneurs through Ascendant Financial.

Before financial education, he was a journeyman electrician, crew lead and Realtor—work that shaped his focus on practical, understandable systems. He developed the Before I Pass™ process after seeing how often families were left guessing what a loved one truly wanted.

Visit richardcanfield.com

Jayson Lowe

Founder & CEO, Ascendant Financial and the Lowe Family Group of Companies · Co-author, Don’t Spread the Wealth

Jayson is the founder and CEO of Ascendant Financial and the Lowe Family Group of Companies. As of 2026, the group includes more than 17 companies and is valued at over $100 million.

Few people understand why a family constitution matters better than Jayson. The Family Constitution Builder™ is mainly based on the system he built for his own family, turned into a guided process other families can use.

View full profile Visit retainyourearnings.com

Our promise to your family

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