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Aug 20, 2026|
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How do I help businesses find their way through financial challenges?
Estate planning is so much more than documents and taxes; it is about the in-depth conversations and decisions that can shape future generations. I take the time to listen in order to understand what is truly important. After decades of working with families, I have learned that the greatest value I provide often comes from helping them ask the questions they did not even know they had.
Guiding families through sophisticated estate and succession planning
Cynda Ottaway advises individuals, families and closely held businesses on estate planning, wealth transfer, trust administration and succession planning. Her practice includes helping clients preserve family wealth, prepare for business succession and tackle the legal and tax considerations that accompany life’s major transitions. Whether creating a foundational estate plan or addressing more complex family and business planning issues, she develops strategies tailored to each client’s goals and circumstances.
Drawing on decades of experience
After more than 40 years, Cynda has developed not only a deep technical knowledge but also an unusually rich perspective. Clients benefit from her resulting ability to anticipate issues, recognize patterns, simplify complicated decisions and provide steady counsel when critical choices must be made.
Continuously striving for the “win-win”
Approaching every client matter like a problem-solving exercise, Cynda explores creative alternatives and looks for practical and customized solutions that preserve family relationships whenever possible. “If there is some question about who is entitled to certain payments,” she offers by way of example, “and I can devise a plan to save additional taxes, perhaps we offer it to the disgruntled party to help reach a reasonable accord.”
Building lasting relationships based on genuine affinity and trust
Cynda genuinely enjoys talking to and helping people. One of the most rewarding parts of her practice has been watching families evolve over time. She is honored to have celebrated marriages, welcomed new generations and helped clients recover from periods of loss and transition.
Giving back to the profession and community
Cynda has long been recognized as a leader in the trusts and estates profession. She is a past president of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), of which she has been a member for over 35 years, serving in numerous national leadership positions. She has been a frequent speaker and author on estate planning topics. She has also devoted significant time to civic and charitable organizations throughout Oklahoma City, serving on the boards of many of the community’s leading nonprofit and educational institutions.