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In the financial world the focus tends to move towards finding the best investments that pay the highest rates of return. The last few years have certainly proven that choosing the winners is not as easy as it may sound. There are really only two ways that one can help you financially. The first way is to help you find better investments that can potentially give you higher returns. The second way is to help you become more efficient by… Read More »Avoiding The Losses Can Prove More Valuable Than Picking The Winners

This is a question that you should have asked yourself and found an answer before now but realizing that this is an area that requires a decision that can easily be put off while you think about it we will give you a few things to think about. Of the decisions concerning disability coverage “How much coverage” is actually the easiest decision? Disability insurance is designed to protect your income in the event you are unable to work. Since the… Read More »How Much Disability Coverage Should I Have?

You may be surprised to find out that you are driving your future to work every day. The sad truth is that for many Canadian’s they will lose more money financing the cars they drive to work than they will accumulate in their lifelong savings accounts. The price of the car is but one of the costs. The finance cost is another. When shopping for a new car often the driving factor is the monthly payment. As long as the… Read More »Driving Your Future

When it comes to our money there is no such thing as luck however this little play on words may provide a good piece of information for your thinking. L: The L stands for Liquidity. A very important part of your thinking with regards to where you put your money should be is some of it liquid? Certainly not all of our money needs to be in a liquid position but if all our resources are tied up with no… Read More »The LUCK Factor

For many people, the term RSP is synonymous with retirement preparation, and sometimes represents the full extent of their preparedness. Such accounts are often included as part of a benefits package provided by employers, and chances are if you have one, most of your retirement savings are being deposited into this account. Given that it can play such a prominent role in our financial picture, it is imperative that you fully understand exactly how these plans work. So what do… Read More »RSPs: The Hidden Truth

Have you ever stopped long enough to notice how many tools we have to assist our road travel these days? From traditional traffic lights and road signs, to programmable electronic billboards, GPS, and a bevy of smart-phone apps for every conceivable situation one might encounter on the road. The sheer volume is staggering. We are better informed and more equipped for travel decisions than we have ever been before. But what about financial signposts? How can we tell if we… Read More »On the Road to Financial Ruin

Throughout the years, I’ve found that people tend to have a wide range of expectations that come to mind when they hear the term “Financial Advisor.” And it’s no wonder that sometimes even the advisors themselves have differing opinions on the term, and certainly different approaches to serving their clients. I’d like to outline what it means for me to be a financial advisor for my clients, and it’s not dissimilar to the relationship a golfer has with their caddie.… Read More »The Golf Caddie Analogy

One of the tools we are able to utilize when discussing the best course of action to secure your financial future is known as the Personal Economic Model®. Much as a medical doctor would use an anatomical model to convey medical concepts, we use the following model to convey financial concepts.   This model offers a visual representation of the way money flows through your hands. On the left, you will notice the Lifetime Capital Potential tank which illustrates that… Read More »Your Personal Economic Model®

We can learn a lot about becoming our clients’ Trusted Financial Expert from the book, “The Trusted Advisor” by David Maister.  The key to professional success is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients.  1. The Trusted Advisor: Puts clients’ interests in front of their own As David Maister puts it in The Trusted Advisor, “there is no greater source of distrust than advisors who appear to be more interested in themselves than in trying to be of service… Read More »10 Behaviours of a Trusted Advisor

As you know I am a strong advocate for having an up to date Will and POA.  You never want to leave those you care about in a bad situation, it is tough enough losing you or having you incapacitated. Our circumstances change over time and reviewing your Will from time to time keeps everything up to date and offers peace of mind to all. Here are a couple of great checklists from RBC that can help:  Have you prepared… Read More »Will Review and Tools

There once was a blind man who was miraculously given his eyesight. For his entire life he had accomplished everything he needed to do without the benefit of eyesight. Instead of utilizing his vision, he leaned heavily on the use of his other senses. When he was suddenly able to see, he had nothing to relate his new eyesight to. What was once familiar was now strange and complicated. He was seeing things for the very first time, and he… Read More »A Matter of Perspective