Our Process
Financial Planning
“I now feel financial peace of mind.” This is the most frequent comment we hear from clients following the completion of their financial plan. This is the result of our unique approach that lays at the junction of the Evolving Written Financial Plan, Retirement Income Planning and Tax-minimization strategies. In addition, we have developed a specialty in advising business owners and executives with tax-planning strategies unique to their situation.
Market volatility is unavoidable but with the proper planning and execution of our strategies, we allow our clients to befriend risk by managing it effectively. The key component is to develop and maintain an Evolving Plan™. Most financial plans are conducted at a point in time. An effective plan must evolve as the market conditions and personal circumstances change. This allows your plan to be opportunistic rather than passive. We continually scour the landscape looking for new opportunities to reduce taxes and risk while maintaining a reasonable rate of return.
Managing your personal finances in today’s complex and rapidly changing world can be a daunting task.
Unfortunately, many people choose not to manage important elements of their financial affairs because they believe the benefits of having an effective financial plan are not worth the effort it takes to complete it. Therefore they ignore their realities in the hope that they will somehow take care of themselves.
A well organized process for completing a comprehensive written financial plan makes the task more manageable. A more manageable task ensures more people are likely to complete and implement it.
There are several compelling reasons why most people should have a written financial plan:
- Helps control stress and emotions.
- Provides a modular framework for making lifestyle decisions.
- Provides a discipline for making investment decisions.
- Consolidates the work of all your professional advisors.
Canada is one of the most heavily/harshly taxed nations in the world. In fact, the average Canadian forfeits almost half of his or her income to various forms of taxes each year, representing a major obstacle to accumulating wealth and realizing their dreams.
Our team will work with you to examine your financial situation and identify potential areas for saving tax. We can help you to formulate strategies to lighten your tax load and free up funds to enhance your life – now or in the future.
Choosing more tax-efficient investments is one potential strategy for minimizing tax. Increasing tax deductions, deferring income to a future year and splitting income with a family member are some of the other strategies we will explore with you.
The federal and provincial tax rules are complex and continuously changing. And likely, so is your personal situation. To ensure you continue to pay as little tax as possible, we encourage you to sit down with us each year for a tax review.
Feel free to speak to one of our team members about your overall tax plan.
Many Canadians spend a lifetime working to accumulate assets without making any effort to protect their investments or income stream. Yet a failure to plan can unnecessarily compound the stress of a death or disability, increasing the financial and emotional burden for families and in some cases leading to dire consequences. This is especially unfortunate, given that estate planning need not be complicated or expensive.
Our team utilizes a Risk Management Review to help identify all the potential financial risks you could encounter during your lifetime. These are risks that could have an impact on your security and that of your family – risks that could shatter dreams.
Once the Risk Review has been competed, we will recommend strategies to address each risk in the most cost-effective manner. We offer solutions such as life, disability and critical insurance and provide other strategies to manage risk and plan your estate.
We can help you enjoy the peace of mind that comes with taking action to protect your loved ones.
Feel free to contact us to receive free information about estate planning or risk management or speak to one of our team members about your overall estate plan.
Retirement lifestyle is too often left to chance and funded by whatever savings people happen to have accumulated by the day they start living without a paycheque. And that often leads to worries, and unfilled dreams. The situation is made worse by the confusion of myriad institutions claiming to have the quick retirement solution.
Whether you are planning to retire or have already retired, our team can help you quantify the cost of the lifestyle you desire and create a realistic plan to support it. Our goal is to ensure that this stage of life is rewarding and financially worry free.
Your plan considers such factors as government programs, pensions, other sources of retirement income, life expectancy and historical rates of inflation. Based on an analysis of your situation and goals, your plan works to balance your everyday needs with those for the future to allow you to live your life comfortably.
Often, our clients are pleasantly surprised to discover the confidence that accompanies proper planning with a professional.
Contact us to speak with one of our team members about your overall retirement plan.
