ARTICLES BY CATEGORY: Creating a plan

Defining happiness is not always easy

By Brent Vandekerckhove on 17 Mar 2021

Defining happiness is not always easy, and what makes people uniquely happy may differ for each person. By asking the important questions, and gaining confidence and respect, we aim to be extremely aware of what makes our clients happ

It’s not about a rate of return

By Daniel Sitar on 26 Nov 2020

As the saying goes, money cannot buy happiness. However, having confidence in your financial decisions and your ability to reach your long-term objectives results in security and peace of mind

Opportunities Where You Least Expect Them

By Brett Simpson on 22 Oct 2020

When we are young, we don’t know what we don’t know!

What is a Financial Plan?

By Anne Hammond on 20 Jan 2020

What does it mean to create a financial plan? And why is it important to do so? 

A Year in Review

By Cory Hill on 26 Jan 2018

At this time of year, we are all accustomed to looking back at the year that has gone by. Today, I would like to suggest that we look ahead to 2018.

Sharing is Caring

Posted on 02 Oct 2017

Do you ever find that you can rationalize putting off important responsibilities because they may be painful or cause discomfort?

Financial Advisor – Part Advisor, Part Counsellor, Part Coach

By Bryson Milley on 01 Oct 2017

When I first started in this profession, I thought I had a good idea of what it meant to be a financial advisor. An advisor had to develop a strong understanding of the investment world, become reasonably well-versed in the tax rules..

Pools and Streams – Retirement Income

By Alain Quennec on 03 Jul 2017

Louise is retiring soon, and it just dawned on her that she isn’t clear what’s going to happen to her cash flow after the regular paycheques stop coming in. I find this a great source of concern among the nearly-retired...

The Goose and the Basket of Golden Eggs

By Brett Simpson on 18 Jun 2017

If you had a goose that laid golden eggs, which is worth more: the eggs already in your basket or those yet to come? What value do you put on the goose?

Keeping More of what you Earn

By Christian White on 03 Apr 2017

You’ve saved long and hard for many years. You’ve made sacrifices and put your long-term needs ahead of your current desires for that vacation, the newer car or upgrading the kitchen.

A New ‘New Year’s Resolution’ – Talking to your Kids about Money

Posted on 02 Jan 2017

A New Year is underway and some of us have already broken our New Year’s resolutions…

2016 Horizons Report

By Clay Gillespie on 01 Jul 2016

We are pleased to present the results of the 2016 Horizons Retirement Report. This report summarizes the dreams, fears, hopes and challenges of Canadians planning to retire within the next 3 to 7 years.

Quantifying the Value of Advice

By Alain Quennec on 01 Oct 2015

Earlier this year, the investment firm Vanguard released the results of a major study attempting to quantify the value of financial advice to investors.

2015 Horizons Retirement Report

By Clay Gillespie on 18 Jul 2015

Many of our clients are concerned about what life will look like during their retirement years. For this reason, we started our retirement survey five years ago to explore what Canadians are thinking as they approach retirement. 

Your RRSP Roadmap

Posted on 01 Jan 2015

With the RRSP deadline fast approaching (the deadline for the 2014 tax year is March 2nd, 2015), I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some insight on the rules of the road for RRSPs. 

Q and A: Where can I find info about deposit insurance on GICs?

Posted on 01 Jul 2014

There are a few different institutions that provide deposit insurance, depending on the type of deposit you have.

Retirement Income Planning

Posted on 01 Jul 2014

During your working life, you may have had one or two sources of income with limited ability to manage the timing of cash flows.

Building an Efficient and Effective Emergency Fund

By Shaun Sun on 01 Jul 2014

One of the fables I remember repeated numerous times during grade school was Aesop’s tale of the ant and the grasshopper.

Horizons Retirement Report 2014

By Clay Gillespie on 01 Jul 2014

Every year, we commission a survey (conducted by Concerto Research) to explore what Canadians are thinking and feeling as they approach retirement. 

Going Viral

By Cory Hill on 01 Apr 2014

Recently, there was a study done by Princeton’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering on, of all things, the life cycles of social media.

Global Investing and the Winter Olympics

Posted on 01 Apr 2014

Like most Canadians, I spent many hours in front of the television this February, eyes glued to the spectacular Olympic Games.

Aligning your Goals

By Cecilia Tsang on 01 Apr 2014

Is your portfolio the result of your goals (or lack thereof)? 

Protect Yourself

Posted on 01 Jan 2014

If an investment you're interested in has the characteristics of one of the five warning signs below—it’s okay to say ‘no’. 

Tax Savings and RRSPs

By John Hale on 01 Jan 2014

Many of our clients use Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) as one of the pillars of their wealth building strategy. An RRSP is a type of retirement savings plan that is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency. 

ETF or Mutual Fund, What's the Difference?

By Alain Quennec on 01 Jan 2014

Most investors leave the choice of selection of individual stocks and bonds to a dedicated professional team whose full-time efforts are dedicated to that task.

The One Thing

By Brett Simpson on 01 Oct 2013

In the 1991 movie “City Slickers”, Curly (Jack Palance) asks Mitch (Billy Crystal): “Do you know what the secret to life is?”

Horizons Retirement Report 2013

By Clay Gillespie on 01 Jul 2013

We’ve just completed the 2013 edition of the Horizons Retirement Report. This survey is done with Canadians who are approaching retirement.

Women Provide Investment Lessons

By Teresa Black Hughes on 01 Apr 2013

Women are often personally connected to the object and process of learning. Their sense of identity, self-esteem, social world and power affect how they learn.

Saving for Retirement

By Vera Vlaovich on 01 Jan 2013

RRSPs were introduced in 1957 by the federal government to encourage Canadians to save for retirement.

Sequence of Returns Risk

By Nick Hearne on 17 Sep 2018

Most investors understand that to achieve their long-term target rate of return, they will need to accept some volatility in the short and medium term.

Reaching Our Goals

By Cecilia Tsang on 15 May 2018

Recently I was sick after coming back on from a trip. This was the first time my husband and I traveled together without the children and I was looking forward to spending quality time with them upon my return.

Holiday conversations…

By Mark Neufeld on 19 Dec 2017

As we approach the holiday season, you’ll hopefully find some time to spend with family and/or friends. Many conversations will be had and some may be about that overdone turkey and some may even be about the investment markets.

What is responsible investing

By Linson Chen on 03 Dec 2017

Responsible investing (also known as ethical investing and socially responsible investing) is growing in popularity as more investors are seeking to align their portfolios with their values.

How to Succeed at Retirement

Posted on 17 Nov 2017

Don't simply retire from something; have something to retire to. ~Harry Emerson Fosdick

Alphabet Soup

By Chris Eynon on 15 Aug 2017

When my mom was an advisor at Rogers Group Financial, I always marveled at all the letters after her name on her business card. Unlike many people, however, I knew what they represented in regards to the work involved in attaining the

Sometimes Old Habits Require New Thinking

By Brett Simpson on 19 Jul 2017

Credit can be an extremely useful financial tool or a slippery slope to financial malpractice. Each of us must choose wisely how we manage our credit capacity (or lack thereof!).

Not for Profit – An Abundance of Opportunity

By Teresa Black Hughes on 16 May 2017

Many of us are involved in our communities with not-for-profit and charitable organizations. Passion moves us to serving and giving to organizations that make a difference in other people’s lives. Just as a financial plan makes a diff

The Ultimate Currency

Posted on 20 Apr 2017

What is the ultimate currency? Is it money? Canadian dollars or U.S. dollars? Is it gold or real estate? No, the ultimate currency is not a tangible asset at all. You can’t save time. You can only spend it… Benjamin Hoff, The Tao

Taking the Emotion Out of Investing

Posted on 17 Mar 2017

As financial advisors, a big part of our job is to guide and steer investors in the right direction when it comes to portfolio management. The goal of a typical investor, and this may come as a shock to you, is to generate a consisten

Income Splitting 101

By Bryn Hamilton on 17 Feb 2017

If you or your partner receive qualified pension income, the federal government’s pension income-splitting provisions could mean extra money in your pocket when you file your income tax returns.

Don’t Overlook a Guarantee of 20%, ever

By Christian White on 23 Jan 2017

When a child is a resident of Canada and receives a permanent social insurance number, they instantly qualify for Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) benefits.

Taking Stock and Making Resolutions

By Anne Hammond on 15 Dec 2016

As the year draws to a close… if you’re like me, you may be looking back over the year – considering what worked, what didn’t, and what you might like to do differently or focus on next year.

Less Time Shopping, More Time Planning

Posted on 17 Oct 2016

We haven’t hit Halloween yet, but I have already seen Christmas decorations at Costco.

Is Your Daughter or Son off to University/College this Fall?

By Vera Vlaovich on 18 Jul 2016

September will soon be upon us and with ‘back to school’, your daughter or son may be entering their first year of university/college. Often, this transition is full of angst for both young adults and parents alike particularly if the

Canada Child Benefit – How will it affect my family?

Posted on 14 Jun 2016

There were many changes in this year’s Federal Budget and Canadians families should pay attention specifically to the new Canada Child Benefit (CCB). Starting July 2016, this will replace both the former Universal Child Care Benefit (

Protecting Your Greatest Asset

By Cecilia Tsang on 19 Apr 2016

Most of us want to protect the things that we have worked so hard to acquire. We make sure that we have home insurance to protect our homes and car insurance to protect our cars. Every time we purchase an electronic item, we are aske

Why Pessimism Is So Attractive

By Alain Quennec on 15 Mar 2016

Markets have gone through some ups and downs in the last decade, and this has caused many investors to be worried and pessimistic about the future. Throughout history, people have been apprehensive about times yet to come.

Financial Planning Week in Canada

By Linson Chen on 18 Nov 2015

November 15 – 21st is the 7th annual Financial Planning Week in Canada. This is part of an ongoing effort to promote financial well-being and raise the awareness of engaging in financial planning with a qualified professional.

RRIF withdrawal rates

By Chris Eynon on 15 Jun 2015

Change happens

By Brett Simpson on 16 Feb 2015

For most people “financial independence” is a goal. Achieving it relies on gradually converting our “Human Capital” capacity to work, through savings, into a lifelong cash flow. Having financial security or freedom of choice, means hav

What’s so great about a Tax Free Savings Account?

By Anne Hammond on 13 Jan 2015

When the Canadian government first introduced the Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA), it was most often used as a regular bank savings account where the interest was not taxed. But it can be so much more useful than that:

Financial Planning – more exciting than you’d think

Posted on 18 Nov 2014

November is Financial Literacy Month and the week of November 16th–22nd is hailed as Financial Planning Week. Prominent not-for-profit organizations, Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) and the Institut québécois de planificat

How Much Risk Can You Tolerate? Part 3 of 3

Posted on 09 Oct 2014

Over the past two months we have examined some of the risks that challenge most of us. It is almost impossible to avoid risk entirely. Knowing where the pitfalls lie and planning for them will certainly help.

How Much Risk Can You Tolerate? Part 2 of 3

Posted on 16 Sep 2014

Last month, we discussed how much risk you could tolerate depending on your life situation. This month, we consider other risks to which each of us are exposed:

How Much Risk Can You Tolerate? Part 1 of 3

Posted on 13 Aug 2014

Will Rogers, the American humorist, when talking about the investment schemes in North America at the time, said, “I am less concerned with the return on my money, than I am with the return of my money”. Will was aware of the truth tha

Estate Planning Tips for Real Estate Investors

Posted on 14 Mar 2014

For many Canadians, the majority of their wealth is held in personally-owned real estate. For most, this will be limited to their principal residence; however, investment in recreational and real estate investment property also form a

A New Year’s Resolution You Shouldn’t Break – Saving For Retirement!

Posted on 14 Feb 2014

Many of us set New Year’s resolutions for ourselves and often those resolutions have to do with finances. January is the month we say, “Ok, this year I am going to save more and spend less”. By February, sometimes those resolutions are

Segregated Funds - Investing with a Safety Net

Posted on 16 Jan 2014

Investing today is not for the faint of heart. Fortunately for Canadians, segregated fund products offered by many life insurance companies provide a safety net for nervous investors.