People’s Perception of Themselves is Hard to Break

The most common scenario I run into with retired clients is that they have more money than they will ever need. They have earned, saved and lived within their means for so long, they don’t know any different.

But here is the problem...

There is a whole generation of Canadians out there that have no interest in owning - well, anything.

They are happy to rent their apartments.

They take Uber instead of buying their first car.

They AirBnb condos all over the world instead of striving to buy their own cabin.

Heck, they don’t...

An overwhelming portion of Canadians do not need whole life insurance. It’s expensive, complicated, and more difficult to apply for than its more approachable peer, term life insurance.

But for those who need it, boy is it a wonderful wealth building tool!

First, Term Insurance

Term...

When you buy an investment and the value of that investment goes up over time, you are going to pay tax on it. There's no way around it. I don’t care if it is a stock, a piece of artwork, shares in your own business, or a 10-unit commercial building, the tax man will cometh, eventually.

...

Someone reading this needs to give themselves permission to ‘take Fridays off.’ Is it you? 

Maybe it’s not a short work week, but an extra long vacation, or a start time of 10am and not feeling guilty about it. Can you give yourself permission to take the dog for a walk at...

Above is a graph of a typical retiree’s spending over time. It’s not scientific; it’s not derived from a famous study, but it is a trend that I have found to hold true with almost all retired clients.

Let me explain.

The upward slant

Life costs more every year. The...

It’s becoming nearly impossible for investment managers to beat the public markets. We call this ‘alpha;’ the difference between what your investment manager is getting you from a return and what the general market is getting.

So why even bother with an advisor? Why not just...

This should not be a controversial take, but it is: 

You should not care what ‘the markets’ are doing.  

Focus on you and your plan.

The market is not a logical place

Stock markets are notoriously irrational places; they can go up or down based on a tweet, a war...

…or so I’ve been told.

People doing what I am doing charge up to $2,500 for what I give away for free.

Is it worth $2,500? Yes, 100% it is. A proper financial plan will save some hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars over the years. 

I will drive to people’s...

If your family is anything like mine, you’re spending money at breakneck speeds. It is truly impressive how quickly a monthly pay cheque can be eaten up by gymnastics dues, swim lessons, and the occasional wing night.

I’ve never felt so rich and so poor simultaneously.

The benefit I...

Hey there, freelancers and gig economy warriors! 

A topic that hits close to home for many of us these days: managing our finances in the wild world of freelancing and inconsistent income. Below we dive into some strategies for those whose income is as consistent as the Southern Alberta...

We don’t need to be buddies for me to be the perfect Financial Planner for you. 

As Planners attempt to separate themselves from the herd and create a unique approach, a lot are taking it upon themselves to interject their life into yours fully. You know the, ‘I want to have REAL...