investment planning

The Sun is Shining!

As we're now into May, I'd like to thank everyone for getting their Tax Declarations into us over the last few months. It has been a very busy start to the year for us with RRSP Season, Income Tax and rounding up these declarations. Thank you for either booking meetings or mailing those back to us in a timely fashion!

There is Risk and There is Risk

The penny finally dropped a couple of months ago during a client conversation about the risk of investing in the equity markets. The client was reluctant to commit money to the investment markets and gave me several reasons - "the markets were too high and ready to crash", "there were safer alternatives", "I never fully recovered my money from the 2008 Credit Crisis" - to justify his point of view.

America Decides

On November 8, 2016, Americans will elect the 45th President of the United States. Many Canadians have been vehement and passionate observers of every twist and turn of the campaign. Yet, once you strip away the nasty name calling and accusations of one kind or another by both candidates, you are left with their policy pronouncements.

The one area that impacts Canada and the rest of the world directly is that of economic policy, which has very little that separates the two candidates except for some subtle and nuanced differences.

The Predicament of Sudden Wealth

Imagine one of the following scenarios. Suppose you have suddenly come into a significant sum of money. For the interest of this example, we will imagine that it is one million dollars. This might have come to you by way of a lottery win, an estate inherited after the death of a family member, or some other event that may have been either expected or unexpected. You now find yourself in an entirely unique financial situation from anything you have experienced before, whereas previously you were living paycheck to paycheck, you could now actually consider early retirement.

What a Ride!

It’s Stampede time here in Calgary but the ride I’m referring to has more to do with the United Kingdom voting to leave the European Union than any amusement park! The last day of June saw an incredible panic as the big British Vote which many expected would favour a “stay” went the other direction.

The Fort McMurray Fires

Our last newsletter had to be finalized before May 2nd which meant that we weren’t able to comment on the devastating fires that have ravaged our northern communities. Our hearts sank watching the damage take place and the mass exodus that followed. It was a feeling much like what we experienced during the Alberta Floods of 2013. While we don’t have clients who live right in Fort McMurray, we do have many who work up in that area and who were certainly affected by the fire.

World Reserve Currency Regime

Canadians, like many nationalities, have a home bias when it comes to investing. The majority, if not all of their investments, such as RRSPs, real estate, mutual funds and businesses, are in Canada and are tied to its future economic growth.

These Canadian investments could see reduced returns in the future, however, due to a growing shift in the balance of economic power towards China and the East and away from the U.S. and Western countries.

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