News and resources for Canada's top financial advisors
Industry
A friend of mine has been busy for the past few years, converting his practice to a fee-based model. He charges his clients an annual fee, billed monthly and based on a percentage of the assets he manages for them. He receives no compensation from any products he uses in his model portfolios. ETFs, F-Class […]
By Harper Fraze |August 17, 2010
6 min read
When your clients envision old age, they may think about cruise vacations, leisurely visits to a market, and generally leading a healthy life. There is something fundamentally wrong with this picture. It doesn’t make allowances for the unpredictability of life. The truth is, they could well be restricted to a wheelchair staring out the window, […]
By Staff |August 17, 2010
4 min read
Industrial Alliance has extended its acquisition streak, buying up almost all of the outstanding common shares of The Excellence Life Insurance Company. The acquisition was through its wholly-owned subsidiary, La Corporation Financière L’Excellence Ltée. (CFE). So far, minority shareholders of Excellence have tendered 91.83% of their shares at a price of $5.00 per share. The […]
By Steven Lamb |August 16, 2010
1 min read
Canadian homes sales activity last month was down 30% from a year earlier — a decline driven largely by a widely expected slowdown following the introduction of a new tax regime in the once-hot markets of B.C. and Ontario. The Canadian Real Estate Association says July’s data from the Multiple Listing Service, which handles the […]
By Staff |August 16, 2010
3 min read
A collective groan emanated across Canada when advisors outside of B.C. and Ontario found out that their clients would have to pay HST on their investment funds. However, when three fund companies — Dynamic, Brandes Investment Partners and EdgePoint Wealth — announced they would introduce non-HST series funds in July, those groans didn’t necessarily turn […]
By Bryan Borzykowski |August 16, 2010
For many a Canadian parent, it’s the case of the mind is willing, but the cash is weak. When it comes to funding kids’ education, there seems to be a gaping divide between what parents want to do and what they can afford, according to the TD Canada Trust Education and Finances Survey. The study […]
By Vikram Barhat |August 16, 2010
How careful are you, as an advisor, in ensuring the business expenses you claim each year at tax time are appropriate, reasonable and properly documented? A recent tax case decided in April (Platis v The Queen, 2010 TCC 150) involved Toronto advisor Peter Platis, a commissioned commodities and foreign exchange broker employed by Refco Futures […]
August 16, 2010
The basic challenge for equity investors hasn’t changed much over the last century: how do you assemble a portfolio of stocks that are likely to grow over time, at prices that allow for attractive returns relative to the level of risk? The answer lies in investing in high-quality companies for the long term, using fundamental […]
By Jeffrey Russell and Robert Swab |August 16, 2010
The Mutual Fund Dealers Association has released reasons for decisions in four cases, involving allegations of churning DSC funds, selling outside of the dealer, conducting outside business activities, and borrowing from clients. Below are some cautionary tales of things you should avoid doing. MFDA Hearing Panel issues Reasons for Decision (Misconduct) in the Matter of […]
By Steven Lamb |August 13, 2010
2 min read
Advisors find finance flicks amusing and frustrating. Frustrating because they perpetuate a cowboy image of the industry focused on greed with no concept of duty of care or responsibility to the client. Movies like these, they say, hurt the industry as they create an image that either detracts people from trusting advisors or makes them […]
By Vikram Barhat |August 13, 2010
We use cookies to make your website experience better. By accepting this notice and continuing to browse our website you confirm you accept our Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.