Planning and Advice

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

Budget 2009: Message to families: Get off your wallet

Given the precarious position of his government, it comes as no surprise that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty focused his tax cuts on the broadest swath of the electorate: middle- and lower-income earners. But much less attention was paid to another key constituency that is traditionally a favourite of the Conservative Party: the family. What little […]

By Steven Lamb |January 27, 2009

3 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

Restoring trust and confidence

I am starting to feel reluctant about using the words “trust” and “confidence” because our industry bandies these words around often and carelessly. We realize that these two words represent the essence of our business, yet we seldom step back and examine their true meaning. I’d like to take this opportunity to revisit the fundamentals […]

By Shawn O'Brien |January 22, 2009

6 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

Innovative branding paths

While many dealers and advisors have chosen to go back to their roots, with town-hall meetings, seminars and more face-to-face meetings, to establish their expertise status, there are a few individuals and companies choosing to forge the unknown road. Over two years ago, Hosein Ansary chose to launch a magazine aimed at the Iranian community. […]

By Romana King |January 22, 2009

5 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

To Clients: Buy low (An RRSP marketing letter)

In the aftermath of 2008 market returns, your clients might be a bit shell-shocked, and not at all aware that an excellent buying opportunity exists right now — just in time to open a TFSA or make their year-end RRSP contributions. Depressed equity prices allow clients to buy more shares with each dollar. You know […]

By Staff |January 14, 2009

2 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

To Clients: Tax changes and free money

It’s that time of year again. Even if you’ve talked about tax savings strategies with your clients throughout the year, send them this letter to review the rules and opportunities they can take advantage of when they file their return this spring. Dear [Client’s name], You’ve probably heard all about tax-free savings accounts by now. […]

By Staff |January 14, 2009

3 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

How to coach clients

It’s amazing what you can learn from sitting down and talking to people; and we consider ourselves fortunate to be able to speak at length with top advisors across Canada. In these Final Words, we share some of their insights into client service, and how advisor/client relationships have evolved over the years. Planning “A decade […]

By Staff |January 12, 2009

3 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

Marketing: Hit them with real information

The purpose of marketing to clients and prospects is to get their immediate attention. So many financial advisors, though, keep telling me how difficult it is to market these days. Why is that? I suggest that most are benchmarking their current results against the result of marketing efforts they made back in the early- to […]

By Shawn O'Brien |January 9, 2009

5 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

A strong start for 2009

Now is the time to create a strong start for the year by creating a strong vision for 2009. This gives your business plan a foundation, allowing you to set goals you can use to reward yourself during your journey into the new year. Without a vision and business plan, stress and exhaustion seep in, […]

By Simon Reilly |January 2, 2009

4 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

The Royals: Putting together the final plan

In this, the last of a three-part series based on the IAFP Symposium Case Study, AER concludes what must be addressed with the Royal Family, in relation to a comprehensive financial plan. In this, PART 3, we mention all remaining considerations of their plan and include options, ideas and solutions submitted by readers for the […]

By Romana King |January 1, 2009

8 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

We’re like Egyptians

While reading Thomas Homer- Dixon’s fascinating and terrifying book The Upside of Down recently, I came across an assessment of his that struck me as an insightful comment on human nature. He was commenting on the concept of denial. According to Homer-Dixon, people who succumb to denial go through three psychological phases. The first he […]

By John De Goey |January 1, 2009

3 min read

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