Planning and Advice

Read it and don’t weep

(August 2006) I’ve been to at least a half dozen industry conferences recently and there’s a good deal of chatter in the hallways about the second round of practice examinations being conducted by the Mutual Fund Dealers Association. And a lot of people are saying they don’t know what to expect from examiners, or what […]

By Philip Porado |August 22, 2006

4 min read

Planning and Advice

The 15 minute practice assessment

(August 2006) How is your practice doing? No, I don’t mean how much revenue you brought in last quarter. I mean, is your practice satisfying you? Are you happy with the number and quality of clients you serve? Are you professionally challenged? Are you excited and energized by your work? Do you get a "charge" […]

By Jeff Thorsteinson |August 21, 2006

6 min read

Planning and Advice

Putting the

For more great content from Fidelity, please visit our Advisor Center exclusively on Advisor.ca Many investors leave investment planning to chance, making it up as they go along. This one-pager gives them important tips on saving and helps them understand the key role of a financial advisor. Click here to learn how to be a […]

By Staff |August 15, 2006

1 min read

Planning and Advice

Reliable cash flow plus tax advantages

For more great content from Fidelity, please visit our Advisor Center exclusively on Advisor.ca Your clients need cash flow in retirement, but income tax will reduce it. How can you maximize cash flow for your clients while minimizing their current tax bill? Fidelity T-SWP provides healthy cash flow from investments while deferring income tax as […]

By Staff |August 15, 2006

1 min read

Health care insurance policies review: A checklist

(August 2006) Need some help evaluating your clients’ health care insurance? Use this checklist from the Financial Planning Practitioner’s Guide — created by the Canadian Institute of Financial Planners — to review the adequacy of existing extended health, critical illness and long-term care insurance policies, or to identify factors that should be considered when choosing […]

3 min read

Platform predicament

(July 2006) For the better part of 20 years, Don Proteau, a Vancouver-based advisor, has been successfully building a select high-networth client base. But recently he’s failed to attract a few top prospects due to his inability to take custody of their stock and bond assets. He’s not IDA-registered, and that’s become a problem because […]

6 min read

Six reasons a prospect will choose you

(July 2006) What exactly is it that makes a prospect want to work with you? When I ask advisors this simple question, they provide me with a wide variety of answers. Many people talk about their specialized investment knowledge. Quite a few mention their years of experience. Some focus on the strength of their team […]

5 min read

Timely template letter: Turbulent times and client statements

(July 2006) The recent turbulence in the markets will no doubt have clients concerned about their portfolios. With statement time quickly approaching this is an excellent opportunity to remind clients that short-term volatility is no reason to abandon their long-term goals. Use this template letter to touch base and help give them some perspective. Dear […]

By Staff |July 14, 2006

2 min read

Protect yourself and your business: Sound business practices for keeping accurate records

Keeping accurate records about your clients is of the utmost importance in an advisor’s practice. Client complaints are on the rise, so having proper records and documentation is the best defence if there are ever any questions about your actions. Maintaining detailed notes about your client can be of great value. If you have taken […]

4 min read

Advisor websites: Eight rules for success

(July 2006) Recently, I wrote about some of the "rules" behind making an effective e-mail newsletter. Several readers have since contacted me about whether some of these rules apply to other interactive media — in particular, websites. The simple answer: yes and no. Yes, many of the same principles of en e-mail newsletter — particularly […]

5 min read