Our Views

Maureen Farrow doesn’t need to be reminded of women’s struggle for professional equality. The globally-renowned independent economist and president of Economap Inc., has been challenging (and overcoming) gender bias and stereotypes since the start of her 50-year career. Farrow—who for many ... Keep Reading "An interview with Maureen Farrow, economist and trailblazer for women – Part One" >

You have a substantial asset base, varied sources of income and multiple financial structures – which means you also have greater complexity in your life. It probably didn’t happen overnight. The complexity may have crept up on you as your income and wealth have grown. This is a nice problem to ... Keep Reading "5 signs you may be too busy to manage significant wealth" >

On Valentine’s Day, talking about household finances may seem like a pretty poor accompaniment to roses and an intimate dinner. But it could be exactly the kind of (admittedly non-romantic) gift that strengthens the bond between you and your partner longer-term. Working to build mutual ... Keep Reading "This Valentine’s Day, choose the gift of financial engagement" >

If you’re a business owner or incorporated professional in Ontario and haven’t looked at the Individual Pension Plan (IPP) as a tool to achieve your retirement goals of late, now may be the time to take another look. Recent changes to Ontario’s Pension Benefits Act (PBA) have reduced ... Keep Reading "IPP changes offer new retirement saving opportunities" >

If there was a time for high-net worth Canadians to reflect, take stock of their wealth and tick key items off their year-end financial checklist, this would be it. Adapting your financial strategy—taking into account the developments of the past year—is as important as ever, despite the social ... Keep Reading "A year-end financial checklist" >

This weekend, as families gather for a socially-distanced (even virtual?) Thanksgiving dinner, the things we once took for granted, we now take with gratitude. Some of our client families use this traditional weekend celebration to discuss their charitable giving plans – putting gratitude into ... Keep Reading "A philanthropy primer: high-impact, tax-smart giving" >

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted a great deal of reflection among Canadian pre- and post-retirees on many things, including estate planning. With a little more time on your hands, now may be the ideal time to ‘stress test’ your estate plan to make sure its many components reflect your ... Keep Reading "Why it’s time to ‘stress test’ your estate plan" >

For high net-worth retirees, the risk of depleting their capital in their living years is sometimes a source of anxiety, no matter how wealthy they may be. This anxiety is heightened during periods of volatility when portfolios are down and their withdrawals take a proportionately bigger piece ... Keep Reading "How to manage “sequence of return” risk in retirement" >

One of the most common questions we are asked by people who are either approaching or in the early stage of retirement is, “how should I structure my withdrawals to be most tax efficient?” That question is even more pressing at a time when the COVID-19 crisis has prompted many high net-worth ... Keep Reading "Tax-effective strategies to withdraw funds for your retirement" >

One potentially challenging aspect for high-net-worth individuals entering retirement is moving from the security of earning employment or business income to relying on investment income to fund their lifestyle. At first, it can feel a little like a high-wire act without a safety net. ... Keep Reading "From paycheque to portfolio: planning your retirement income" >