Articles

This borrow-to-invest strategy can build you wealth with someone else’s money

“Borrowing to invest” can be a scary phrase. There have been many inappropriate cases where it doesn’t end well. Yet for all of the naysayers, I am pretty sure that you are currently doing it or have done it before. If you have ever had a mortgage or debt on a home equity line of…

What Happened to the Preferred Shares Market?

The stock market suffered a big market drop in the Fall / early Winter, but has since had a substantial recovery. Bonds posted solid returns this past year. Preferred shares have had a very different experience. They declined last year, had a modest recovery and have sold off again in the past few months, leaving…

The Spousal RRSP – Does it still have a place in Retirement Planning?

One of the more frequent questions I get from clients regarding their retirement planning is, with the pension income splitting legislation, are spousal RRSPs worthwhile anymore? The answer is yes, in several situations. Before I outline the planning situations that are useful for spousal RRSPs, first a little primer on what they are and how…

Financial Post columnist (Rechtshaffen) shows how many Canadians can afford Retirement Homes

A financial expert and Financial Post columnist compares the costs of senior housing options including home care, long-term care and a retirement home. A newspaper columnist recently contacted Amica to research an article on the cost of private retirement living. This wasn’t any reporter: it was Ted Rechtshaffen, a personal finance columnist for the Financial…

Financial Post/Rechtshaffen: How wealth advisors provide a significantly higher value service for core clients than roboadvisors

Advisors know which clients to put on which path to achieve the best big-picture result Several people have asked me lately about the Questrade TV ads that feature someone in their 30s going to what appears to be their parents’ financial advisor to tell them why they are leaving. My first thought was, “Why did…

FINANCIAL FACELIFT: Can this couple retire at 60 and afford to keep the cottage in the family?

Below you will find a real life case study of a couple who are looking for financial advice on how best to arrange their financial affairs. Their names and details have been changed to protect their identity. The Globe and Mail often seeks the advice of our VP, Wealth Advisor, Matthew Ardrey, to review and…