This week I was replacing the carpet in the bedrooms at my cottage. I know Rob would say “why don’t you just write the cheque and have somebody do this for you?”. Sometimes when you do this stuff, you can pick up more knowledge than you’d expect. When I ripped up the old carpet, I …
Have you ever thought about why so many people are obsessed with money. You would think life is a race and whomever dies with the most in their bank account wins. To be honest I felt that way when I was graduating from university. Let’s get out there and make some money! Funny how all …
Sometimes, being too smart can work to your detriment. For instance: If I knew how quickly the COVID-19 pandemic could shut down the economy and how many jobs would be lost, I would have cut my losses and taken all my money out of the market after the initial drop in late March. If I …
Yesterday I walked into the bathroom in my house and turned on the light. The light bulb blew as I turned it on. Now, we have all had this happen many times before. I did not have any extra of these bulbs in my house. I know this is a different time than it was …
It’s funny to watch the love/hate relationship between the U.S. and Canada. It is easy to understand during hockey tournaments. Love Canada! Hate the U.S.! But, when you focus on capital markets and politics, it becomes a little less black and white. Many in the U.S. oppose how the leadership manages the country. That being …
As a business owner, I notice everything. I have to. In order for me to stay competitive, I need to be aware of what other businesses are doing around me and adjust accordingly. I can thank my years of riding a motorcycle for this tendency. You have to be ultra-aware when riding a motorcycle. Instead of looking at a car, you must look through the windshield of the car and see the driver’s eyes – you need to know that they see you too.
As advisors, we typically counsel families to take a patient, long-term approach to investing in the marketing, but the markets often spin on today’s breaking news and hottest holdings. This means we must take the time to learn about the latest financial fads alongside our clients. Cryptocurrency is a prime example.
We get so many questions about what is going on in the current markets — what are we doing, what do we think, and how are we protected? The reality is with investments and all things in life, there are things you can control and things you cannot. The choice is yours as to which side you put your effort into.
Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Well, today’s biggest estate planning issue is what we call the Beneficiary Lottery. This is the solution that many people default to by trying to avoid conflict or not dealing with estate issues. In a nutshell, when wills are made they are done per individual, not jointly. At any time, either party can change their will without informing the other. In addition to this, when one party has passed the surviving person can make any changes to their will, as they see fit.
Like most people, when you think of your life, you probably visualize a series of major milestones, acquisitions and events. Buying your first home. Yearly family vacations. Sending your children to university. Finally focusing on your favourite hobby once you retire.
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