Financial planning

Most people have products. Far fewer have a plan that says what those products are for. That is the part we do.

Illustration of a written plan with a compass, calendar and coins

What is a financial plan, actually?

It is a written document that answers four questions: where your money goes each month, what you are building toward and by when, how much tax that path will cost you, and what happens to the plan if you get sick, lose work or die early. Anything that does not answer those is a product recommendation wearing a plan's clothing.

Ours arrives in writing, with the assumptions stated so you can argue with them. It names the accounts, the amounts, the order and the dates, and it says who does what next: you, us, and your accountant.

What happens in the first meeting?

It is 20 minutes, complimentary, and there is no obligation at the end. We ask how you are paid, what you own, what you owe and what is keeping you up at night. You do the talking, we take notes and ask the follow-up questions.

By the end you will know whether we are a fit and which two or three decisions matter most in your situation. If the answer is that you do not need us yet, we will tell you that too. The full three-step process is here.

How is this different from what my bank offers?

A bank branch can only recommend what the bank sells, and the person you meet this year is often not the person you meet next year. We are independent, so the plan starts with your situation rather than a shelf of products, and you keep the same three people every year.

Banks do some things very well, and we will happily leave a mortgage or a chequing relationship exactly where it is. The difference shows up in the parts a branch is not set up for: coordinating tax with your accountant, corporate structure, insurance you already own, and drawdown across several accounts at once. How we are paid is set out here.

Do I need a certain amount of money to start?

No. We work with people making their first RRSP contribution and with incorporated owners holding seven figures in retained earnings. Early on, the plan is mostly habits, debt order and the right first accounts, and that advice is worth more at the start than it is later.

What we do ask for is honesty about the numbers and a willingness to act on the plan once it exists. If you are early in your career, start here.

How often do we review it?

Twice a year as standard, and any time something real changes: a new job, a baby, a house, a sale, a diagnosis. The scheduled reviews keep the plan current; the unscheduled calls are what stop a good plan going out of date quietly.

Reviews cover the same ground each time, so nothing drifts: contributions made, tax position, investment mix, cover still adequate, beneficiaries still correct. Tax planning runs alongside this through the year, not in April.

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What does a first plan change?

A financial planning case study will be added here when the approved figures and story are ready.

See all case studies

What else do people ask before starting?

Is the first meeting really free?

Yes, and there is no obligation at the end of it. We spend 20 minutes on what you are working with and what is worrying you, and you leave with two or three things worth doing whether or not you hire us.

What should I bring to the first meeting?

Whatever you can find easily: your last notice of assessment, recent account statements, any insurance policies and your mortgage details. If you arrive with nothing, we can still have a useful conversation and collect the paperwork afterwards.

Do you take over my accounts?

Only if you want us to and only where it helps. Plenty of clients keep accounts where they are and use us for the planning and the reviews. We explain what moving would change before anything moves.

How long does it take to get a plan?

Usually two to four weeks between the first meeting and the written plan, depending on how quickly documents come together and how complex your situation is. Incorporated owners generally take longer because we coordinate with the accountant.

Can you work with us as a couple?

We prefer it. Cash flow, tax, insurance and retirement decisions are joint decisions, and plans built with one partner in the room tend to stall. Both of you are welcome at every meeting.

Would you like a plan in writing?

Book a complimentary 20-minute assessment and we will tell you what your plan needs to cover.

Book a complimentary 20-minute assessment Call us directly: 604-618-7365

Financial planning

What is a financial plan, actually?

What happens in the first meeting?

How is this different from what my bank offers?

Do I need a certain amount of money to start?

How often do we review it?

What does a first plan change?

What else do people ask before starting?

What can you read next?

What a real financial plan contains

RRSP or TFSA, which one should come first?

How advisors get paid, explained

Would you like a plan in writing?