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A Financial Planner is a trusted role. Empathy, understanding, free of judgement or blame. The advisor must embrace the client and fearlessly know the client to the point that the client can feel safe enough that they will permit their best interests to be served, beyond and often contrary to their pride and ego.

Friendly Advisor? So what? Used car salesmen, realtors and lawyers are friendly too. Are you getting value for the fees you're paying? How do you know? it's a question of relative not ABSOLUTE VALUE. Financial planners are paid to plan? Even up to 5 years ago planners were compensated by the sale of investments , and they performed planning services for free. That's completely opposite today. Because of computer literacy, and the internet... all ages and stages of society have direct access high quality investment strategies, with or without a plan. Are you getting planning value? Is your financial plan still relevant? How would you know? Fees... Touchy subject? Not if you're keen on the comparative value versus alternatives. The TRUTH is. Relationship quality is a binary qualifier, and not an indicator of value . Friends - should be and are - FREE. Not all Advisors are the same. They vary in: Qualifications and Professional Development Experience Platform Specialization COMPETENCE WORK ETHIC ASSOCIATED LICENSING. Advisors may also have different capacities based on their Dealer or Brokerage. Access to: Experts Suitable Products Pricing Related Services Independent advisors are unbound and able to seek planning tools, experts, and premium products services and strategies and more. This January... when you open your Investment statements... Find out what your Fees are and get mad enough to seek better value elsewhere. or... Not. Its a question of Relative Value... Paul

Planning Is Important... At this time of year, finishing up with a good grip of your basic numbers for planning next year is CRITICAL. As a Professional Corporation, planning your tax obligations and Pandemic support qualification. are just a few areas where Knowing your basic numbers are critical... Take the time get close and personal with your business. We're here if you need to ask questions or just talk an idea through. Salary and Dividends Mix... TOSI - Tax On Split Income - demands reasonable wages be paid to family staff members. There's a Schedule at this link. PWC Year End Tax Tips . Be sure and consult your qualified professional before any tax strategies are implemented. Passive Investments in your Corporation.. PIT - Passive Income Tax, within your Corporation is a serious issue. Staying under this year's threshold is critical. While its late, its never too late... and you're better off knowing where you stand than not. Check out the PWC Year End Tax Tips to be clear. Pandemic Response... CEWS - Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy CEBA - Canada Emergency Business Account (interest free loans) CERS - Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and more. See the Federal Government's Guide Here . Again seek guidance from your professional advisor to be certain what you should be aware of Depreciation and Operating Expenses... Amortization, CCA, or Depreciation is a deductible expense. You should have an understanding of what your deductions are on Capital Assets annually. This informs you of budgeting for other programs like Employee Benefits and Elastic Expenses. And while you're at it. Call your Business Insurance Broker. Tell them you love them and ask for a Claims Experience Letter - Just for file purposes. It serves to remind your broker that you are always evaluating their value... (Keeps them on their toes) and it keeps you informed of how all insurers see you, just in case there's a mistake on the file you'll know it. Happy Year End. Paul

Excellent, straightforward survey on Exit preparation and Planning. 90 Seconds of interactive basic questions. You'll be glad you took it. Definitely an eyeopener. its about time to talk about your exit and your exit plan Link to survey here: https://bit.ly/2HNwH36 Paul

Corporately owned Life insurance has so many benefits, including more efficient premiums, shareholder protection, Collateral value, Vested Gains, non taxable dividends, and more. Today Tax On Split Income (TOSI), Passive Investment Income Tax (PIIT), Small Business Deduction Grind - (SBD Grind) and Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption Loss (LCGE Loss) are real factors to consider when managing investments inside a Corporation. Sterling Rempel and Achen Henderson discuss these matters in an informative and humorous way in this YouTube clip. Its what I've been doing with my best corporate client for years. Thanks Sterling and Achen for the excellent production. (Click on the picture for the video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R0lWheZBDE Paul

Anyone in the people business knows the value of a warm introduction, the gold standard of client confidence a.k.a. "Client Referral". After nearly 15 years in practice I've learned from the best in terms of positioning and managing this precious resource of business development, in terms of expectations and social interactions. They preach Professionalism!, but most clients say they experience authentic, sincere, enthusiastic, humorous, and heartfelt concern when they work with me. They get professionalism at the bank, and its not impressive. Sending a package ahead of a first meeting to prepare the recipient for the pleasant experience including what I offer was a great way of warming and calming potentially awkward meetings. The results improved, but I found that the some curiosity was necessary for prospects to overcome social awkwardness . I innovated by sending parts of a puzzle or other incomplete gifts where, during the introduction, I would offer the complimentary components. Again Improved results. Existing clients still had mild resistance to offer introductions because of the FEAR associated with being the middle-man. Risk of being associated with a socially awkward interaction, or risk of not fulfilling expectations or risk of professional or non professional conduct. Whatever, that risk was real for clients. After considering this, I offered my clients anonymity - so that they would not be identified in my introduction process, should it lead to disappointment. WOW... what a response.. It has been raining introductions since. So today an existing contact... or client... offers me a name with contact details, explains how they know this contact, why they think that the contact would want to know me, and vice versa. Based on that I accept decline or defer that offer. On acceptance, I connect with the contact and then send out a welcome package including: Postcard with contact information, the Rules/assurances, and Instructions. A packet with a single sock and a pair of googly eyes An introduction, to be accepted, declined, or deferred. While the vast majority of contacts respond positively and meet within 30 days, responses do vary from no response, to rude misunderstandings. I have found the response reveals so much about the character of the contact. It's a very good indication of how the relationship will go. I've also found that in many cases the client chooses this anonymous method for a reason, as they are aware of the abrasive prickly character of their colleagues. If you are lucky enough to receive notice of "Getting Socked", know that you are loved by your colleagues and you have an opportunity to change your financial planning experience for the better. Trust the process, or maybe just be open to an introduction. You don't know what you don't know. Paul

Advisors are challenged allocating time and resources through their client base. Serving of the hundreds of clients they have is impossible. The largest 10%-15% of clients get 85%-90% of captive advisors attention Fees are paid proportionally (about 2.5% combined dealer & fund). The larger clients (at the same rate) pay significantly higher dollar amounts, than the average clients. The vast majority of captive advisors clients (80%-85%) receive "B-List" service* Financial Services Companies use this model to meet revenue targets through fees Fee revenue to covers infrastructure, pension obligations, and middle management. If you're not in the top 10-15% of your advisors wealthiest clients... You're getting "B list" Service and you deserve better! As an Independent advisor there is little or no infrastructure, pension, or middle management to cover. Your fees are fully transparent. They're typically lower* and they're based on the work you need at the time you need it. You are never a "B Lister", you're a "VIP-Lister"! Stop chasing your advisor for second class service with unnecessarily high hidden fees. With hundreds of thousands of affluent clients available, (hard to say it but) - to captive advisor you're just not that significant . With an Independent advisors your business is actually the basis of their business and your ongoing feeling of value is the only priority. There's a big difference in how you're treated and your results, because there's no middle man or competing hidden corporate agenda. Also Independent advisors like me, often offer a much more compete comprehensive suite of services to support businesses and their owners. At About Time Risk & Retirement Consulting - we are a resource for SME business and their owners - like you - to maximize the returns of their risk and effort, through advice planning and strategy... *The 80/20 or variations of that rule is what is used in most captive advisors business planning, as a corporate mandate. * Your fees are always a factor of the value you intend to receive and the effort the advisor intends to put forward. fees are transparent, negotiable and structured in a way that suits you best. Always