Becoming a Client

 

Step 1: Discovery Session

We will arrange to meet for an initial discovery session either at our offices or at a location more convenient for you. The goal of the first meeting are to get to know one another - are we a good fit for you and are you a good fit for us - and for us to gain an understanding of what is important to you both from a near-term and long-term perspective. During the first meeting, we will gather information as to your current financial situation, including cash flow and expenses, investment portfolios, real estate and liabilities (including mortgages). We will use the information we have gathered to create both an investment plan for you and to help inform a long-term financial analysis known as MyGPS.

Step 2: Building and Reviewing Your Investment Plan and MyGPS

We will arrange to meet for a follow up at our offices, where we will go through an interactive look at your financial future. MyGPS is a proprietary software program developed by RBC Dominion Securities that allows us to look at how different life and investment choices can impact your near-term and long-term financial picture. We will also prepare an investment plan for the meeting based off of information gathered in the first meeting, as well as the MyGPS report. We will review the plan and discuss how we would approach managing your money. At the end of the meeting, our team will present a MyGPS report that is yours to keep regardless of whether or not we decide to work together.

Step 3: Becoming a Client of Little & Associates Wealth Management

Should we decide to work together, we will prepare all the necessary paperwork and take care of everything needed to transfer or open your registered and non-registered accounts. Your assets may be transferred in cash or in-kind. Any fees related to transfer will be covered on our end.

Step 4: Building Your Investment Portfolio

Once your accounts are opened and funded, or assets have been transferred, Chris & his team will gradually invest your funds in our proprietary equity and fixed income models. We do not believe in market timing; however, we do believe that taking a gradual approach to investing your funds is prudent in most investment environments. Most clients will be fully invested within three to six-months.

Step 5: Initiating Your Wealth Management Plan

Investment management is only one aspect of the wealth management process. Other aspects, such as having a properly structured will and powers of attorney, making sure that your corporation (if applicable) is properly structured, making sure you are adequately insured, and making sure that all of your banking needs have been met can be as important. We will execute a plan to ensure that your entire wealth plan is put into place. In many cases, this will include meeting with experts at RBC Dominion Securities to review the various aspects of how your wealth is structured and to put in place a plan that optimizes your financial future.

Step 6: Ongoing Review and Exclusive Events

Our client review schedule is tailored to each client and their individual wealth management plan. We will discuss how frequently you would like to meet, but in general we host two formal sit down reviews or over the phone/video to make sure that all of your needs are met and to capture any changes in your life that may impact how we approach your financial road map. In addition to the formal reviews, we touch base on a relatively frequent basis for events like TFSA top up, RESP/RRSP contribution, RRIF payments etc.  Little & Associates Wealth Management also plans for client events each year. These events are typically held outside at a local winery, theater or golf club and is a gesture of thanks to our clients and partners.

If you are interested in exploring this further, please do not hesitate to contact us.