“You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know” | Paul Chapman, CIM, MBA, B.SC. (ENG)

You Should Definitely Have A Will: Actually, You Should Maybe Have Two

June 1, 2023 | Paul Chapman

As most of you know by now, as part of my "you don't know what you don't know" series, I try to shed light on wealth management and planning subjects that may be missed by many people, and can save you and your estate significant money while keeping the taxman at bay. In this article, I’ll touch upon something that often goes missed – why you should often have multiple Wills...

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The Wealth Management Industry’s “Proprietary Funds” Problem

May 2, 2023 | Paul Chapman

I have spent my entire career in finance, which spans well over two decades. I have seen the good, bad and the ugly, and everything in between. I spent the bulk of my career on the ‘institutional’ side of the finance world – that is the side of the business where the investment bank deals with the corporate issuers directly, and the trading desk deals with institutional clients like mutual funds, hedge funds and pensions funds, rather than transactions individuals and families like you and me...

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Charitable Strategies Can Help Build Your Wealth Along With The Charities You Support

April 15, 2021 | Paul Chapman

Canadians are known throughout the world for their generosity and benevolence. With recent studies indicating a growing interest in philanthropy, many are wondering about different ways to give back more effectively to their communities. Over 75% of adults make some form of charitable donation over the course of the year. And while giving typically tends to be more reactional and sporadic in nature, most individuals generally don’t incorporate giving into their overall wealth or estate planning....

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Income Splitting Strategies That Can Bring You Found Money

January 8, 2021 | Paul Chapman

As part of my “you don’t know what you don’t know series”, I try to shed some light on relatively straight forward concepts that you may not have otherwise been aware of, and that may save you significant money over time. Of course, these are high level concepts that I try to keep simple, so consult a qualified tax advisor when digging into these concepts and strategies to see if they’re a fit for you and your situation. I can help coordinate on this front, so feel free to reach out and I can help navigate...

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Life Insurance as a Tax Minimization and Wealth Building Strategy

November 25, 2020 | Paul Chapman

As part of this series, I try to shed light on some of the often complex financial planning solutions to make it as simple and consumable as possible. Financial planning, wealth management, life insurance, and investments can be very complex in their applications, but are always simple in terms of the human needs which they address. And it is always the simplicity of the need, rather than the complexities of the applications, to which I vow to communicate with you...

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Real Estate Professionals – You’re Now Allowed to Incorporate!

January 5, 2021 | Paul Chapman

Recent regulation permitting the creation of Personal Real Estate Corporations (PRECs) has come into effect, allowing realtors to incorporate much like doctors, lawyers and accountants have been able to for years. In short, if you make enough income to justify putting one into place, utilizing a corporate structure offers many tax saving and planning advantages that you haven’t had prior...

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If You Only Read One Thing on Investing, This Should be It

November 12, 2020 | Paul Chapman

Prior to and during the nerve-wracking and bumpy market of spring 2020, or the depths of 2008, many of us have been conditioned to “just buy the dip”, while others simply freeze and refuse to look at their investment statement at all. Portfolios often remain relatively static in their construction and allocations, as they are assuming that the environment will continue to mimic that of the last decade or more. The unprecedented run in risk assets combined with low volatility prior to last spring had lulled investors into a false sense of security...

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What Makes a Good Investor? And What Makes a Good Investment Advisor?

November 8, 2020 | Paul Chapman

If you’re reading this, you’re at least somewhat curious as to what really makes a good investor, and by extension a good Investment Advisor. This is something that has come up a lot in my conversations, and I wanted to finally put pen to paper on this subject. In my 20+ years in the industry working first-hand with some of the world’s top investment managers, I’ve had the opportunity to observe a handful of great investors and also a number of, in my opinion, poor ones. The good ones all have some common traits, unsurprisingly....

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Your Meaning of Money

August 14, 2020 | Paul Chapman

Money matters. Most of us recognize (or try to!) that success isn’t defined by money alone. We often hear and confirm that ‘money isn’t everything’, but we have to admit that money is always deeply personal and emotional to almost all of us. Financial philosopher and director of the Integral Finance Center, Richard Wagner, offers a concise definition: “Money is an agreement on how we exchange the best we have to offer. Money is the most powerful and pervasive secular force on the planet.” And, quite often money is an agreement of the most sacred sort...

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