I Own a Business

Key Decisions for Business Owners

With over 15 years of experience in helping business owners I know that the decisions you make will have far-reaching implications – not only for your business, but also for yourself and your family.

Are you aware of the tax, retirement, and estate planning strategies available to you?

These strategies can potentially minimize your personal and corporate taxes, increase your retirement income, provide an effective succession plan for your business and enhance your estate.

Our business planning solutions are ideal if you need to:

  • Manage business and personal assets.

  • Invest on behalf of a business or corporation.

  • Protect against the sudden loss of a key employee.

  • Manage the risk of price fluctuations for a commodity that your business produces.

  • Plan for business succession.

  • Gain greater cost certainty for a commodity your business uses to produce value-added goods.

I'm Retired

Maximizing Retirement Income

As you're enjoying retirement, I will help you balance your need for safety and security with your desire for higher income. To achieve this, we follow these strategies:

Strategies for Boosting Your Income Stream

When you're retired, we can help you maximize your retirement income stream in a number of ways. Some of the key strategies I might recommend include:

  • Delaying conversion of your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) until you are legally required

  • Withdrawing the least amount possible from your Registered Retirement Income Fund (RIF) to maximize the tax-deferred growth it provides

  • Enhancing the longevity of your savings with an element of growth


The RSP Maturity Option that’s Right for You

Although you can convert all or part of your RSP at any time, all your RSP assets must be converted by December 31 in the year you turn 71. When it comes time to convert your RSP, I can help you decide which option is right for you. 

  • Registered Retirement Income Fund – Generally the most popular option, a RIF is essentially an extension of your RSP. Your RSP’s assets can be transferred to a RIF on a tax-deferred basis.

  • Annuities – You can receive a guaranteed stream of income for life, or for a fixed term up to age 90, by converting all or part of your RSP into an annuity.

  • Cash – Simply "cashing-in" or "deregistering" your RSP is the most costly maturity option. This is because the entire amount is fully taxable at your marginal rate.


Investments with the Potential for Higher Income

There are several investment alternatives that can maximize your retirement income:

  • Corporate Bonds can provide higher interest payments than compared to a government bond

  • Income Trusts can provide much higher income than bonds, but the distributions are not guaranteed and can vary.

  • Dividend-Paying Stocks can also boost your after-tax income with dividends from Canadian corporations, which are effectively taxed lower than interest income due to the dividend tax credit.


Locked-In RSPs/LIRAs for Your Pension Payout

If you need to receive a lump sum payment from your company's Registered Pension Plan (RPP), we can help you determine whether you can transfer the accumulated benefits to a Locked-In RSP or Locked-In Retirement Account (LIRA).

A Locked-In RSP or LIRA is very similar to a regular RSP except that funds can only be withdrawn by converting to a Life Annuity or Life Income Fund. 

I'm A Professional

Personal Service and Solutions for Clients with Large Portfolios

When you are a professional, a self-employed professional or executive, it's important to surround yourself with people you trust to take care of important responsibilities. To meet these needs we provide:

Investment Strategies Based on Needs and Objectives

As a first step in creating a custom investment solution for you as a Professional, we will work with you to develop an investment strategy that:

  • Evaluates the capital you have available for investing

  • Balances your need for safety and higher returns

  • Ensures sufficient liquidity for unforeseen expenses or new opportunities

Because I am with Canada’s leading full-service brokerage firm, we can structure your portfolio using virtually every type of investment available:

  • A full range of equities

  • Thousands of mutual funds

  • The largest inventory of fixed-income investments in Canada

Throughout the process, I will continuously monitor your portfolio to ensure that your plan stays on track. In addition, you will be kept fully informed of your progress through detailed reporting packages designed to meet your accounting requirements.


Convenient Fee-Based Asset Management Solutions

If your professional investment needs are complex or if you lack the time or knowledge to properly manage your company's investment portfolio, then you need one of our asset management solutions. Ask us for more information about how your assets can be managed for one convenient, asset-based fee—allowing you to easily plan for your total brokerage costs.


Personal Retirement Planning Solutions

In addition to helping you invest on behalf of your business, we also offer personal retirement planning solutions such as Individual Pension Plans (IPPs) and Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) that are ideal for professionals, self-employed professionals and executives.

I'm selling a business

Have you sold or are you thinking of Selling your Business?

Whether you plan on selling your business to a non-family member or a family member, I will work with you and your team of experts to ensure that you have planned your sale in the most tax efficient manner, with the proper legal documentation. 

By working with me, I will help you manage the investments from the proceeds of the sale and help you create a financial plan that can give you an idea of the after-tax proceeds that will be adequate to meet your retirement goals. Consider these strategies: 

  • If your business is unincorporated, consider incorporating and selling the shares to utilize the capital gains exemption.

  • Consider setting up an Individual Pension Plan or a Retirement Compensation Arrangement which may help to defer some of the tax upon the sale of your business.

  • If your sale isn’t imminent and the value of your business is increasing, an “estate freeze” may allow future capital gains to accrue to other family members.

I'm looking to retire

Helping you Plan for Your Retirement

From customizing your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RSP)—to providing alternative solutions for unique circumstances—I can help ensure that you're taking advantage of the most tax-effective ways to build your nest egg.

Strategies for Maximizing Your Retirement Savings

When you’re many years away from retirement, I can help you maximize the growth of your retirement savings a number of ways. Some of the key strategies that I recommend include:

  • Investing early to maximize the impact of tax-deferred compounding over time

  • Contributing to your RSP earlier in the year or on a monthly basis to enhance growth potential

  • Investing in growth-oriented investments while time is on your side


Custom Registered Retirement Savings Plans 

An RSP is one of the best ways you can save for retirement on a tax-deferred basis. Based on your needs, I custom-design either an individual or spousal RSP:

  • Individual RSP - This type of RSP is registered in your name only. The investments held in the plan and the tax benefits derived from it are yours.

  • Spousal RSP – This type of RSP enables you to contribute to an RSP in your spouse’s name. The objective is to even out your and your spouse’s income during retirement, so that your combined tax rate is lower than it would be if one spouse earned all the income.


Solutions for Saving Beyond Your RSP

In addition to (or in place of) your RSP, there are several other ways I can help you save more for your retirement on a tax-effective basis. This is especially important if you're a business owner or professional with a high annual income. For example, I can assist you with:

  • Individual Pension Plans (IPPs) – An IPP is an employer-sponsored registered pension plan that offers potentially higher tax-deductible contributions for a corporation than an RSP. IPPs are ideally suited for self-employed incorporated business owners or professionals aged 40-71 who earn at least $100,000 annually.

  • Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) – Also known as “super-sized pension plans,” RCAs are intended to provide supplemental pension benefits to business owners, professionals and executives.

  • Personal Investment Accounts – A non-registered personal account that focuses on investments that receive more favorable tax treatment can also help meet your retirement goals.


Protecting Retirement Savings

When you're at this stage of the retirement planning process, I will revisit your investment plan to ensure that you are saving enough to achieve your retirement goals and that your investment portfolio has the right balance of risk and reward.

Strategies for Protecting Your Nest Egg

As you’re approaching retirement and protecting what you’ve built, I can help you reduce risk, while ensuring you will have enough to live your desired retirement lifestyle. Some of the key strategies I recommend include:

  • Reducing risk and enhancing return potential with advanced diversification strategies such as diversification by geographic areas and sectors.

  • Balancing your asset mix between growth and safety

  • Considering tax-effective ways to save beyond your RSP

High Net Worth

Family Wealth Management

My experience tells me that having above-average financial assets opens up many opportunities for you and your family. However, it also raises unique concerns – everything from managing a much higher tax burden to building and protecting your family’s wealth. 

I have helped high net worth families and individuals gain the peace of mind that comes from a having solid financial plan in place. Regardless of how you view your financial status, there are some unique financial planning issues and strategies that you should consider when you have substantial investment assets.

Not-For-Profit Organizations

Explore how we can meet your organization's needs:

Investing and Investment Management

The first step we will take in helping you invest in accordance with the short and long-term objectives of your organization is drafting an investment policy statement in order to address issues specific to your organization. Your formal investment policy statement serves many purposes, including:

  • Listing how your organization’s funds should be invested

  • Providing a record of your organization’s philosophy, objectives, constraints and operating principles

  • Supplying a disciplined approach to investment strategy and day-to-day decision-making

  • Helping your organization meet its fiduciary responsibilities


Having created an investment policy statement, the next step in the investment process is to build and monitor your portfolio with a broad range of services:

  • Investment strategy and portfolio structuring

  • Discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management

  • Proprietary and non-proprietary solutions

  • Security research and selection

  • Regular portfolio reviews to ensure compliance with stated investment objectives

  • Formal investment review meetings

  • Quarterly investment commentaries

  • Facilitating donations of securities

  • Assistance with socially responsible investing


No matter the level of service you require, I will make only those investment decisions that are within the clearly defined parameters set out in your organization’s customized investment policy statement.


Custody and Administration

We also provide a comprehensive package of custody and administrative services, including:

  • Safekeeping of all cash and securities

  • Collection of income from stocks, bonds and cash

  • Settlement of all securities transactions

  • Required tax reporting

  • Customized reporting options

  • Disbursement of funds according to your instructions

  • Recordkeeping services and consolidated financial accounting reports

  • Other administrative services


Planned Giving

Working with your organization on a one-on-one basis, we can help your potential donors by providing strategies designed to maximize their charitable gift.

For example, we offer a Charitable Gift Program for those who wish to support charitable causes in a meaningful way, without the time and cost associated with establishing a private foundation or endowment fund.


Executor/Liquidator and Trustee Services

Legal, tax and administrative issues can make the duties of an executor/liquidator very complex and time-consuming.

I can further assist your potential donors by: 

  • Acting as a professional and impartial corporate executor/liquidator.

  • Providing support in all duties—or only those where assistance is required.

  • Helping a donor contribute assets through a charitable remainder trust by serving as corporate trustee and administering the assets of the trust.

  • Offering comprehensive accounting of estate assets and liabilities.

To provide these services, we work in partnership with RBC Trust Services, a trusted name in the estate administration business with over a century of experience.

I inherited money

Personal Service and Solutions for Clients with Inheritances

If you are about to receive or have already received an inheritance, you are most likely seeking a higher level of personal service and assistance in managing your inheritance. With more than 15 years experience, I will be a partner with whom you can trust to understand and meet your unique requirements.

A Discretionary Wealth Management Relationship

If your portfolio's substantial size has made it too complex or time-consuming for you to manage your investments on your own, I offer you the freedom from these tasks through a discretionary wealth management relationship.

Under a discretionary relationship, you set the overall direction of your portfolio, while delegating day-to-day investment decisions to me.

Alternatively, if your preference is to remain more involved in day-to-day decisions regarding your portfolio, I will work with you on an advisory or investment consulting basis. Whatever your preference, you can be assured that I will tailor our services to meet your unique needs. 

Enhanced Communication to Keep You Informed

My experience tells me that when you entrust your significant assets to a professional money manager, you expect to be kept well informed. My clients receive monthly and quarterly account statements, detailed reporting packages, one-on-one portfolio reviews and much more.