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Financial Services

Why Hire Me When You Already Have Insurance or Investment Advisors That You Love?

Even if you have a great relationship with people already on your team, you may still want to consult me for the following reasons:

  • I don’t sell investments or insurance. I provide ‘add on’ services that can build on the work they are already done for you. True financial planning is more than just investments and insurance, and includes tax planning, estate planning, debt management, reviewing pension options and so much more;
  • I can coordinate with existing advisors, lawyers and accountants to make sure that no stone is left unturned and that everyone is on the same page;
  • I can provide an unbiased second opinion on specific issues or products you are considering or have already purchased or suggest most cost-effective insurance solutions;
  • I have many years’ experience as an advisor to advisors. Many advisors throughout B.C. have trusted me to work with their best clients or advise them regarding their own affairs. Why shouldn’t you do the same?
  • Based on my combined legal and financial planning background, I may be able to provide services or advice that other advisors or lawyers are not qualified to give.
  • By combining legal and financial planning services, I may save you money if this means you have one less person to bring into the mix. I may also be able to effectively and efficiently interact with your existing lawyers and accountants if my background allows me to get up to speed easier or undertake some of the legal services myself.

Financial Planning Services

I am happy to work with you on a comprehensive financial plan or to drill down on specific financial planning issues (or a bit of both). Likewise, I can be someone you consult with on an ongoing basis, every few years or just until a specific problem is solved. You decide how I can best help you and how long our relationship lasts. I may be able to help you with the following financial planning issues:

Small Business Planning, including:

  • Whether to incorporate and suggested ways of setting up your company to minimize taxes and liability;
  • Structuring buy-sell agreements, selecting the appropriate types and amounts of insurance and suggesting the best ways of owning any required insurance;
  • Key person insurance advice;
  • Coordinating with and translating suggestions from your accountant; asking the questions you wish you’d thought of first;
  • Advice on Individual Pension Plans, Health and Welfare Trusts, Shared Benefit or Split Dollar Life Insurance or Critical Illness Insurance;
  • Suggesting income-splitting techniques to minimize your family tax bill;

Retirement Planning, including:

  • Analyzing work, CPP and OAS pension options;
  • Tax Planning;
  • Investment Planning (other than selecting specific investments);
  • Survivor needs analysis;
  • Incapacity planning and funding solutions;

Estate Planning: all the same services noted earlier under legal services as well as reviewing existing Wills, except drafting legal documents

Life and Health Insurance Planning, including:

  • Reviewing the type and amount of life insurance and suggesting ways to save money when appropriate by reducing the amount or changing the type of coverage;
  • Identifying unmet life insurance needs and suggesting cost effective ways of getting coverage;
  • Explaining and drafting life insurance trusts (in my capacity as a lawyer) to potentially offer tax savings to your heirs and better ensure the insurance proceeds do what you want them to accomplish;
  • Reviewing existing disability, Critical Illness and Long Term Care Policies or explaining how these products work;
  • Explaining Health and Welfare Trusts for small business owners;
  • Referring you to qualified life and health insurance professionals if you do not have ones of your own.

Investment Review Services, Including:

  • Explaining investment fees and alternative solutions when appropriate;
  • Coordinating with your investment advisor either with you or on my own;
  • Reviewing your investments from a ta efficiency perspective;
  • Suggesting alternative investment strategies;
  • Suggesting a range of investment professionals you can work with if you are looking for a change;