Six advantages of a Financial advisor

Six advantages of a Financial advisor

Posted on by Matthew Laker

How can having a financial advisor help? When I speak with people I often share with them I am really a financial coach. I get to come alongside and help people reach their goals. A financial advisor should be the same. Here are six ways a financial advisor/coach can help.

1.Setting and achieving planning targets

Have a coach can help you gain focus and stay on track. A good financial advisor is a coach that helps you clarify your goals and create a plan to reach your targets.

Those who have a financial advisor tend to have higher investable assets as compared to non-advised households. As well increased Accumulation of financial wealth regardless of income level or age of household

2. Choosing the right vehicles and plans:

Often some of the challenges in building our financial house is finding the correct vehicle to help us reach our goals. A good financial advisor/coach will show you the options. Make sure you ask lots of questions on why this option or that one.

3. Advised households save more, regardless of income and age than their non-advised peers.

There is something about a coach that keeps us on track. We all make many of our choices based on emotion and may want to go do something not in the plan. The coach can remind us of our why our goals and why this plan. Any good plan has to be massaged over time, but those with advisors tend to make those changes.

4..Setting the right investment mix:

Having diversification is important for proper success in investment. Many will want to jump on the new thing or chase daily numbers. As a financial coach/advisor for my clients, I want to make sure my clients have a good mix so if one part is losing money the rest are making money and they are still ahead.

5.Financial Literacy

Education is an important part of financial advise/coaching. Having access to an advisor who is keeping up with training and education means they get to pass that knowledge on to you.

6. Advantages of a Regulated Market

Here in Canada each financial advisor, those selling life insurance and investments funds are regulated by a few oversight organization that work to make sure clients are put first and ethical.

Source: http://www.ci.com/web/pdf/ific_value_of_advice_e.pdf

Should I invest in an RRSP or TFSA

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Q.Should I invest in an RRSP or TFSA?

First, let’s review RRSP and TFSA

What is the primary use of an RRSP and TFSA? 

Retirement. Many see the TFSA and think it is about savings. That is not the whole truth. An RRSP and TFSA are two great tools to plan for your retirement.  

The Key to remember is with an RRSP you are differing to pay income tax to the future. The advantage there is when you go to withdraw it, you will be in a lower tax bracket.   So you will pay less tax.

Money put into a TFSA has already been taxed. Any increase in your TFSA investment, you are not taxed on that.  You also can withdraw tax-free.

If you are starting out and already in a lower tax bracket, start with a TFSA. The reason is this allows you to save contribution room for your RRSP when you are making a higher income.  

When you put money into an RRSP, this brings down the amount of gross income you are taxed on for that year.   

Withdrawals of RRSP and TFSA

An RRSP is taxable when you withdraw it, and a TFSA withdraw is not taxed. 

If you withdrew from an RRSP before retirement, you will lose that contribution space and have to pay taxes on it what it is taken out.

If you withdraw from a TFSA, you will not pay taxes. However, you can put the contribution limit back in the following year.  

What type of investment can you use for RRSP and TFSA?

Some institutions advertise the TFSA as a saving account, but it is more than that. First, remember the purpose is retirement. Second, you can disperse the assets in the same places as a RRSP.

Both can invest in cash, GIC, savings bonds, mutual funds, ETF, equities, etc) 

Should I invest in an RRSP or TFSA? Which one?

Remember investing should be part of a holistic financial plan.

This image though not complete can give you a start in figure out which direction.

How I can Help?

  1. We start with a complimentary financial analysis that gives us a big picture of where you are at and creates a plan based on your goals of how to get to a destination.
  2. Life time Coaching to help you stay on track to reach your goals.
  3. Show you Financial solutions to meet your needs and goals.

Do want to learn how you can have great returns and have a death beneficiary’s benefit on your TFSA or RRSP?

Want further help with TFSA or RRSP?

Just Got questions.

Let’s meet.

The best time to start investing was yesterday; the second-best time is today. 

Estate planning – What is a Segregated Fund?

Estate planning – What is a Segregated Fund?

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Why would you even look at a Segregated Fund?


Segregated Funds are one good tool to help in Estate planning. Especially if you have money set aside that you want to leave to a certain beneficiary. Some individuals may like the security that comes with the death benefit.

What is a Segregated Fund?

Segregated funds are offered by insurance companies and have some uniqueness and characteristics that do not apply to traditional mutual funds. They combine the growth potential of investments with insurance protection.


Many provide a guarantee to protect the principal of the money you invest, Even if the fund loses money, you will get back a portion or all of your principal investment. There are also resets along the way, the reset is a guarantee on the current value if you should die. However, you have to hold your investment for a certain length of time to benefit from the guarantee.

Here are seven uniqueness of Segregated Funds.

  1. Guarantee in the event of death and upon maturity.
  2. Potential to lock in Growth – This is a reset option on the growth of the investment, it becomes the guarantee upon death.
  3. Investments are exempt from seizure by creditors. -This can be helpful for those with a business wanting to protect assets.
  4. quick access to investments in the event of death. – There is no need to go through probate, and your beneficiaries can receive the money sooner.
  5. Increased level of confidentiality. – These can be important for those who do not want people to know how much their assets are. As it is not part of the public record.
  6. Avoiding probate. – Probate can eat up a percentage of the estate, that is not the case with segregated funds.
  7. Assuris protection (https://assuris.ca/how-am-i-protected/assuris-protection/wealth-management/individual/guarantees-on-segregated-funds/) – In the event that the company fails, this organization provides protection for Canadian policyholders, protecting their guarantee.

Are Segregated Funds for you?

Perhaps, perhaps not. It depends on what are your goals and needs.

This is why you need to do a Financial analysis that looks at your needs, current situation, goals and what are your options. Each person needs a financial plan unique to them.


I can help you with that. Let’s start with a free 60 min meeting and walk you through our complimentary financial analysis. This will confirm where you are at and where you want to go and what your best options are and create a plan to get there.


Fill out the form now, why wait, it will cost you nothing and give you the assurance of what your next steps need to be.