In this week's edition

The standard Canada Pension Plan death benefit is $2,500 for people with a long enough history of contributions. Following the passage of budget implementation Bill C-69, a $5,000 death benefit will be payable to certain contributors. The decision to double the benefit for a small group has put a spotlight on the adequacy of the amount itself. Industry observers weigh in.

As regulatory oversight increases in the insurance industry, so too do compliance costs, straining the resources of smaller managing general agents. The cost pressure could result in further industry consolidation. Reporter Jonathan Got looked into the potential consequences for life agents.

Financial advisors can play a role in making a difficult time easier by doing some advance planning. Having discussions with clients about funeral costs and preparations ahead of time can help ease the burden down the road.

Market volatility made news over the past week, and it could be set to continue given factors such as slower economic growth and geopolitics. Reporter Noushin Ziafati checked in with a couple advisors, who suggested rebalancing portfolios, using realistic return expectations, modelling various scenarios and, of course, sticking to the investment plan — though that’s easier said than done for some clients. What was your experience this past week? Were clients calling, asking about the headlines? Or was it business as usual, given you’ve prepared both clients and their portfolios? Let me know in an email.