Practice

Independence both a blessing and a curse

With the recent acquisition of DundeeWealth Inc. by the Bank of Nova Scotia, the top 5 banks in Canada now control two thirds of the mutual fund assets under management and about one half of the licensed representatives that distribute mutual funds in Canada. It won’t be long until the disadvantages of an oligopoly will […]

By Vince Valenti |March 7, 2011

4 min read

Planning and Advice

From asset allocation to risk allocation

The balance between return and risk is often equated with the trade-off between health and exercise. While all investors have an appetite for greater wealth (being healthy), they also have a limited tolerance for risk (exercise). Unfortunately, risk is a difficult, often abstract, concept for investors — especially when it comes to investment selection. As a result, risk is usually ignored altogether.

By Mary Ann Wiley |March 1, 2011

7 min read

Planning and Advice

Back-to-back annuities

Set it up and leave it alone. That’s the dream of every investor: a low-risk, high-yield investment that provides a guaranteed payment. Thanks to prescribed taxation, the power of arbitrage, and low interest rates, there is such an investment: the back-to-back annuity.

By Melissa Shin |March 1, 2011

9 min read

Planning and Advice

What you need to know about IFRS

You’ve heard about International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the biggest-ever change to accounting rules. Is it going to rock your world, or is it just a bunch of propeller-headed bean counters making much ado about nothing?

By Dr. Al Rosen |March 1, 2011

5 min read

Becoming the next superstar advisor

Anyone with kids knows pop star Justin Bieber was discovered via YouTube. Before long, his songs were getting millions of hits from a growing fan base and he was courted by Justin Timberlake and Usher at age 12. When I was 12, I wasn’t even courted by girls with pigtails.

5 min read

What’s a regulator good for? In Canada, not much

In my last column, I assailed the bad behaviour I see — and tragically, continue to see — from financial advisors. As seen in several news articles in the past few months, poor conduct is not limited to advisors: regulators are guilty, too.

5 min read

New directions for distribution

How is Distribution evolving, and what are the forces at play in this evolution? Will managing general agents (MGAs) get their own self-regulatory organization? Does the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA), and the distribution model it oversees, have a future? Is there a place for smaller players in the emerging landscape, or does the writing on the wall say only big guns need apply? What does the evolution of the distribution space mean for advisors, and the clients whom they serve?

By Staff |March 1, 2011

10 min read

Look beyond the quarter-point return

Everyone wants to find extra cash. There is no shortage of articles, webcasts, and conferences discussing investments, the market and how to get the best return. There is also a myriad of tools and calculators available to show people what that extra percentage point can mean 20 years down the road. Bank customers may spend hours searching for the best rate and have been known to switch institutions in order to gain (or save) an extra quarter point. We all know the importance of building and preserving wealth; now, let’s help our clients put this in perspective.

6 min read

Practice

Independence both a blessing and a curse

From asset allocation to risk allocation

Back-to-back annuities

What you need to know about IFRS

Becoming the next superstar advisor

What’s a regulator good for? In Canada, not much

New directions for distribution

Donations with benefits

Look beyond the quarter-point return

Virtual roundtable: Best practice model