Planning and Advice

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Planning and Advice

Growth strategy: Attract your natural market

(May 2008) The most common question I get from financial advisors is “how should I grow my business?” This is a vital consideration since businesses that aren’t growing are likely losing ground. Future growth is a challenge because many of the traditional techniques advisors know about are less effective today. Before we determine the best […]

By Shawn O'Brien |May 22, 2008

5 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

To Clients: Education savings (updated)

(May 2008) Government grant money is not the easiest thing to come by for your typical clients, unless they have children and an education savings plan. Encourage your clients to collect this “free” money wherever they can get it — send them this customizable template letter outlining the opportunities and advantages of saving for a […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |May 20, 2008

2 min read

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Planning and Advice

The fee debate and your obligation to clients

(May 2008) Over the past several years many dealers and advisors have embraced fee-based accounts for a number of sound business and ethical reasons. These accounts are said to more closely align interests, as both clients and advisors benefit directly from an increase in assets. The temptation to engage in certain trading activities, such as […]

By Richard Austin |May 15, 2008

3 min read

Decorative pattern

Planning and Advice

How to get your policies approved faster

(May 2008) Filling out insurance applications is a regular part of an advisor’s job, but getting the documents completed is frequently a struggle. What most don’t realize, however, is that blank forms make the process much longer than it needs to be. Shelina Esmail, head of living benefits and chief underwriter at Canada Life, says […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |May 14, 2008

3 min read

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Planning and Advice

To Clients: New options for your locked-in accounts

(May 2008) Clients have new, legitimate options at their disposal for unlocking locked-in retirement accounts, after the federal government released amendments to the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, making good on promises made in this year’s federal budget. The amendments announced are designed to give consumers the ability to reposition their retirement assets and withdraw from […]

By Staff |May 9, 2008

3 min read

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Planning and Advice

Reputation at risk

(May 2008) This article first appeared in the April 2008 issue of Advisor’s Edge Report. There’s a lot of carnage in today’s markets. It stretches far beyond market losses and prudently calculated risks, and actually touches on the notion of trustworthy advice. Sure, there are unexpected illiquidities. Non-bank asset-backed commercial paper is one; Mount Real […]

By Scot Blythe |May 8, 2008

3 min read

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Planning and Advice

Market Volatility: Putting it into Context

As many of the world’s largest stock indexes dropped significantly at the beginning of 2008, investors were understandably shaken. But compared to the bear market of 1973 and 1974 – which John Arnold CIO and Managing Director of AGF International Advisors Co. Ltd witnessed firsthand – the situation is remarkably rosier. While some pundits are […]

By Staff |May 8, 2008

1 min read

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Planning and Advice

Pension perspective: Overcoming inertia

(May 2008) Your clients get their information from a variety of sources. More employers are switching to defined contribution pension plans and taking on the responsibility of helping their employees, your clients, to manage the inherent and bewildering array of retirement planning choices that some pension plans present. Standard Life communications consultant Matthew Rotenberg says […]

By Jody White |April 30, 2008

2 min read

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Planning and Advice

Practice Lab: Branding your business without breaking the bank

Do you have a sound contact and relationship management strategy in place? Can your clients count on you? Are you referable? Are you getting enough of the right type of client? You can have a great brand but without a solid foundation, you are telling your clients that you can’t deliver on what you promise. […]

By Fortunato Restagno and Juli Leith |April 25, 2008

3 min read

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Planning and Advice

To Clients: Recession survival for small business

(April 2008) For better or worse, recent surveys show that small business owners are generally pretty bullish about the state of the Canadian economy. The optimism is heartening, but the downside suggests that many are not adequately prepared to withstand financial difficulties in the event of an economic downturn. To get their attention, and to […]

By Staff |April 21, 2008

3 min read

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