Brenda Craig

Dealing with the big draw down

Financial advisors spend decades helping clients accumulate wealth, knowing that eventually those clients will draw down their portfolio to finance retirement years. Keeping that client book as dynamic as possible is important for advisors.

By Brenda Craig |December 2, 2013

3 min read

Planning and Advice

Independents should focus on niche markets

Some people strive for change and others have change thrust upon them. And so it is in the financial planning business. The financial services industry has become so complex that certified financial planner Bradley Roulston, who runs Healthcare Financial Group, a successful niche market financial services business with offices in Toronto and Vancouver, says boldly, […]

By Brenda Craig |August 2, 2011

4 min read

Industry

Helping HNW clients at tax time

“Courteous reader”, Benjamin Franklin wrote in his 1758 book, Way to Wealth, “Get what you can and what you get, hold. ‘Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into gold.” Wealthy Canadians usually have themselves well fortified against Canada Revenue Agency’s attempts to turn their gold back into lead at tax time, but […]

By Brenda Craig |March 21, 2011

4 min read

Market Insights

Bias for U.S. equities is positive

The U.S. economy has been walking around in a daze since it fell off that cliff in 2008, but if America can get its mojo back, 2011 could prove to be a turn around year.

By Brenda Craig |January 11, 2011

4 min read

Market Insights

Off the sidelines

This Advisor.ca Special Report is sponsored by: Historically one of the worst months of the year, September turned out to be a strong month for equity markets, continuing a rally that has been underway since the beginning of July. It’s a shame so many investors remain parked in cash. Watching a rally from the sidelines […]

By Brenda Craig |October 12, 2010

3 min read

Industry

Millions need help consolidating assets

This Advisor.ca Special Report is sponsored by: As a financial planner and actuary, William Jack has seen the future. Depending on how the boomers manage and spend what they’ve accumulated the picture ranges from grim to not bad. “One man told his children, ‘I plan to spend the last penny on the day I die […]

By Brenda Craig |September 14, 2010

4 min read

Industry

Don’t stick your neck out…hedge

A former U.S. Federal Reserve official, Cathy Minehan, was recently quoted as saying, “We’re in a lousy middle, between the economy picking up on its own, and falling off a cliff.” And no one likes falling off a cliff, especially when it comes to money. “This is no time to stick your neck out,” says […]

By Brenda Craig |August 17, 2010

3 min read

Products

Retirement calls for a budget

Retirement age Canadians may have more ways to fortify their future than they realize. Although their portfolios may have been undermined by the “Black Swan” events of the 2008 market shakeup, a thorough budget review and a sharp pencil can significantly improve their outlook. Patricia Lovett-Reid, senior vice-president with TD Waterhouse Canada, tells clients to […]

By Brenda Craig |August 11, 2010

3 min read

Industry

Portfolio Managers: Europe is a bargain

Never count Europe out. It has a long industrial heritage and despite its troubles it still makes up 25% of the world’s economy powered by corporations more than able to withstand the stress of the sovereign debt crisis and the remnants of the 2008 subprime mess. Canada’s European portfolio managers are sifting through rubble and […]

By Brenda Craig |June 25, 2010

3 min read