Marc Lamontagne

Convert your practise to fee-based

In our rapidly evolving industry, with stiff competition from the banks and ever-increasing demands from clients (not to mention decreases in revenue brought on by the extended bear market), many fi nancial advisors have decided it makes good sense now to transition their practices to the fee model. Even though advisors understand the rationales, there […]

By Marc Lamontagne |June 1, 2009

7 min read

Planning and Advice

Claiming names

What does it mean when advisors describe themselves, or their services, as fee-only, fee-for-service, or fee-based? It’s a question investors are asking, so those of us in the industry need to hurry up and make those distinctions. The fee-advisor market is both fascinating and confusing. That’s in part due to the fact that titles are […]

By Marc Lamontagne |February 1, 2009

7 min read

Products

How things work

"Is there a bear in your portfolio?" screamed the ad with the picture of a mean-looking grizzly. It sure got my attention. Bear or inverse ETFs are a new breed of leveraged instruments, which move opposite to the direction of a given market or sector. Offered in Canada by Horizons BetaPro, these bear-market versions are […]

By Marc Lamontagne |October 1, 2008

3 min read

Industry

Platform choice: Easing the transition to fee-based

(January 2007) If you’re an MFDA-licensed advisor considering a move to a fee-based model — and surveys suggest you already have or will in the future — there are a number of obstacles to overcome, says Ottawa-based advisor Marc Lamontagne. There’s the fear that clients may balk at paying a fee and that your income […]

By Marc Lamontagne |January 12, 2007

4 min read

Industry

The fee debate: an advisor’s point-of-view

(December 2005) I recently sent out an e-mail requesting commission-based financial planner/advisors to respond to a very short survey. I was trying to devise a fair revenue comparison model to further my research into the transition from a commission-based practice to a fee-based one. Since I haven’t been commission-based in 10 years, I needed a […]

By Marc Lamontagne |December 19, 2005

7 min read