Life

Proposal could shrink insurance shelf

Canadian advisors may have fewer insurance options at their disposal in the future, as proposed accounting standards could make long-duration, investment-based contracts less attractive to carriers. While the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are set to come into force in January 2011, this set of rules is not the culprit. Yet. The financial services sector […]

By Steven Lamb |August 10, 2010

3 min read

Beginning the succession discussion

After helping clients with their financial, estate and retirement planning, advisors often have a strong relationship with their clients. That puts us in a unique position to discuss succession planning with those clients who are also business owners. In many cases, we’ve already implemented plans or products to protect their assets and the value of […]

By David Wm. Brown |August 5, 2010

3 min read

Benefits benchmarking

A generation ago, benefits plans were a different animal. One-size-fits-all plans were the norm and the offloading of health costs by governments had yet to begin in earnest. Employers offered simpler plans for a simpler world. Fast-forward to today, and the benefits landscape has changed. Many costs have shifted from the public to the private […]

By Dave Jones |July 29, 2010

5 min read

Doubt and designations

The recent spotlight on financial products hasn’t been limited to complex mortgage-backed products. Insurance-based products have had their share of recent attention, especially when it comes to beneficiary designations. Several court cases involving beneficiary designation disputes underscore the importance of reviewing these designations and ensuring that they are up-to-date and in accordance with a client’s […]

By David Wm. Brown |July 12, 2010

9 min read