UPotential is a fee-for-service financial planner – meaning that our compensation is based on a transparent, pre-established rate agreed upon before our engagements begin. We do not receive any compensation from, and do not offer, the sale of any investment or insurance related products/services. As a UPotential customer you will be under no obligation to utilize any particular investment or insurance product/service to action any of the plans we create. If you wish to engage the services of ETF Capital Management – a registered portfolio manager – you should be aware (and will be made aware at the time) that UPotential is under common ownership. Our goal is to help you get the most out of your money – so we will act always in the best interests of our clients, with full transparency, and in a manner which aligns our interests accordingly.
How to plan a B.Y.O.P. retirement, as in build your own pension
When most Canadians think of financial advantages, we think of high net worth, high employment income and large investment portfolios. To my mind, there is no greater differentiator between the “haves” and the “have nots” than a defined-benefit pension.
Should you buy health insurance in retirement?
This week’s article selection is inspired by a conversation I had with a client. Although the Canadian medical system provides seniors with drug coverage, clients are increasingly haunted by stories of drug exclusions and the costs of personal support workers and other age-related medical costs.
Navigating Emotional Real Estate Decisions
Our House, the gentle Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young classic – written, incidentally, by Graham Nash – strikes an emotional beat familiar to many homeowners or wannabe homeowners. The song describes an everyday scene yet it’s beloved by millions because, as the cliché goes, home is where the heart is.
Buying stocks for dividend income? Read this first
This article offers a different take on investing for yield; i.e. dividend income. In turbulent markets, high yield implies that the underlying investment may be struggling since yield is inversely related to the price of the stock.
Shoulda, woulda, coulda: why FOMO won’t let go of us
My early meetings with clients revolve around determining what they want to accomplish with their money. Most have come to terms with the fact that “a comfortable retirement” doesn’t provide enough information for their planner.
What Generation Z Wants From Financial Technology
This week’s article highlights the attraction of Gen Z investors to these platforms and how newer investors are opting for the “real-time” feedback that these technologies provide.
The CPP Take-Up Decision: Risks and Opportunities
This white paper, produced by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, demonstrates that the majority of Canadians would benefit from deferring their CPP pension onset to age 70 and drawing from RRSPs/RRIFs in the interim.
One Important Reminder About The Stock Market And Your Retirement
The world’s most successful investors take a long-term view. They buy and sell like collectors, not gamblers. When faced with the bombardment of news on inflation, employment, recession speculation and interest rate movements, these investors are able to contextualize these factors and tune them out.
Exactly how much pain should we expect for our personal finances in the rest of 2022?
This article contextualizes how inflation, interest rates, portfolios and job security are all intertwined.
Young Canadians more inclined to switch jobs over work benefits
According to employment figures, unemployment is back down to pre-pandemic levels. Employers are reporting difficulty filling positions and labourers (you and me) are becoming more selective when looking for a job.