A Challenge for New Clients: How to Choose a Trusted Advisor

If you’re in business for yourself, you have a unique opportunity to build wealth in an asset class that others don’t have: equity in a business enterprise that some day may be sold for millions of dollars. In addition, that business can spin off income for family members that can provide significant tax advantages, done well. Understanding how to realize on this asset requires the help of a trusted financial advisory team. Who should be on that team and how do you find them? This is a challenge your next new business clients may wrestle with. Here are some tips on how you can open discussions to help them:

Is a recession around the corner? A March 1 Statistics Canada economic report shows negligible economic growth for the fourth quarter of 2018, due to a decline in oil export prices and decreased investment spending. Now just might be the right time to implement tax and financial planning strategies to brace for a prolonged slowdown.

Is the tax refund a good thing? It’s a question that spurred a great debate in February’s Knowledge Bureau poll when we asked tax and financial professionals whether or not the withholding taxes that lead to a tax refund should be reduced to help taxpayers save or pay down debt. Did the no side or the yes side win? You’ll be surprised by the results.

Canadians are struggling to meet their retirement savings goals, and this is an issue impacting the traditionally employed and self-employed, alike. A recent survey by TD identified that it’s a special challenge for gig workers in particular. But for many, it’s a dilemma that can be solved by changing priorities. 

British Columbia was the first province to release its budget this year, when they announced it on February 19. There were some interesting new benefits in the package that advisors must factor into their tax and financial strategies with clients who are B.C residents at the end of 2019.

Knowledge Bureau has been so inspired by graduate Renata McMann’s commitment to education. Here’s the story of her educational journey to become a DFA – Tax Services Specialist™. 

Is it better to invest your money into your TFSA or RRSP? The answer here isn’t black and white, so we decided to crunch some numbers and shed some light on the grey areas, for those who need to make the choice in anticipation of the March 1 RRSP contribution deadline.