10 Jun

What is the Economic Path Forward?

It may be difficult to remember, but it was only months ago that we were in the midst of the longest economic expansion in history. How quickly things have changed. As a result, many investors are asking: what is the economic path forward?
Beyond the terrible health consequences of the pandemic, the short-term economic effects have been equally extraordinary. We have seen individuals, companies, and industries affected in adverse ways. COVID-19 has also helped to accelerate certain existing economic and […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

20 May

Saving Tax is a Year-Round Exercise

Spring is the time when taxes are top of mind as personal income tax returns are due. Did you take action to reduce your tax bill in 2019? Perhaps you can do better this year. Here are four ways to help minimize payables to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA):

“Reduce” Your Refund — If you receive a tax refund from the CRA on a regular basis, this shouldn’t be a cause for celebration. You’re effectively providing an interest-free loan to […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

03 Apr

Finding Activities during Social Distancing

A message from Christopher Briggs, Wealth Advisor and Managing Director on behalf of the Precision Wealth Management Team.
One thing is for certain, the novel COVID-19 has redrafted the way we live for the foreseeable future. There is no more of the hustle and bustle we’ve all become so used to.

No more early morning commute to work, or late nights at the office. No more driving kids to school. No more picking them up and going to the social centre or dance hall for after-school activities. No more […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

26 Feb

The Year Ahead: More Stimulus Efforts?

As we start a new decade, with the prevailing theme of slower global economic growth, many investors are asking: what lies ahead? Hong Kong has fallen into recession, while various European countries have been struggling with declining growth. Even China, the hub of global growth over recent decades, is experiencing slower growth.
Canada continues its longest economic expansion on record. Largely due to a strong labour market, the Canadian economy has recently been supported by consumer spending as well as […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

04 Feb

Segregated Funds for Retirement and Estate Planning

Did you know that segregated funds may play a valuable role in both retirement and estate planning?
For conservative investors planning for retirement, they offer the security of having a guarantee of principal on the investment. Given low interest rates, segregated funds have the potential to offer higher returns than those achieved through traditional fixed income investments like Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs). As part of a diversified portfolio, certain segregated funds may provide the prospect of having a predictable income […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

10 Jan

Looking Ahead with Confidence in 2020

Happy New Year, and welcome to the new decade!
The start of any new year is a time often rife with market predictions. But remember to keep perspective during prediction season.
Perhaps one of the more striking reminders of the dangers of predictions occurred 40 years ago when Businessweek Magazine declared the “Death of Equities.” It warned the “death of equities as a near permanent condition.” While inflation was rampant and markets did perform poorly during this time, as Bloomberg […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

09 Jan

RRSP Season Again: The $1 Trillion Opportunity

Over $1 trillion: At last count, that’s how much that was reported by Statistics Canada as the total amount of unused Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contribution room of Canadian taxpayers.1 While unused contribution room may be carried forward indefinitely — and there may be good reasons to do so — there is a forgone opportunity of tax-deferred, compounded growth.
RRSP contributions appear to be declining over recent years, perhaps due to certain perceptions. One belief is that it is […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

20 Dec

How Often Are You Checking Investment Performance?

Technology continues to change the speed at which we process information. According to Netflix, it takes just 1.8 seconds for subscribers to consider each program title they encounter.1 Studies show that online shoppers are more likely to make a purchase if they can retrieve product information more quickly. It was reported that for every 100 millisecond improvement in load time, Walmart experienced up to a one percent increase in online revenue.2
At the same time, we’ve conditioned ourselves to seek […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

13 Dec

Thinking About Gifting Funds to Adult Children?

Most of us have heard the statement: “back in my day, I walked uphill both ways to get to school.” But given the rising costs to own a home or earn a higher education, perhaps kids these days don’t have it as easy as we may think. If we look back 35 years, the average cost of a home was only 1.6 times annual family income; today, it has climbed to around eight times average income. Tuition costs have […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor

25 Oct

Investing Takes ‘Grit’

If there’s one thing the extended bull market run has taught us, it’s that investing takes “grit.” Often dubbed “the most hated bull market of all time,” as reported by the media for many years now.
Grit is about having the same goal for a very long time, and sticking to it despite setbacks or failures. Researchers have determined that it can be one of the greatest predictors of an individual’s long-term success, even more important than IQ or wealth.1
As […]

By Christopher Briggs, RRC®, Wealth Advisor