Planning and Advice

Helping your busy clients: Part Two

While busy discretionary clients may only want face-to-face meetings once a year, Franz calls clients at least quarterly to update them on portfolio performance, and other times to simply ask how a vacation went.

By Melissa Shin |October 25, 2011

4 min read

Meet the Denialists

I’d like you to meet a fictional couple named Jim and Betty Denialist, two advisors with Reasonable Financial Services. Jim and Betty insist they are responsible advisors who help their clients make smart choices with their money and until recently, had always encouraged their clients to invest 100% of their money in mutual funds.

By John De Goey |October 24, 2011

1 min read

Helping your busy clients: Part One

Adena Franz's phones were silent on June 2. "Sino-Forest blew up, and we didn't get one call," recalls the Montreal-based advisor. And despite having the beleaguered stock in her clients' portfolios, they won't hear about the hit until their annual reviews.

By Melissa Shin |October 24, 2011

5 min read

The rise of the family office

You’re an entrepreneur who has worked for decades to build your business. Then someone comes along and offers you $30 million for it. After the last champagne bottle is drained, the new Bentley is in the garage and you’re back from the Bora Bora vacation, you start to realize there’s a big difference between running a company worth $30 million and managing $30 million in disposable cash. Taking care of that wealth is a business in itself.

By Jeff Beer, Canadian Business |October 21, 2011

6 min read