It’s that time of year again when students of all ages head back to school. For younger students, parents are reminded to think ahead and put money into Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) to help pay for their children’s post-secondary education. For those who are off to College or University, it’s not about putting money into RESPs as it is about getting money out. In this edition of the Martens Report I would like to focus on what is needed when it is time to wit

Summer season is upon us and if you are one of the many Canadians who are lucky enough to have a cottage or summer property, likely you have been enjoying nights by the fire, days on the dock and quality time with your family. We thought this would be a great time to also share some financial planning topics you may want to consider that specifically relate to the family cottage. We hope the following articles are helpful with any financial plans you may have being thinking

In contrast to the relative market calm of 2017, volatility returned to equity markets in the first quarter of this year. Most global markets dropped sharply in early February, with some falling into correction territory (a decline of 10% or more). The initial decline was apparently due to market participants’ concern about rising inflation based on strong U.S. economic data. Though they recovered somewhat over the ensuing weeks, equity indexes remained choppy through Febr

We would have never imagined we would be writing a second part to our January 2018 newsletter about volatility this quickly, but after a wild couple of weeks we thought it might be timely to circle back and discuss volatility once again. Our January 2018 newsletter titled, Dear Volatility, discussed the lack of volatility we had been experiencing in the markets that has been in effect for several years. It did not seem to matter what was happening in the world, the markets

You may have noticed that things have been looking quite good lately with regards to your accounts. The markets have been steadily growing over the past couple years in what would seem to be a worry free environment. Events that would typically spook the market have had very little effect, such as Brexit, Korean missile launches or the surprise win by Donald Trump. We wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that although most portfolios are doing well, the market still goe

On December 2nd we hosted a breakfast seminar discussing common errors Canadians make when planning their estates. Keith Masterman LLB, TEP of CI Financial’ s Tax, Retirement and Estate Planning team shared with us his presentation ‘The 7 Deadly Sins Of Estate Planning.’ We thought it would be good to share a summary of the topics discussed to those who were not able to attend, or those who would like a recap. Sin #1 No estate plan/an outdated plan Fact: 56% of adult Canadi

We are excited about our partnership with Investia Financial Services Inc. and IA Financial Group. The transition is mostly complete and overall, we are happy with the switch. Our relationship with you, your investment options and the service you are used to receiving has not and it will not change. We will continue to work with you to meet your financial goals while providing the highest level of service. Introducing the Client Portal Accessing your account information

By now we are sure you have seen information regarding the changes happening at HollisWealth and our new partnership with iA Financial Group. We thought it would be important to emphasize, you will notice little immediate change. Your relationship with our team will remain the same as always and there is no action required on your part. Your accounts will not change and everything plans to continue “business as usual.” If you are receiving RRIF/LIF payments, or have recurr

Acquisition Update As we previously have communicated, HollisWealth has been purchased by IA Financial Group. The deal is set to finalize on August 4, 2017. We want to take this opportunity to update you on the acquisition. There is a package being mailed to you this month covering these main points: There is no action required on your part. Your accounts will not change and IA Financial Group plans to continue “business as usual.” The Trustee for any Nominee HollisWealth

Have you thought about where you will be ten years from now in the year 2027? Thinking about your future is a key piece of any financial plan. Having a clear picture of where you want to be and what you would like your life to look like is essential in making sure you achieve it. For this issue of the Martens Report we thought we could play 20 questions, with the theme focusing on what your life will look like in the year 2027. Please note that we have tried to structure the