Financial independence planning

Wealth management is about more than just money.

First and foremost, wealth management is about your ability to live your life your way and achieve the goals you set for yourself, your family and your business, so that you can create a legacy that reflects your values. That is why our approach begins with an overview of your family’s wealth
 

Everything depends on integrated planning.

Like successful companies that know how to coordinate multiple key disciplines (accounting, sales, legal affairs, etc.), families with high net worth should aim for a coordinated approach to managing their wealth.
 
Many families use different advisors to handle their accounting, legal affairs, insurance, tax matters and investments. This approach forces them to coordinate the activities of these specialists themselves, and to explain their situation and needs multiple times. This creates a hodgepodge of investments, strategies and services,  resulting in incoherence.
 
Our role is to develop an integrated financial independence plan that includes identifying those needs that call for external expertise. We typically work with our clients’ existing professionals, especially when there is a long-standing relationship of trust. Otherwise, we introduce our clients to trusted professionals from our extensive roster of specialists.
 

Personalized portfolio management

6-step investment approach: 

 

Our convictions with respect to portfolio management

Markets work.

Unless you have a crystal ball, the history of the markets leads us to two clear conclusions:

1. Over the long term, markets demonstrate a proven and continuous upward trend.

2. All market downturns in history have been temporary – without exception.

 

Investor behaviour is the main factor in determining performance.

The main risks associated with long-term investments have nothing to do with the economy or the Market. They arise instead from exaggerated emotional reactions to current events.

 

Asset allocation is the second-most important factor.

We are convinced that how assets are allocated among the various investment categories (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) accounts for much of a portfolio’s performance.

 

It is possible to have a positive social and environmental impact without compromising performance.

The incorporation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors can mitigate a number of long-term risks, including those related to climate change. Responsible investing optimizes risk management, creates alpha opportunities (value added) and can help contribute to the creation of more sustainable economic prosperity for future generations.

Market timing doesn’t work.

No one can predict market fluctuations. Those who try invariably jump into and out of markets at the wrong time for the wrong reasons, and end up missing out on periods of exceptional returns. What the industry calls “market timing” we call “speculation”..

 

Tax effectiveness is essential. 

Taxation eats away at investors’ returns, especially in environments where markets are generating fewer gains. We believe that it is important to make use of the various tools and tricks for minimizing the negative impacts of taxes on interest, dividend and capital gains income. 


Exceptional portfolio managers do exist.

We carefully select the best portfolio managers from around the world who work for institutional-calibre firms. We then round out our strategies with low-fee vehicles, such as index funds and exchange-traded funds, when necessary. This approach allows us to provide advice that is totally independent and objective.