Personal Planning

Conventional thinking about Financial Independence is out. The world has changed. The question is whether you have sufficient resources to maintain your lifestyle, to take charge of your calendar and to make deliberate choices on how you spend your time. You achieve Financial Independence when there is a balance between what gives your life meaning and purpose and the money it takes to fund it.

What’s in it for our Clients?

• The ability to buy back your time and control 100% of your calendar.
• The integration and planning of Goals.
• Planning Map with time specific, detailed action steps.

The question that needs to be answered is whether your plan allows you to give what you want, to whom you want, when you want  in the form that you want. It goes beyond simple Will planning and is an essential element of the Three Realms of Financial Care.

What’s in it for our Clients?

• The freedom to pass on your wealth when your children are ready and not before.
• The satisfaction of seeing the next generation thrive as they make their way through life.
• Confidence that an “inter vivos” family legacy will not conflict with your Financial Independence.
• Alignment of your family values with your family legacy.

If you had $1 million that you couldn’t spend on yourself or your family, what would you do with it?

This is the starting point for a much deeper conversation about Social Capital. Once confined to simply leaving money to charity when you die, Social Capital has new meaning in contemporary planning. What is your mark on the world? What do you and your family stand for? What will your life and your family be remembered for? How do you  move from “success to significance” in a intentional way? What can you do today to move the needle? Will your legacy reflect your principles and values?

What’s in it for our Clients?

•  The liberty to act on your Social Capital intentions when you want and in the way you want.
•  The confidence of knowing that your actions align with your values.
•  The knowledge that you are and will maximize your legacy.
• Certainty that your Family Legacy and Financial Independence goals can be achieved.

“Retirement” is a word that is loaded with meaning, not all of it good. It doesn’t necessarily mean the end of work and it certainly doesn’t mean the end of your contribution to the world around you. It does mean taking 100% control over your calendar and your time. What you do with your time in retirement is a matter of choice, not necessity.  We work with the soon-to-be retired in planning for their financial needs, prioritizing their budget and managing resources to produce the income required.

What’s in it for our Clients?

• The end to procrastination.
• Setting  goals that align with your vision for the future, your values and the principles by which you live your life.
• Articulating your deepest wishes through a plan that is specific, actionable and implemented.
• Living the your life with energy and enthusiasm knowing that your vision for your family and your place in society is clear and secure.

Estate Planning is another loaded term that means something different for every person. Exactly where “financial planning” ends and “estate planning” begins is hard to say for sure.  In fact, there is very little to differentiate between the two.  We think of them as two sides of the same coin. Our planning process covers the waterfront.  We focus on all three realms of Financial Care – Financial Independence, Family Legacy and Social Capital Legacy – and in the process, attend to both “financial planning” and “estate planning”.

What’s in it for our Clients?

• Living your life and planning your estate the way you want.
• Confidence that your life and legacy will count for something.
• Looking to your future and beyond with confidence and peace of mind.
• Living the next chapter of your life with energy and enthusiasm.

There are times when urgency requires setting long term planning aside in favour of an immediate repair. Despite our preference to work “above the planning horizon”, our clients occasionally need quick attention to a matter where only a timley tactical fix will do – urgent attention to a pressing insurance need, a looming RRSP deposit deadline, a re-write of a badly outdated Will or a sudden change in employment and a loss of benefits. We call this “triage” since the need for action is acutely felt and the outcome will have an immediate positive impact.

What’s in it for our Clients?

• A quick resolution to a vivid and pressing financial or estate dilemna.
• Peace of mind knowing that a planning gap has been closed.
• An end to procrastination and the stress that comes with it.
• Setting the stage to move from tactical planning to strategic planning.