Insurance & Investment Products & Services

Our Investment Management Process

UNDERSTANDING RISK
This is where we start. Every individual has a different relationship with and understanding of risk. How much risk do you need to take in order to achieve your goals? And what keeps you up at night? We value transparency and trust, so at this point you can expect to have a real conversation with us about your experience with and attitudes about money and investments. Rather than a one size fits all plan, we spend time listening to your unique story, and then helping you understand your perception and the reality of the risks in your financial life. What we may recommended may be something different than what most other investment advisors would.

ALIGNING YOUR PORTFOLIO
What is the purpose of your funds? What job do they need to do and when? By creating a personal investment policy statement, we structure a portfolio aligned with your long-term plans rather than unreliable, short term stock market activity. Once in place, we use a strategic allocation informed by some of the top investment management firms around the world. This is reviewed and updated quarterly to account for changes in long-term assumptions like inflation, interest rates and economic growth; and the impact they might have on risk and expected return.

MANAGER SELECTION
We create a portfolio of time-tested, trustworthy managers proven to be good stewards of capital. We choose both active and passive portfolio managers that invest in their own funds and focus on controlling costs. We look for firms who put the right incentives in place for portfolio managers, so they can focus on long-term results without taking unnecessary risks for potential short-term reward. We filter the thousands of options, creating a select list of trusted investment managers.

MONITOR AND REBALANCE
A good plan is like a GPS: it tells us when we’re off course. And as an investment portfolio grows, certain assets might grow faster than others and can begin to increase the risk of the portfolio. Rebalancing your account sells from the assets that have grown faster and buys those that are cheaper. But how often is enough? According to research, more activity in your account won’t result in better risk adjusted returns, and often results in higher taxes. That’s why we rebalance all portfolios annually, favoring discipline over frequent trading.

IMPORTANT: We don’t rebalance and rebuild unless you book a conversation to review your goals at least annually.  We offer our clients the ability to do this many times a year.

In addition:

• We do not select investment funds based on their popularity;
• We do not use market timing strategies (i.e. what we expect to be a “hot fund” in the short-term).
• We focus on long term growth
• We maintain a disciplined approach to create an optimal long-term portfolio for each client: one that provides the maximum expected return for an acceptable level of risk, or the minimum expected risk for a desired return.
• Use a variety of independently developed software programs to objectively select individual funds, in specific proportions within each asset class, to match the client’s unique investor profile.
• The following general parameters are used in the portfolio construction:
• Primarily, funds with established track records are selected. This ensures that sufficient information is available to adequately assess the fund’s manager and longer-term performance.
• Diversification is enhanced by selecting funds with different managers, mandates, and investment styles. This results in lower internal correlations; and provides the opportunity to offset potential losses in some funds with possible gains in other funds.
• Consistency of performance (returns and risk) is analyzed on a year-by-year basis, and through market upswings and downturns. We look for funds that compare well to their benchmarks over the long-term due to good management rather than good luck.
• Consideration is given to MER’s (the cost of investing).

VOLATILITY
Despite using the best of the best in investment science there will be some volatility at times. For those who are a little skittish with the volatility of the stock market, you may wish something different that offers more guarantees. If this is you, don’t hesitate to contact us.

No single asset manager is an expert in every asset class. That’s why we use a multi-manager approach that draws on several management styles, investment philosophies and risk management strategies.

Our investment management team manages over $98 Billion in investment assets, uses 20 sub-advisors, and has over 170 years experience growing and protecting wealth

Value of consolidating your entire portfolio with us:

• Provides a single consolidated statement – easier & simpler
• Avoids over-diversification
• Provides maximum flexibility
• Helps prevent administrative hassles
• Gives you more personalized attention and non-conflicting financial security advice

Income Options

When its time to start to receive income, the following are your options:

• Withdrawals
• Lifetime Income Benefit (LIB)
• Annuities
• Infinite Banking Concept (IBC)