Financial News

The 5 Phases of Pre-Retirement

Retirement is one of the most important life events you will experience, and getting it right takes wise planning. With a sound intellectual framework and some assistance from a qualified professional, you can ensure that you are ready to retire when the day comes. Retirement preparation can be broken down into five phases, with each

5 Tips for When the Markets Get Rocky

Many investors are familiar with the emotional impact that often comes with market volatility. When stock markets swing in extreme directions or change suddenly, investors can feel anxious and make decisions based on emotion that can hurt their pocket. This is a natural reaction when the markets are volatile, especially when the future seems uncertain

3 Reasons Why Robots Won’t Replace Financial Advisors

Advanced financial planning requires a personal, human touch

Robo-advisors have been heralded as the “future of investing” by their fans, but can computer algorithms really match up to human financial advisors? How do robo-advisors work? Robo-advisors are low-cost, digital platforms that use automated algorithms to create and maintain a portfolio. Investors fill out an online form detailing their current financial situation, monetary goals,

[Infographic] Navigating the Reality of Self-Employment

Empowering yourself to become a success story

Despite weathering a recession in recent years, Alberta continues to showcase its resilient and entrepreneurial spirit. More than 400,000 Albertans are now self-employed, accounting for over 85% of the province’s net job growth since the recession. While self-employment proves to be an appealing option across industries, it comes with a host of unique financial challenges.

Preparing Your Children for Adulthood through Financial Literacy

Have your financial blunders made you hesitant to speak with your children about money? Well, you aren’t alone.

Have your financial blunders made you hesitant to speak with your children about money? Well, you aren’t alone. While you may feel some reluctance around the topic, consider this: personal experience can teach your children about financial consequence and success. Some Canadian children (in Ontario, for instance) are learning financial literacy in school. Whether children

There’s More to Retirement than Just Numbers

Have you considered the emotional aspects of retirement and how to plan wisely?

Have you considered the emotional aspects of retirement and how to plan wisely? In today’s world, people are working well past the average retirement age. Some people who are in good health may not be ready to retire just yet because they like what they do, want to keep busy, or need the extra money.

Top 5 Biases that Impact Investment Decisions

We all have biases, but the key to better investing is identifying and minimizing them so they don't impact your investments.

As financial advisors, we use facts and logic to guide our clients through investment decisions. Even the most perceptive investors, armed with years of market experience, can fall prey to mental biases that lead to poor investment decisions. While it’s impossible to completely eliminate mental biases, we help our clients identify and minimize common investment

Will quick debt repayment enhance or hurt your financial wellbeing?

Words by President, Adrian George, CFP CLU CET

The Usual Suspects: Find Out The 5 Most Expensive Insurance Mistakes

Written by Adrian George, President PlayCheques Financial Solutions

When was the last time your insurance advisor sat you down to review your insurance portfolio? Not doing so could be costing you money you could be putting towards eliminating your debt or growing your retirement nest egg. Here are the top 5 issues we see when reviewing a new client’s existing insurance portfolio: 1)

What should I expect from my Financial Planner?

Words by Adrian George, President at PlayCheques

The Facts Did you know that for 1 in 3 Canadians*, ‘not knowing what questions to ask’ is the reason they don’t seek out the proper advise that is crucial for personal, family and business financial health? How to Spot Sophisticated Planning Instead of being presented with a dizzying array of financial products you don’t