Our Compensation and Others Subjects
Our first meeting is free of charge. During this meeting, we will clearly explain the different options available to you.
In fact, your satisfaction is our greatest compensation, as it allows us to grow. The compensation that your satisfaction provides is essentially fourfold.
Our Compensation
1. The turnkey approach
The turnkey approach means that we do your financial planning, we keep track of it and provide you with the products you need for your life and health insurance, as well as mutual funds.
The companies with which we do business then pay us in the form of commissions or fees. Since the management fees for mutual funds and insurance premiums charge are the same as elsewhere, our services come at no extra cost to you.
If you already have mutual funds, it may be possible to retain them by transferring their management to us.
Discounted management fees
We may give you discounts on management fees, depending on the size of your portfolio.
Conflict of interest
Commissions and fees could lead to a potential conflict of interest. To prevent this from happening, we disclose all potential conflicts of interests whenever they arise. We are committed to reviewing your case with the utmost objectivity. Objectivity is at the core of our company’s values.
In fact, you are welcome to validate our conclusions regarding your financial health with other reputable professionals: financial planners, tax specialists, notaries, lawyers, accountants or actuaries. We take a comprehensive approach to maintaining and improving your financial health, which means that we work hand in hand with other professionals around you.
This collaboration can only benefit you, as it brings together the expertise and input from various different companies and individuals who all share your financial health as their common goal.
2. Recommendations
Your satisfaction may also lead you to recommend our services to your parents, friends, and partners, which helps us grow our client base and, as such, our company.
3. Learning
It may happen that you are dissatisfied with an advice we have given or a product that we have recommended to you. Our greatest wish is to fulfill your expectations, so rest assured that in such circumstances, we will quickly take the necessary measures to improve your satisfaction and make sure the situation does not happen again.
Every correction made to your financial plan allows us to learn and improve, which we see as a form of compensation in itself.
4. Conventional compensation
You may use our services for your financial advising needs, for a lump sum to be determined according to the situation, or for an hourly rate. It is a way for you to remain independent and to test our services before making a long term commitment.
Others Subjects
Tips to avoid fraud
- Check with the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) in Quebec, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), any other organization responsible for financial regulation in your province.
- Never issue a check on behalf of a representative for your investments.
- No one can promise or guarantee unusually high investment income. For performance forecasts and other relevant information, see the IQPF’s Projection Assumption Guidelines.
- Talk to your friends and family about the investment offers that are available to you and determine whether they seem legitimate or whether they raise some concerns.
Financial planning assumptions
Although we do not claim to know the future, we do make assumptions about the future in order to find the most likely outcomes. Unrealistic assumptions lead to unrealistic conclusions. This is why our assumptions are strongly influenced by the Projection Assumption Guidelines published annually by the Institut québécois de la planification financière (IQPF). Revising your plan allows us to make adjustments based on the latest assumptions, which the IQPF deems more likely.
Educational approach
We have an educational approach that aims to demystify financial planning to help you develop your own critical sense with regard to these issues. We believe that your critical sense is your best tool against fraud, as well as unreasonable projections and expectations.
Conflict of interest
We are committed to informing you of any potential conflicts of interest for us.
Disclosure of our compensation
We receive commissions or fees anytime you purchase financial products through us. This compensation is paid to us by the companies that offer these products. At your request, we will disclose the amounts we receive when you purchase a product through us.
The concept of trust
Our company has been able to grow thanks to the clients who have entrusted us. Your trust in us is undoubtedly our most valuable asset and we wish to acquire it, preserve it and make it stronger.
We believe that trust is built up gradually by the sincerity and competence that emerge from every little action in a coherent process which aims to maximize your interests.
Access to other professionals
Over time, we have built excellent relationships with professionals specialized in fields complementary to ours, for the benefit of our clients. It is, therefore, not unusual for us to meet with financial planners, accountants, tax experts, notaries, professors and other specialists. These meetings sometimes take place behind the scenes, without you having to meet these individuals, and do not incur any additional costs for you because they are part of our work.
Certain circumstances may, however, lead to a meeting with one of these professionals. In this situation, you may have to pay the fees of these specialists. If you wish, we can accompany you during these appointments, and you do not have to pay us any compensation.