The Cordillera family had most of their plans on paper.A successful second-generation manufacturing company, a diversified investment portfolio, a private foundation doing meaningful philanthropic work, and four adult children with varying degrees of interest in the family enterprise. From the outside, everything looked orderly and intact.Beyond the surface, things weren’t moving. In fact...

As I write in early February, President Trump has confirmed and then deferred the sweeping tariff regime on Canadian and Mexican goods he had been threatening, and then slapped 25% on US imports of steel and aluminum. To read about potential impact of Trump policies on Canadian companies and markets, see the companion...

In “Outlook 2025, Part I: Evolution of the American Ethos,” we traced the impact of market disruptions and interest rate policy on the American balance sheet, to gauge the risk of US indebtedness and provide a backdrop for our expectations for interest rates and market potential going forward. In this companion piece, we...

As we are in tax season, it's important to consider tax planning strategies that can help minimize liabilities and take full advantage of available credits and deductions. This guide highlights key areas that taxpayers should be aware of to ensure they maximize their tax benefits while complying with filing requirements. Expenses You May...

The following article first appeared in the ACPM Observer in November 2024 (original here) and has been republished with permission. It was based on a presentation Marc Williams made to the PIAC conference in Victoria in October 2024. Occam's razor is the problem-solving maxim that when considering two competing ideas to explain a...

Albert Einstein once said, “Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it. He who doesn’t, pays it.” This is very high praise from one of history’s greatest minds and it may lead you to wonder “What is compound interest and how do I ensure I’m on...

On the second floor of London’s National Gallery, near Trafalgar Square, hangs an oil-on-oak painting, The Ambassadors. The 1533 masterpiece by Hans Holbein portrays two aristocrats contemplating an assortment of curious items: tokens of wealth and heritage, works of science and art. Meanwhile in the foreground, a skull, a Memento Mori symbolizing mortality...

Warren Buffett is often described as the ultimate value investor. The “Oracle of Omaha” certainly deserves that moniker but what he and Berkshire Hathaway practice is much more nuanced than simply buying cheap stocks. Indeed, in his 2024 Shareholder Letter, Buffett reflects on an early conversation with his late, great, partner of many...

This article was originally published by O'Sullivan Estate Lawyers and has been re-published here with permission. Clients like to say that they don’t have any personal effects of value. While they likely mean monetary value, they are overlooking the sentimental value these items may have. Fights over estates are not always about the...

Warren Buffett is often described as the ultimate value investor. The “Oracle of Omaha” certainly deserves that moniker but what he and Berkshire Hathaway practice is much more nuanced than simply buying cheap stocks. Indeed, in his 2024 Shareholder Letter, Buffett reflects on an early conversation with his late, great, partner of many...

We’ve written and spoken several times in recent years about the pros and cons of including private assets in portfolios (here and here and here), as we launched two infrastructure funds and a diversified private assets fund, for clients. As with all we do, we have strived for balance in our positioning of...

Leith Wheeler has engaged Canada Gives, a Canadian foundation that offers Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), to provide our clients with an effective philanthropic and tax planning tool. The following article outlines the potential benefits of the DAF structure. Donor Advised Funds are an exciting innovation in charitable giving that offers individual donors many...