In recent months, several Canadian investment managers have delivered tough news to clients: withdrawals were being restricted in private asset strategies due to “gating” of redemptions. In this edition of Quiet Counsel, we explore what’s driving this environment for private asset investing and how we approach these investments in our own clients’ balanced...

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of entering your retirement years? Do you see a tropical, sunny beach vacation, or maybe golfing with your friends? What most people don’t think about are the costs associated with advancing in age. In this article, I’ll explore the estimated costs...

Key Takeaways Canadian equities offer value. Attractive valuations make them worth a closer look. After-tax returns matter. Taxes can materially erode your investment gains. Dividends from Canadian stocks are more tax-efficient than from foreign equities, or interest income. Asset location is critical. Holding the right investments in the right accounts can improve your...

At Leith Wheeler, we unfortunately hear too many stories about financial abuse of elders – with it either affecting clients, their friends, or their family. A still-grieving widow is befriended by a younger ‘friend,’ who visits her frequently sharing his stories of financial woe and extracting hundreds of thousands. A mother with early-onset...

As I sit down to write this edition of Quiet Counsel, it’s shocking to realize it’s only been a little over six weeks since the “Liberation Day” tariff announcements sent global economies and markets into a tailspin. For our team it’s become a daily task to remain current on the state of US...

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...