August 15, 2018
| Planning Matters
| 7 min read
Strategies for Cottage Ownership and Transfers
There was a day a few years ago when my cottage was much simpler to look after. I used to drive to Muskoka on the first long weekend in the summer and, in a total of 12 minutes, have the place ready to go. It was called a tent, and it came with...
May 16, 2018
| Quiet Counsel
| 7 min read
Value Through the Cycle
Being a “value” investor through a growth market cycle requires patience and discipline, and this past decade has required a bigger dose than usual of both. But a look at the many factors that have driven this growth run and how they have been rapidly changing of late makes a compelling case that...
May 15, 2018
| Planning Matters
| 7 min read
Managing Capacity: Planning for the Risk of Dementia
It’s human nature to avoid thinking about the fallibility of our bodies – that we might one day lose the use of our legs, or our eyes, or our minds. Perhaps it is in our DNA, an automatic suppression of the consequences of our natural decay, like the fading memory of a first...
March 06, 2018
| Planning Matters
| 5 min read
Introduction
In managing our clients’ wealth at Leith Wheeler over the past 36 years, we’ve worked with many families as they have developed intergenerational tax and estate plans. Our role is to ensure that our clients own their assets in the manner that will meet their long-term objectives, on an after-tax basis. As part...
February 16, 2018
| Quiet Counsel
| 8 min read
Reefing the Main: Our Tempered Investment Outlook for 2018
An old sailing adage states that “the time to reef is when you first think of it.” Reefing is the practice of reducing the area of your sail in anticipation of rough weather. You will seldom regret reefing early and you will almost always regret reefing late. In our view, this metaphor is...
February 07, 2017
| Quiet Counsel
| 8 min read
Picking Stocks: Lessons Learned Over The Past 30 years
I was recently reflecting on the many lessons I have learned over my career as an equity analyst at Leith Wheeler. I thought I would describe the following four lessons as well as some of the mistakes I have made over the years.Lesson 1: The stock market is a para-mutual betting system. This...
August 11, 2008
| Planning Matters
| 1 min read
Thank You
Thank you for reading the inaugural edition of our Planning Matters report. Our intention is to offer insight into areas outside of the investing topics that we explore each quarter in our Investment Outlook. The world of “ Personal Finance ” is very large and we will be tapping into the minds of...
August 11, 2008
| Planning Matters
| 6 min read
The Responsibilities of an Executor
The Responsibilities of an Executor One of the most important decisions in preparing a Will is choosing an executor. However, all too often insufficient time is spent on this critical decision. Usually, a family member or friend is chosen without recognizing that being an executor is very demanding and time consuming. In order...
August 11, 2008
| Planning Matters
| 4 min read
Powers of Attorney
Powers of Attorney If you were in an accident that left you unable to manage your financial affairs, do you have someone you trust who could manage your affairs? Have you appointed that person to be your “ attorney ” under a power of attorney document? If not, you may be surprised to...