fr i d ay, j a n u a ry 1 4 , 2 0 1 1 T h e Va n c o uve r Co u r i e r
$ense special advertising feature
Protect your financial well-being: Ask the right questions
N
ow more than ever, Canadians are in need of sound financial advice. Shopping is practically a national pastime, the economy continues to be uncertain, and many people can barely make sense of their bank statements. What’s a person to do? Seeking professional financial advice may be the key. But it’s important that Canadians know that in most provinces in Canada, there is no government regulation dictating who can call themselves a “financial planner” – it’s a buyer beware environment. “It’s never enough to go with instinct or hire someone simply because they appear trustworthy,” says Cary List, president and CEO, FPSC. “Referrals are good, but you should always check into a person’s credentials and professional history.” Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) offers the following tips for hiring a financial planner: • Narrow, aggressive or vague pitches should be approached with scepticism. Situations where significant life savings are allocated to an individual or that boast too-good-to-be-true investment returns should be considered red flags. • Ask about credentials. Beware of the alphabet soup of letters that don’t really mean anything when it comes to ethics, competence and the ability to provide sound advice and service. Certified financial planner (CFP) professionals must meet rigorous standards of education, examination, experience and ethics in financial planning.
• Make sure the individual is accountable to a professional body. Canadians can file a complaint with FPSC should they feel their certified financial planner has not lived up to her ethical obligations. • Insist on a written letter outlining specific terms of the engagement and never sign anything you aren’t clear about. Don’t accept somebody’s word – get it in writing.
EW21
fund what you support with an RRSP at www. ccec.bc.ca | 604.254.4100 | 2250 Commercial Drive Vancouver
FRAME YOUR
FUTURE
And remember: financial planning is about more than investing. It includes household budgeting, tax, retirement, estate planning, investing, debt and risk management. Visit www.fpsc.ca to read “10 Questions to ask Your Planner” or to find a certified financial planner professional in your community. Info. courtesy www.newscanada.com
There’s more Financial $ense Watch for the Feb. 4 and 18 editions of the Vancouver Courier, where Financial Sense will showcase some moneysaving tips and RRSP / tax advantage info. from our prestigious finance experts, right here in Vancouver.
with a RRSP from G&F Financial Group Visit one of our Vancouver branches today and get the credit union advantage!
To advertise on these pages, call a Courier sales rep. at 604-738-1412.
41st Avenue Branch 2735 East 41st Avenue 604-437-4774
Main Street Branch 1-2949 Main Street 604-879-7131
Hastings Branch 803 East Hastings Street 604-254-9811
www.GFFG.com
SIX MISTAKES RETIREES MAKE WITH THEIR FINANCES And How to Avoid Them For investors over 55 who are planning to retire or have already retired and want to avoid costly mistakes YOUR PRESENTER
TOPICS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
TIME
Start 2011 on the Right Financial Foot A Retiree’s Biggest Mistake and How to Avoid it Three Ways to Get an Immediate Increase in Your Income The Pitfalls of Joint Ownership Investment Choices that could cause you to outlive your money Common & Costly Errors Made By Investors When Buying Mutual Funds
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 3:30pm-5:00pm KERRISDALE COMMUNITY CENTRE • 5851 W. Boulevard, Van.
Jim Doyle, CFP, CLU, CDFA, TEP, has been addressing the needs of successful professionals, business owners and retirees, providing extensive advice in the areas of investment, retirement and estate planning for over 21 years. As a Certified Financial Planner professional, Jim is known for his ability to take complex tax and financial planning concepts and make them easy to understand. He works collaboratively with your lawyers, accountants and other professional advisors. Along with his professional designations, Jim has been quoted in the National Post, Financial Times, the Province and the Vancouver Sun. He has appeared on the CityTV Morning Show and the Bill Good show. He has conducted seminars on financial planning for the Legal Education Society, as well as, appeared as a guest speaker at numerous other public seminars.
Seats are FREE but LIMITED. Call Trish Javier 604-682-5431, ext 243 (24 hours) to reserve seating