As we dive into the second half of 2023, it’s an exciting and crucial time for investors like you and me. We find ourselves at the crossroads of economic recovery, policy shifts, technological breakthroughs, and geopolitical events that have the potential to shape the financial markets in significant ways. In this article, let’s embark on a personal journey as we explore the key factors to keep an eye on from a financial market perspective in the latter half of 2023.

Rising interest rates, high inflation, recession fears, political stalemates, and war are some of the headlines we have become accustomed to seeing every day over the past two years. With so many such headlines, it can be hard to focus on the long term. While navigating these troubling waters, some may find themselves inadvertently making financial mistakes that can have a serious impact at retirement. One of the more common, and potentially devastating, mistakes is selling your investments to buy GICs or other guaranteed investments when markets are in a downturn. This is why having a financial plan, owning quality securities, and being prepared is so critical to financial success.

Life insurance is not just a “death benefit.” It’s an important tool that can help save money and transfer wealth, particularly for individuals with high net worth.
Throughout my 30-year career, I have observed some common misconceptions about life insurance products. For many, life insurance is simply a reliable, long-term way to make sure their loved ones are financially secure after they pass. While this is true, for wealthier individuals, there’s much more that life insurance can do.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about mortgage renewals – not surprising, given the steady rise of mortgage rates over the last couple of years. People with mortgages renewing in 2023 and even 2024 are justifiably concerned about what their new mortgage will cost, what impact it will have on their cash flow, and whether or not they will even be able to pass the stress test with today’s rates!

Our primary goal is to ensure Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs) and Wire orders are initiated, executed, and approved in a secure manner while meeting the needs of our clients. We want to ensure that you receive your fund requests when you need it; for example, buying a new car or any other purchase.

Please be reminded of the following process to ensure no delays are encountered for funding requests.

Don’t miss watching Ottawa’s CTV Morning Live Segment where I talk about the topic of Re-Embracing The 40 Year Mortgage

Capital Wealth Partners Wins Wealth Managemtn Firm of the Year for 2023!

I will begin by wishing everyone a wonderful new year full of good health and happiness. Let’s focus on what we can control, our own actions, whether individually or together for the betterment of all and to reflect positive outcomes.

For those who long to buy their first home, there is some much-needed help coming in 2023. This new registered plan would give prospective first-time home buyers the ability to save up to $40,000 on a tax-free basis, contributing a maximum of $8,000 per year. Like a Registered Retirement Savings…

You’ve worked hard and saved for your retirement, and you want to protect your income. This forgotten gem has been overlooked for many years due to the past low-interest rate environment.
An income annuity is a financial product that provides you with a guaranteed regular income. Typically, it is used during your retirement years and offered by an annuity provider, such as a life insurance company. When you buy an annuity, the insurance company will pay you, the annuitant, a regular income for a fixed term or the rest of your life, no matter how long you live – so you can expect regular, predictable, and stable income, no matter what happens to your other sources of income or the economy.

Although it may seem early, it is never too early to start thinking about the upcoming tax season! We will be sending out a client communication in early February with detailed information on our tax preparation services, but we want to let all clients know that we are once again offering our popular tax preparation services for the 2022 tax year.

The holiday season is upon us, bringing an end to a tumultuous year. 2022 saw inflation reach levels not seen for 40 years, followed by substantial interest rate hikes. From March to December, the Bank of Canada raised its policy rate by a whopping 4.0%, causing some stress for Canadian homeowners, particularly those with variable-rate mortgages. If you have a variable-rate mortgage, these rate hikes may have you thinking about converting (or “locking in”) to a fixed rate, if your lender allows you to do so. Of course, this then commits you to a new mortgage term with your current lender. Let’s look at the potential upsides and downsides of making the switch.