Being rich and being wealthy are two very different concepts, and understanding this distinction is crucial to living a richer life.

In today’s podcast we dive into how upbringing, environment and personal satisfaction, shape our views on money and happiness. And importantly, we'll discuss why your goal should be focused on building wealth, not the trappings of riches.

Resources:

• Financial Discussion Guide For Couples
• Episode 09: Money and Marriage - How To Discuss Money With Your Partner
• Episode 02: Goals Discovery - The Story of Grace Groner

Can investing in low volatility ETFs actually be the proverbial 'free lunch'? Is it actually possible to improve returns and reduce risk?

Our guest on the show is Chris Heakes, Director & Portfolio Manager at BMO Global Asset Management. Chris and I take a deep dive on Low Volatility Exchange-traded funds. We discuss what they are, how they work, how they've performed, and how they can actually help investors to achieve their goals.

Finally, we address what’s going on in the markets, why low volatility investments have become a critical part of so many investors' portfolios and how you can incorporate it into your strategy.

I can still remember that morning in March 1994 when I walked into my new office and began my career as an advisor. While the majority of the people who started with me in my rookie training class didn't make it- (the failure rate is quite high), this year in 2024, I’m proud to celebrate my 30th anniversary as a wealth advisor.

I’d like to think that I have learned a few good lessons throughout my career so I thought that in honour of my 30 years as a wealth advisor I’d dedicate this episode to sharing my top 30 lessons for investor success.

Resources

• Blog - 30 Lessons From 30 Years As A Wealth Advisor

In this episode I welcome back my wife Robin, a certified life coach and member of our Living Richer Wealth Team. Today we’ll highlight our six top tips to making a smooth transition into being an empty nester, which include:

1. Understanding that for everything there is a season
2. Focusing on physical health
3. Celebrating your child’s independence
4. Finding your purpose and feeding your passions
5. Making plans
6. Improving your financial health

Resources:

• How a PR pro who can't add ended up in financial services.

In this episode of Living Richer, I share with you the top lessons I have learned from the world’s best investor – Warren Buffett. His advice is pretty simple and definitely worth a listen for any investor.

Finding the right wealth advisor is a consequential decision and one that shouldn’t be rushed into. It’s a relationship that will hopefully last for years and have a big impact on your long-term financial wellbeing. But how do you go about finding the right person?

In today’s episode, I’m going to break down for you the key steps to take and share what I believe are the 10 most important questions to ask a prospective advisor. We’ll also talk about the red flags you should watch out for, so that by the end of this episode, you’ll feel well-equipped to begin your search.

Resources:

• Living Richer Wealth Management - Home Page
• Search for advisor records

2023 was a year of rapidly rising interest rates and inflation that has forced us all to consider cost-saving opportunities. That’s where tax planning come in - after all, it’s not what you make, it’s what you keep! As we approach year-end, there are a few strategies that you might want to take advantage of to reduce your current and future tax bill. In this episode we’ll cover:

· Important tax dates (2:50)

· Where to get started (4:52)

· Important moves to consider (6:42)

· Reviewing your portfolio’s tax efficiency (9:45)

· Retirement planning (12:19)

· Education funding options (14:42)

· Estate planning & charitable giving (16:41)

If you’re in a high tax bracket and looking for ways to minimize this cost, don’t miss this episode!

Resources:

Tax Planning Guide

With higher inflation, higher interest rates, a potential recession on the horizon and economic headlines flooded with negativity, many are feeling scared and concerned about their financial future.

In this episode, my associate, Carol da Silva and I address some of the concerns we’ve heard from clients and listeners. Some of the topics we discuss:

1. Why having a solid financial plan is helpful and the importance of taking inventory of where you are when circumstances change (I go through this exercise in detail in Ep.3 Financial Discovery).

2. Re-evaluating your goals (I also take a deeper dive into goal setting in Ep. 2 Goals Discovery) and making any necessary tweaks to ensure you stay on-track to meet them.

3. Important things to consider when reviewing your budget and deciding how to allocate your savings during leaner times.

4. For those in retirement, who are drawing from investments to meet your lifestyle needs, I also share some strategies that could be beneficial in our current economic environment. If you’re feeling anxious about your financial future, be sure to give this episode a listen and take a look at the resources linked below.

• Living Richer Wealth Management Website - Link to our website
• Connect with us on Facebook
• Connect with us on Instagram
• Priorities Checklist / Values Map
• Detailed Budget Worksheet