Podcasts March 5, 2021

Strategies to Employ in the Last 5 Years Before Retirement

What steps should you consider taking to ensure a smooth transition into retirement? How should you handle your accounts over the next few years? What are the tax benefits of changing tax brackets? How to cope with your debt. Consider how your future health might be affected. When should CPP be taken? Do both you and your partner have the same ideal retirement in mind?
We answer these and many more questions today on ThinkSmart.

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TMFG is transparent on cost of what they do for clients and the various sources of investments we use. I don't remember that from the banks.

Mark and Donna

Carlo Cansino has been my Financial Advisor at The McClelland Financial Group since 2010. From the very first meeting, I knew I had made one of the best decisions of my life by placing my funds under his care. Carlo has always instilled confidence and trust. He is very easy to talk with on any topic, so I always look forward to my meetings with him.

Lois

Robert McClelland has an excellent team of dedicated and loyal staff members. Questions and concerns are always addressed promptly, and accurately, being passed to the “expert-in-charge,” of the specific issue.

Michelene and Tony

I have been very pleased with the advice and service as provided by The McClelland Financial Group (TMFG) under Assante Wealth Management, since joining them in February of 2011.

Joan

I then tested Assante Wealth Management – The McClelland Financial Group who have provided a full menu of financial planning options and guidance. My portfolio has increased even in the current economic downturn. This is due to a fully balanced approach to my portfolio with quarterly adjustments if necessary. I can now sleep soundly at night.

Eric

We have been very pleased with the management of our financial affairs by Robert and his partners during the recent years of market difficulties. As an engineer, structure is important and the McClelland Financial Group provides us with advice and plans in a structured way that is in sync with our thinking.

Howard

As an engineer, what I like is that your approach is independent and objective, logical and methodical and what you believe is best for clients, even if not necessarily aligned with corporate preferences. You provide well researched analyses to support decisions and plans, have a good communications strategy and willingly fulfill any request made of you.

The bottom line is that we are all getting the best monetary care, and I believe when it comes time to pass on our investments, the family has the opportunity for the best advice. Professional investors have the necessary knowledge in financial and estate planning affairs.

Pat

Disclaimer | Assante advisory services are offered through Assante Capital Management Ltd. Assante Capital Management Ltd. is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. The services described may not be applicable or available with respect to all clients. Services and products may be provided by an Assante advisor or through affiliated or non-affiliated third parties. Some services and products may not be available through all Assante advisors. Services may change without notice. Insurance products and services are provided through Assante Estate and Insurance Services Inc.

Know your Advisor: IIROC Advisor Report

Emily has volunteered for over 250 hours, maintained jobs throughout high school and graduated with a 96% average. A sports enthusiast in soccer, hockey and volleyball and now a freshman working towards her Hons.B.Sc., she has started her journey to pursue her goal of a medical degree and to eventually work in pediatric psychiatry or neurology.

Her mission statement discusses “Moving forward into my adult life I will maintain my strong work ethic and conduct myself with compassion and empathy. While staying true to my realism, I will set goals that will challenge myself and I will stop at nothing to work towards them.”

Her recommendations from various institutions repeated over and over again how wonderful a person Emily is becoming inside and out. An example of this is “Emily demonstrates a strong work ethic with an attention to detail that so few others her age do. She is a genuine leader and has the ability to command the respect of her peers while also being gifted at bringing out the best in others. She has an astonishing ability to illuminate the most complex of concepts to her classmates. She’s also the kind of person who can play three sets of volleyball and not break a sweat, and yet underneath her elegant surface lies a fierce competitor with an adventurous spirit. But perhaps what is more impressive, is her ability to balance her life as a student, an athlete, and an honorable citizen.”

Emily believes planning, research and budgeting are essential tools that contribute to financial responsibility and should be taught and practiced young. Many youths are being thrown into an adult world with the expectation of being financially independent with little or no experience managing money. Being able to plan and budget based can start as early as the use of an allowance in children.

Her current financial goal is to graduate university debt-free…Great Goal Emily!!!

Emily with all your motivation, spirit and drive we know you will do something great. So.. Get going. Move forward. Aim High.

Here at The McClelland Financial Group, we are proud to award Emily with a $1,500 scholarship. Emily, we are confident that you will succeed in whatever endeavour to which you set your mind. The world is yours to discover, and we are excited to hear updates on your journey in learning and knowledge.

Warm regards,
The McClelland Financial Group

THANK YOU LETTER FROM EMILY:

“Financial responsibility is a multifaceted skill that spans over generations and various scenarios in everyone’s lives. From learning to ration an allowance, to navigating post secondary expenses or opening an RESP, financial responsibility is the ability to plan based on financial knowledge, and more importantly execute that plan to the best of your abilities.

To me, this responsibility means creating budgets both long term and short term that allow me to pursue a post-secondary education in science and hopefully enter medical school debt free. By reducing expenses wherever possible, staying aware and knowledgeable about my financial position and continually working hard, my goal is to enter the work force in medicine either debt free or close to it.

This scholarship money has not only been a wonderful reinforcer of good time management habits and hard work, but will also be directly deposited into my savings for post-secondary tuition in order to help me achieve my goals of financial stability as a young adult. This has encouraged me to continue working hard and will be a great supplement for my educational savings.

I am extremely honoured to be a recipient of the award. I am extremely grateful for the recognition and support of my efforts in academics and the community. In my first few months in Life Science at McMaster University I have gained an even greater respect for the value of education and the financial investment it requires, and would just like to sincerely thank The McClelland Financial Group for all of their support in my educational endeavours.”

We are pleased to announce Liam Donaghy as the winner of the 2015 McClelland Scholarship in the amount of $1,500.

Liam is a recent graduate of Cardinal Carter Academy where he achieved honour roll status 4 times, and was accepted into university with a 92% average. But academics don’t tell the whole story. Liam was a member of the senior wind ensemble, played tennis and badminton and was an active tutor for his peers in math and science. He also participated in the Western University Science Olympics and received the top score for his school this year in the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest.

Liam’s extra curricular hobbies include playing piano, guitar and trumpet. He was the captain of his hockey team last year and the assistant coach for a younger team in the same league where he has played for the past 10 years. A true athlete, he also loves playing soccer and baseball, and even serves as an umpire for the North York Baseball Association…WOW Impressive!!!

Liam also believes in helping out his community and has been honoured to receive a bronze level of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in community service, skill development, physical recreation and outdoor adventure. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program is available to everyone. It allows individuals to challenge themselves and grow and mature in a supportive environment with their peers. Liam is also an active volunteer within his neighbourhood community centre. In the winter months he is part of a team which established a natural outdoor ice rink when a city counsellor sent out a call for help.

Liam says “My mission is to live a full and rewarding life surrounded by a supportive community of family, friends and colleagues. My goal is to live this life with financial stability, a social conscience and a passion for what brings me to work every day. Professionally, my ambition is to establish a career in the field of applied science, and continue to be a strong collaborator and lifelong learner.”

His current financial goal is to graduate university debt-free…Great Goal Liam!!!

Liam will start University in September 2015 in the Chemical Engineering Program. He has also qualified for the $2000 assurance scholarship program.

Liam you are definitely on your way to having a fantastic journey secured by your maturity and your motivation to succeed.

Here at The McClelland Financial Group, we are proud to award Liam with a $1,500 scholarship. Liam, we are confident that you will succeed in whatever endeavour to which you set your mind. The world is yours to discover, and we are excited to hear updates on your journey in learning and knowledge. Once again congratulations Liam; we hope this helps put a dent in your tuition.

Warm regards,
The McClelland Financial Group

THANK YOU LETTER FROM LIAM:

“Responsibility in any area of life starts with knowledge and includes a plan to apply that knowledge with commitment and accountability. For me, financial responsibility started with learning the value of money from a young age, as I was given the opportunity to practice earning, spending and saving money.

Making responsible financial decisions as a young adult requires some knowledge of money management principles along with conscious decision making. I make an effort to continuously consider needs versus wants, and look beyond immediate gain by setting my mind to long term goals. This has allowed me to effectively balance my income with wise spending, saving and investment choices. Thinking about potential purchases before swiping my debit card, as well as reviewing monthly bank statements, has helped me to avoid any accumulation of debt. This way I am able to keep my daily financial choices on track and aligned with my overall financial plan.

Setting saving goals for larger purchases, travel, education and potential emergencies are important to consider in advance. Something as simple as directly investing monetary gifts received on special occasions, has helped me to prepare for many of these longer term financial goals such as saving for post-secondary education.

I am honoured to receive this generous scholarship and am grateful to The McClelland Financial Group for the recognition and financial support this award offers me. I am looking forward to starting my undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at the University of Toronto this September. This scholarship will supplement my education savings fund and be applied directly to my university tuition.”

We are pleased to announce Jayme Stokes as the winner of the 2014 McClelland Scholarship in the amount of $1,500. As the 18-year-old granddaughter of one of our clients, Jayme has demonstrated academic excellence that she has balanced in tandem with her community service and extra-curricular activities. With a grade point average of 4.25 Jayme did not go unnoticed to her teachers and family. Her grandparents are particularly proud of her, raving to their financial advisor on what a spectacular young lady she has become. Jayme’s path has taken her into law enforcement, a career she has not chosen lightly. In order to focus more on her career path she has joined Centennial College to participate in a joint program with the Police Foundation. From there she would apply for criminology at the University of Toronto. Jayme has an application in to volunteer at OPP as part of their auxiliary team (volunteer citizen officers) which would allow her to broaden her knowledge in relation to criminology.

Jayme is not only an outstanding and focused student she was also engaged in high school clubs including the swim team, the choir club and the rowing crew. Her references note her as intelligent, confident, helpful, respectful and a born leader. Jayme’s mission in life is to be happy in what she does and participate in activities that will push her to be at her best. She wants to find a place in her life where she will be happy with her career and not let others dictate her emotions nor to settle for anything less then than that she is capable. Here at The McClelland Financial Group, we are proud to award Jayme with a $1,500 scholarship. Jayme, we are confident that you will succeed in whatever endeavour to which you set your mind. The world is yours to discover, and we are excited to hear updates on your journey in learning and knowledge. Once again congratulations Jayme; we hope this puts a dent in your tuition.

Warm regards,
The McClelland Financial Group

THANK YOU LETTER FROM JAYME:

“I would like to formally thank you for providing this opportunity for youth, and for me. I plan on putting all the money towards my next semester in school, and I cannot put forth enough thanks. Throughout everyone’s lives, at some point or another, working hard is inevitable. I have worked hard in school, managing to graduate a year early and maintain a 92 average throughout my first year of College. I haven’t achieved what I have for anyone but myself, to help myself move forward. However, being recognized for my hard work, and receiving help in continuing to achieve is beyond amazing. For this I thank you all.

So in case I haven’t said it enough, Thank you”

We are pleased to announce Jake Ranot as the 2013 winner of the 2013 McClelland Scholarship in the amount of $2,500. As the 18-year-old son of one of our clients, Jake has demonstrated academic excellence that he has balanced in tandem with his community service and extra-curricular activities. Jake’s academic standing of a 94% average was far from average. His efforts have paid off and earned him admission to study in London at Western University’s Biochemistry program. Jake is not only an outstanding student, he also engaged in various sports including serving as captain of his high school’s all-boys swim team in his final year, a football coach for the Toronto Flag Football League and has entered many races, including the Sporting Life 10k Run for Kids with Cancer. But it doesn’t stop there. Jake has co-founded a multicultural committee dedicated to engaging all Canadians in a celebration of diversity, was on his high school debate team, and served as a lifeguard and canoe specialist at a camp in Ottawa. Despite his youth, Jake has lofty goals and aspires to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree. Following his undergraduate studies, Jake hopes to gain admission to medical school, where he would like to work towards curing the world of one less disease in his lifetime. As Jake puts it, “My mission is to shape myself into a human scientist. The scientist will strive to make the world a better place by helping people live healthier lives. The human being will make the world a better place by touching people’s souls. My joy will come from these achievements.” Ah, to be young again! Here at The McClelland Financial Group, we are proud to award Jake with a $2,500 scholarship. Jake, we are confident that you will succeed in whatever endeavour you set your mind to. The world is yours to discover, and we are excited to hear updates on your journey in learning and knowledge. Once again congratulations Jake; we hope this puts a dent in your tuition.

Warm regards,
The McClelland Financial Group

THANK YOU LETTER FROM JAKE:

“I would like to thank Assante and everyone at The McClelland Financial Group for this scholarship. More important than the scholarship prize money itself was the recognition I felt. I work hard for my school marks and other accomplishments but one does not always see immediate results because they may actually be years away. That might discourage some and lead to reduced work efforts. Recognition like this helps remind me that working hard can be more than just its own reward. Thanks, Mr. McClelland I cannot think of anything smarter to do with my prize money than ask you to invest it for me in my TFSA.”

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The McClelland Financial Group | Assante Capital Management Ltd.