Caring for Clients Newsletters

Caring for Clients produces and posts a quarterly newsletter to keep our clients and potential clients informed about current market conditions, tax tips, recent news and other money related matters.

Fall 2011

Third Quarter, 2011

We hope you had a wonderful summer and are enjoying easing into the fall season. The end of the summer brought with it tumultuous market activity and we are now navigating our way through the bumps in the road. Although it is easy to get caught up in news headlines of Europe’s financial woes, debt defaults and bailouts, we are here to help clients stay level headed and focused on their goals, despite market volatility. Too often do emotions get the better of us when it comes to investing. It is during these emotional times that it is most important to step back and look at the bigger picture of financial realties and the opportunities that present themselves during these periods of volatility. Hugh McLelland, Chairman and CEO of Queensbury Securities Inc., provides his market insights and wisdom in his September 2011 Market Outlook.

In our pursuit to help keep our clients on track to meet their financial goals, part of this process involves stepping back and revisiting the objectives and investment strategies that were laid out during the initial financial planning process. It is at this juncture when an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) comes in especially handy. An IPS acts as an important reference point for a client’s original needs and goals. Our own Rona Birenbaum describes the importance and use of an IPS in Rob Carrick’s article in the Globe and Mail, Make sure you and your adviser are on the same page.

It is a given that we expect transparency in the investment world, where our hard earned assets are being stowed, whether it be for the short or long term. The same transparency should be available in terms of how our charitable dollars are being allocated within the respective charities we support. Moneysense.ca delved into this issue in their article, The 2011 Charity 100. These top 100 Canadian charities are ranked on how efficiently their charity dollars are used. This listing acts as a valuable reference point to see how the charities we donate to are fulfilling their mandates.

Although transparency is essential in many aspects of life, we enjoy having the freedom to choose how public our personal and business lives are. With social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn abounding, the use of our personal information can go deeper than we might think. Steve Woodruff’s article, A Box You Want to Uncheck on LinkedIn, explains the intricacies of LinkedIn’s ability to use members’ names and photos for third party advertising, by default.

In closing, the following is a quick reference list of the recent blog and news items that have been posted on www.caringforclients.com since the last quarter, if you would like to check them out:

Money Insights Blog postings:
• The latest on the European fiscal crisis
• The risks of leveraged investing
• Earthquakes and Bear Markets
• Cash Flow 101 – A non-credit University course
• Why you need an Investor Policy Statement
• Synergy Part II – Overall coverage limitations

News postings:
• Helping your children
• Why entrepreneurs need a parallel plan
• Reverse mortgages
• How clients can use insurance to minimize estate taxes
• Are you getting the most out of your RESPs?
• Make sure you and your adviser are on the same page
• Upside to slowing economy
• Building wealth with IPPs

In light of the uncertain financial times we are facing, we are always here to discuss your financial planning needs and goals at any time. If you would like to discuss your portfolio, or any other financial planning matter, please feel free to contact us at any time by phone or email.

Best regards,

Rona, Clifford, Emily & Alexandra

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The information in this newsletter is general information only and is not intended to constitute specific legal, accounting, financial or tax advice for any individual. Mutual funds only provided through Queensbury Strategies Inc.