Tim Nash, CFP®

In this clip from our latest podcast with @shanleesimmons, she explains the fee-only financial planning model and why it’s becoming more mainstream in Canada.

Episode #36 is out now! Our guest this episode is @AravindSitham, a financial planner at Ironwood Wealth Management Group. Earlier this year, Aravind earned his CFP® designation with the highest exam score in the country, placing him at the top of the CFP® Exam President’s List, and was also selected for @OfficialFPCan’s Emerging Leader’s Award. In this conversation, Dave and Aravind walk through what great financial planning actually looks like in practice. They discuss the “financial quarterback” model, Aravind's four-step process for investing and why assessing true risk tolerance goes far beyond a simple questionnaire. Aravind explains how biology and financial stress affect investor behaviour, why unusually high returns are unlikely to last forever and how personal preferences should factor into a well-designed plan. The episode also dives into estate and tax planning topics that are often overlooked—from common estate planning mistakes and the risks of joint accounts to when RRSPs should be left to an estate, how taxes work at death and traps grandparents can fall into with RESPs. The conversation wraps up with a practical comparison of TFSAs vs. RRSPs, a discussion on alternative investments and Aravind’s personal story about discovering The Wealthy Barber. Whether you’re building your first financial plan or refining an existing one, this episode is packed with clear, thoughtful insights from one of Canada’s brightest young planners. Listen now on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Sizable revisions, dating back years, to Canada's GDP is one of the more underreported stories of the past week. Bottom line: Canada economy was in much stronger shape prior to trade conflict than originally believed. Chart, via @globeandmail, tells the story: