blog search
Blog
Robyn Thompson chosen for 5-Star Leading Women in Wealth Award
Robyn Thompson, CFP, founder and president of Castlemark Wealth Management has been chosen as a recipient of the 2021 5-Star Leading Women in Wealth Award by Wealth Professional Canada magazine. The award is given to 50 women who tackled the turbulent climate of...
Elements of teaching kids about money
First steps to financial literacy We are becoming an increasingly cashless society. And where we once taught our kids about money by “saving their pennies” in a piggybank, pennies have disappeared. Eventually, so will nickels, and possibly dimes. As society...
Elements of registered savings plans
First steps to financial literacy When it comes to registered savings plans, Canadians have two popular options: Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs). Each has its advantages and drawbacks. But ultimately, there’s no...
Elements of life insurance
First steps to financial literacy Life insurance and related products come in many different variations. These include life insurance policies, segregated funds, and annuities. Sometimes, it seems, there are too many variations, most of them confusing and seemingly...
Elements of budgeting
First steps to financial literacy For most people, “budget” is the ultimate financial six-character four-letter word. It’s viewed as a distasteful chore, and something to be avoided. And often, even if an attempt at budgeting is made, it’s soon set aside as...
Money management rules
Learn the basics of securing your financial future If you’ve taken sensible financial advice and are committed to a regular savings and investment program, you might have already built up a substantial nest egg in your RRSPs and TFSAs. If you are, in fact, in this...
The women’s financial guide to divorce
Separation and divorce are extremely stressful life changes. But add the challenges of dividing assets and sorting out finances, and the stress level goes right though the red zone, especially for women, who often have greater financial needs when custody of...
How advisors manage ethical dilemmas
How do advisors deal with conflicts of interest, client disputes, and other ethical dilemmas? Check Robyn’s views in this report in Investment Executive on the Knowledge Bureau’s 2021 virtual Distinguished Advisors Conference (DAC) panel on building ethical...
Blurring the line between active and passive portfolios
Refining your investment style from a menu of choices “Active” and “passive” portfolio management used to be fairly straightforward. Active investors traded frequently in individual stocks in an effort to beat the market, while passive investors relied on...
How to pay for that massive tuition bill during the pandemic
Additional financial pressure due to the lack of job opportunities and increasing debt load have piled on the financial stress for both parents in students coming into the 2021 fall semester. In this BNN Bloomberg article, Robyn Thompson offers some advice on the...
How to deal with RESP uncertainties
This second year of the pandemic has resulted in a new set of questions about RESPs as a new school year gets underway. In this Globe and Mail article, Robyn Thompson has some pointers on RESP catch-up on contributions, stock market worries, and taking a year...
Six advisory traps and pitfalls to watch for
How to ensure you get value for the cost of advice The financial advice business is a big one. Advocis, the Financial Advisors Association of Canada, represents more than 17,000 members across the country. And the Investment Funds Institute of Canada reports that...