Financial Advice

Harold Geller joins Jason to walk through what onboarding with a financial advisor should look like. The episode covers how thorough discovery and risk assessment distinguish a planner from a salesperson, what client-focused reforms require, and which signs suggest a rushed, product-first process.

Aaron Hector, President of the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners, profiles the Registered Financial Planner designation. The conversation covers the demanding qualification process and peer review behind the RFP, and what to look at beyond a sales title when choosing a planner in a largely unregulated field.

Tasha Batstone, President and CEO of FP Canada, explains the standards behind the CFP and QAFP designations. Listeners learn why the financial planner title is not protected everywhere, what the education, examination, experience, and ethics requirements involve, and how to verify a planner's credentials.

Julia Chung, chair of the Financial Planning Association of Canada, discusses professionalizing financial planning and what a fiduciary standard means. The episode explains why fiduciary duty is not universal in Canadian advice and which questions help identify an advisor working in the client's best interest.

Mohamad Sawwaf, co-founder of Manzil, explains Islamic finance and the challenges it poses for Muslim business owners in Canada. Listeners will hear how shared-risk, asset-backed structures satisfy faith requirements, and why infrastructure gaps have left Muslims with low homeownership and capital markets participation.

Fee-only planner and Boomer and Echo blogger Robb Engen discusses when DIY investors turn to professional advice. He covers trigger events like pension commuted values and inheritances, the risk a surviving spouse faces inheriting a DIY portfolio, and the validator model of seeking a second set of eyes.

What should Canadians look for when hiring a financial advisor? Author John DeGoey joins Jason Pereira to break down the questions worth asking, from requesting a fee breakdown in writing to why the advisor who sets return expectations lowest is often the most credible.

Susan O'Brien, founder of Net Worth Thinking, talks about raising money-smart kids. Listeners will hear at what age money coaching can begin, practical ways to encourage children to save, and why teaching kids about the needs of others matters as much as their own.

Kam Chari, with four decades in the insurance industry, walks through the seven stages of financial planning. The discussion covers how insurance and retirement plans fit different life stages and what to consider when timing Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits.

Commercial lawyer Romesh Hettiarachchi challenges how business owners work with their lawyers. Listeners will learn the four ways owners typically use legal counsel, why alternative fee arrangements can change the relationship, and the five pressures reshaping the legal profession.

Lawyer Harold Geller, who represents clients harmed by poor financial advice, explains how to tell good advice from bad. Listeners will hear which red flags to watch for in an advisor's communication and why a second opinion can help before pursuing legal action after a major loss.

Financial Planning for Canadian Business Owners is Jason Pereira's weekly show for entrepreneurs at every stage, from startup to sale. Each episode features experts on the tax, legal, succession, and personal questions that come with running a business, helping listeners learn what good advice looks like.