Managing Your Finances

Managing finances is a basic component of any financial plan. Along with the protection offered through insurance and the goal setting provided by investment choices, money management strategies help you manage your savings on a daily basis. From investment planning to tax planning strategies, we can help you manage your money as effectively as possible, giving careful consideration to your personal situation.

For Individuals

  • Investment Planning
  • College Planning  
  • Tax Planning
  • Retirement Planning
  • Succession Planning

For Businesses

  • Investment Planning for Business Owners /Executives
  • Business Succession Planning
  • Retirement Planning for Business Owners / Executives
  • Qualified (401 k) Plans for businesses

Investing

Chances are your approach to investing will be directly affected by your stage of life,  Young couples have different needs than mid-career families or retirees. But no matter your personal situation, we can help you develop a financial plan that will lay a strong foundation for your future.

Younger individuals and couples are afforded a number of benefits in terms of financial management. Low insurance costs and a long investment horizon, combined with fewer responsibilities, can make for an excellent financial opportunity. We can help you build on these advantages.

Retirees have worked hard at their careers, and now is the time for relaxation and celebration. Chances are children have moved from home, mortgages are more manageable and a few investments might have come to fruition. However, income levels may have dropped after retirement. Find out how to manage your finances and taxes in a way that allows you to fully enjoy the fruits of your hard work.

In short, no matter your life stage, we will help you build an investment plan tailored to your specific situation.

Tax Planning

No one likes taxes. But through the advice of a professional financial advisor, you can access products and services that help ease the burden. Charitable contributions, life insurance policies and investment products can all be useful tools in an effective tax strategy. Working together, we will analyze your personal situation and design a tax plan that fits your needs.

We offer a variety of products and services, such as:

  • Income-splitting for spouses or common-law couples.
  • Charitable donations, which benefits important not-for-profit work and allows donors to maximize tax credits.
  • Life insurance products that build tax-advantaged capital for retirement.
  • Investment products that provide maximum tax advantage.

We can help you learn more about tax-planning products and services that are specifically tailored for your needs.

Estate Planning

Preparing for succession after death is often a difficult discussion topic, but it is also an important part of any comprehensive financial plan.

We can help you and your loved ones approach succession planning in a constructive and considerate manner that minimizes potential problems and assures they are well cared for in the event of your death.  We will work with your legal advisor, or refer you to a lawyer who specializes in estate planning, to help you consider the advantages and disadvantages of different types of trust, trust owned life insurance, will preparation, as well as help review and coordinate other estate planning documents.

Life insurance can ease the financial burden and provide security for your loved ones in the event of your death. A lump-sum payment can be used for mortgage costs or to supplement lost income, helping your successors during a difficult period. Financial security and stability can make it easier to cope with the loss of a loved one.

A will or trust will provide a means to guide your loved ones through the succession process. By naming your executors and providing instructions on the distribution of your estate, your surviving loved ones avoid having to guess your wishes. Rather than provincial law determining how your assets are to be divided-a situation that can result in lengthy court proceedings-a clear, carefully considered written will or trust provides instructions to your successors. Save your loved ones the stress of dealing with financial issues by planning for your succession while you are alive.

Financial Planning for Business Owners

Business owners face unique challenges-and opportunities- in terms of financial planning. You've worked hard to develop your ideas into a successful business, or perhaps you're considering moving into self-employment. Regardless of your situation, we will help you choose a financial planning strategy that takes advantage of your unique situation.

If you are considering self -employment, we can help you review and revise your financial plan. Working together, we will help you adjust from a situation where a previous employer might have provided benefits, such as health or life insurance or a company pension.   

Tax planning is another important component of a strong business strategy. Depending on your business, consideration may include paying wages or collecting Goods and Services Tax (GST).You may also need to make quarterly tax installments. As well, you can take advantage of capital cost allowances on equipment such as computers or vehicles, and business expenses such as advertising, salaries, or travel.

No matter what stage of growth your business is in, we will work with your other advisors and help you design a tax-efficient business planning strategy.

Business Succession Planning

You worked hard to develop a business, and now is time to enjoy the results. Many entrepreneurs spend years of focused effort building a business, but then fail to consider how to make the transition to retirement. A financial advisor can offer professional advice in how to plan an effective business succession strategy.

Entrepreneurs can work to turn business equity into capital that can be used to fund retirement. A financial advisor can help business owners with tax-effective retirement strategies, as well as help consider the best approach for asset sale or stock sale types of transitions.

Very commonly, a business owner's largest asset is the business itself.  Although estate tax laws have changed considerably the last few years, a careful review will quickly help one determine if their estate is subject to estate taxes.   Use of trust to move assets out of the estate is a common strategy that we have dealt with many times.  Moving existing life insurance policies (which most commonly add assets to the estate, thereby increasing estate taxes even further) to a trust is also an important consideration.  

Owners of smaller businesses may not have an estate tax liability, but can still benefit from a plan that ensures an equal legacy for their successors. A financial advisor can help entrepreneurs plan an inheritance that is fairly distributed among all loved ones. We are anxious to discuss business succession strategies with you.

Butler Financial Services and LPL Financial do not provide legal/tax advice or services.