First and foremost, we are a service firm, not a sales organization. No one here is paid a front end or deferred sales commission. Our simple but sound investments are not dogged with sales fees and we outsource almost all of our administration to keep transaction costs low. And the accounts we suggest don’t require constant maintenance. They’re already smart. Costs here are often much lower than they are with banks, stock brokers and other mutual fund salespeople.
This is how we make our money.
When you purchase a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, there is no cost to you. We are paid a finder’s fee from the financial institution with which the GIC is placed. That company pays us ¼ of 1% of the amount invested per year. You pay us nothing.
Here’s how it works with Mutual Funds. The funds we offer are done so without any front-end sales fee. Nor do we use funds with any deferred sales charge that could penalize you in the future should you wish to get out. Further, we recommend funds that have lower management fees – about 1.7% per annum. (Why pay for something you don’t have to?) We earn our money based on the trailer fees paid by the mutual fund companies which vary from ¼ to 1%.
Here’s an example of what this all means. On an account with 50% in funds and 50% in GICs, the fees you pay would work out to less than 1% of your total investment. For real.
Accounts that total less than $500,000 pay an annual custodian fee of $150 +HST.
