What our prospects ask us

An investment advisor builds and monitors your portfolio. A financial planner (Pl. Fin.) holds a Québec accreditation covering seven domains: personal finance, investments, tax, retirement, estate, protection, and legal. At De Longpre, mandates are led by planners — a higher standard than simple portfolio management.

[to be filled — to confirm with Marina: fees, commissions, hybrid structure]. We believe in full transparency on compensation and discuss it openly at the first meeting, before any commitment.

Yes. Transfers between financial institutions are routine and, in most cases, have no tax impact (T2033 form for RRSPs, direct transfer for TFSAs). We handle the full administrative process. Depending on your situation, we can consolidate your accounts or maintain certain existing structures if they serve your strategy.

Yes. Estate planning is part of our core practice — not an ancillary service. We coordinate transfer strategies with your notary and tax advisor: will, testamentary trust, estate freeze, beneficiary designations, taxation at death. The goal: a coherent plan, not a sum of isolated decisions.

[to be filled — to confirm with Marina]. We take on clients at different stages of wealth-building, and our mandates adapt to the complexity of each situation rather than a rigid threshold.

Three steps: a realistic retirement budget (including travel and surprises), a 25-30 year projection accounting for inflation and decumulation sequence, and several risk scenarios. 61% of Canadians fear running out — often wrongly. A numbers-based plan dissolves that fear.

To minimize tax in your lifetime: start RRSP/RRIF withdrawals early (60-65), top up with the non-registered account, save the TFSA for last. If the priority is maximizing the estate, the order changes. Never a generic answer — built from your objectives.

No. No funds ever pass through a representative’s hands — no cash, no cheques. The financial institutions withdraw directly from the client’s bank account, and the money is invested with recognized institutions (Fidelity, Manulife, AGF, Mackenzie, CI Investments, BMO Investments, and others). The advisor’s role is to analyze your situation, recommend a suitable strategy, and follow up over time. Advisors are service intermediaries and never hold your funds personally.

You have access at all times: secure online platforms with returns updated daily, official statements every quarter (by mail or online), and the Investia mobile app. You can track your investments independently, as often as you like.

Your investments are held at regulated institutions overseen by the AMF and both levels of government. You receive official statements issued directly by those institutions, and you are protected by CDIC deposit insurance. Transactions are regulated and traceable, and every representative must maintain a clean record, with no complaints to the CSF or the AMF.

In those cases, the money was cashed directly by the fraudulent firm, at a time when the industry was far less regulated. In your situation: your money is held by a recognized, independent institution, you receive confirmations directly from that institution, and the money never passes through the representative’s account. Today, it is the fund company that withdraws from and deposits directly into your account.

In Quebec, only 3% of advisors hold the financial planner designation. This designation allows for in-depth advice covering legal aspects, insurance, investments, retirement, personal and corporate taxation, finance, and estate planning. Each planner on the team has deep expertise in specific areas, which provides a far more comprehensive approach than an advisor specialized solely in investments or insurance — reviewing protection mandates, wills, cohabitation agreements, and marriage contracts; analyzing corporate structures for tax optimization; and advanced financial planning for retirement or death.

It depends on the interest rate of the debt and your attitude toward risk. If the debt costs more than the potential return on investments, it is generally better to pay it down. If it costs less, investing may be advantageous. Above all, we consider your attitude toward risk.

In a diversified portfolio, even an aggressive one, a 100% loss is extremely unlikely. To lose everything, every company you are invested in would have to go bankrupt at the same time — highly improbable. Your money is spread across several types of companies and bonds, across different sectors, with geographic diversification.

During the 2008 financial crisis, mutual funds saw a decline of roughly 30 to 35% at their worst point. A 30% loss does not materialize until a withdrawal is made from the account. Normally, by staying invested, it takes about 1 to 2 years to recover from a significant loss.

A single index, however strong, does not provide complete diversification. Investing only in the S&P 500 means being concentrated in a single market — the United States — and exposed to a few dominant sectors such as technology: too many eggs in one basket. Diversification spreads risk across several countries and economies, includes different asset types (stocks, bonds), and reduces the impact of a decline in any single market. In a downturn, a diversified portfolio often holds up better and the overall decline is cushioned.

The main difference is freedom of choice. An independent planner can offer investments from several institutions, selects products based on their relevance and performance, tailors recommendations to your situation, and is not tied to a fixed product lineup. A bank mainly offers its own products, has a more limited selection, and may propose in-house solutions even when better options exist elsewhere; staff turnover at banks also weakens the trust relationship. Note: bank products can be relevant and are used when appropriate, in the client’s interest — the difference is the ability to compare and choose.

There is no fee for a first in-home meeting.

Our firm holds over 100 years of cumulative experience in financial advice and financial planning.

Our values are centred on advice rather than product, on efficient portfolio management, and on optimizing gains and tax planning.

Financial planner; alternative markets licence; exchange-traded funds (ETFs); derivatives; financial security advisor; accident and sickness insurance advisor; group insurance and annuities advisor; segregated funds advisor; mutual fund dealing representative, registered with Investia Financial Services Inc.