The document discusses strategies for protecting assets during life changes like marriage, divorce, and separation. It profiles Anna and Arthur, who are getting divorced after 20 years of marriage. It then provides tips for building wealth over the long term through consistent savings and investment, the importance of financial planning and protection before and during marriage, and dividing assets post-divorce. The document emphasizes starting savings and investments early to benefit from compound returns and outlines services available from lawyers and financial planners to help navigate asset protection.

1. Protecting Your Assets
Carolyn Chambers | Associate Lawyer, Gelman & Associates
Stacey He | Financial Planner For Busy Career Professionals, Investors Group
“Like a great car, the best advisory relationship has to be reliable, has to suit your style,
and has to take you exactly where you want to go.”

2. Protecting Your Assets
Agenda
 7 Wealth Building Strategies
 8 Questions To Ask Before Saying “I Do”
 How To Have The Money Talk With Your Spouse
 Common Law Partnership – Protecting Your Assets
Before Marriage
 Marriage – Protecting Your Asset During Marriage
 After divorce – Understanding Asset Equalization
 Re-building Your Finances After A Separation

3. Protecting Your Assets
Anna and Arthur’s Story
Anna is a Human Resource Manager and Arthur is an engineering manager. They met
while studying in University. They tied the knot on June 1, 1999.

4. Protecting Your Assets
Anna and Arthur’s Story
Today, Anna and Arthur are 45 years old. They have 2 children and they have decided to
go their separate ways.

5. Building Wealth
1. Starting Early
Anna saved $130 / month towards her RRSPs starting age 23.
And began contributing $260/month towards her TFSA starting in
2009.
Result: Anna accumulated $100,000 in RRSP and $20,000 in
TFSA by age 45.

6. *Assuming you invest $100 / month @ 7% return
1. Starting Early

7. Understanding Your Investment Choices

8. Goal - Owning a home with Arthur
Action Plan: saving for the down payment of a home.
Down payment required: $80,000. Commitment: $500 / month
from age 23 – 35.

9. No more than
30% of your take home pay
should go to rent.
10% to groceries,
and 10% on other essentials
for a total of 50%

10. Money market funds, bonds,
GIC, produces interest income
Equities - produces Capital
gains and dividends
RRSP/TFSA Non-Registered
Inside / Outside Strategy

11. Anna’s mortgage is for $400,000. She has an extra $500 to put away every month.
RRSP w/
Savings Mortgage w/ Savings RRSP w/ Mortgage
Net Worth $2,239,973 $1,764,741 $2,272,289
Annual Payout $59,560 $18,122 $60,446
Assumptions: mortgage rate: 3.5%, investment return is 7%. Amortization period: 25 years

12. The Starbucks Generation
Power of compounding
Saving $6 / day from age 30 will give you an extra
$440,353 towards your retirement portfolio. That’s $8,000 in
spending money from age 65 – 90.
"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the
world. He who understands it, earns it... He who
doesn't...pays it.“ - Albert Einstein

13. Building Wealth
Questions to ask before saying “I Do”
 How much debt do you have?
 Decide on joint or separate accounts
 What are your credit scores?
 Are you bringing assets into the marriage?
 What are your financial priorities? Owning a home? Paying down debt?
Enjoying life?

15. Building Wealth

16. Building Wealth
• $1,000,000,000,000 or more will be transferred in the next 20
years!
• Wealth transfer from baby boomers
The CRA Is Excited!!

17. RRSP
Tax
Refund
TFSA Non
Registered
Rental
Properties
Building Wealth
Understanding Your Inheritance

18. Son Daughter
House
$500,000
RRSP
$500,000
Son
House
$500,000
Daughter
RRSP
$250,000
CRA
$250,000
Building Wealth

19. Son Daughter
House
$500,000
RRSP
$500,000
Son Daughter
Insurance
Building Wealth

20. Protecting Your Assets
How Can We Help?
1. Free consultation – “Discovery Meeting” to understand your financial
situation.
2. Tailor-made financial plan
Smart Questions To Ask Your Financial Planner
1. Am I doing the right things to reach my financial goals in the most efficient
way?
2. Am I maximizing all the opportunities that exist to make my money work
smarter for me?
3. How can I better prepare for the unexpected? (Stress-test your financial plan)

21. Building Your Wealth &
Protecting Your Assets
Carolyn Chambers | Associate Lawyer, Gelman & Associates
Stacey He | Financial Planner For Busy Career Professionals, Investors Group
“Like a great car, the best advisory relationship has to be reliable, has to suit your style,
and has to take you exactly where you want to go.”
QUESTIONS?