Retirement planning is more than just saving for the future — it's about strategically using those savings to sustain a fulfilling and financially secure lifestyle. This process, known as decumulation, involves transitioning from building wealth to effectively...
Stress testing is a crucial tool for assessing the performance of systems, portfolios, or processes under challenging circumstances. By simulating scenarios such as economic downturns or market fluctuations, it reveals vulnerabilities and aids in crafting strategies...
Preparing for the future is rarely simple—uncertainty is a constant, and the most effective strategies are those that embrace flexibility and plan for the unexpected. Scenario analysis provides a robust framework for evaluating possible outcomes, anticipating...
Generating the right Financial Advisor leads is more than a numbers game—it's about connecting with people who truly need your expertise. But with countless strategies out there, how do you focus on what works? This guide breaks down 16 impactful lead generation...
Case study on corporate life insurance Corporate-owned life insurance can be used as a tool not only to build wealth, but as an effective way to tax-efficiently transfer that wealth to beneficiaries. Corporately-owned life insurance policies can provide numerous...
Snap Projections was thrilled to once again sponsor the annual IAFP Symposium. This year, the team conducted a Symposium Case Study deep-dive through a 2-part webinar series. The Case Study, May The Wealth Be With You, can be downloaded here. This case holds some...
Retirement income planning tutorial for Advisors In this retirement income planning tutorial, Advisors are working through a Case Study. Together, we are learning how to build a plan from scratch, create multiple what-if scenarios, and then discussing how to review...
As we enter Q4 (hard to believe) I thought it would be helpful to put together a quick summary of the major product developments our Advisors have been the most excited about over the last 12 months, in case these are functionalities you need. There have been...
Instantly compare up to 5 scenarios with tables and visual charts. As an Advisor, you already know that the fundamental reason for creating multiple scenarios is to illustrate how they impact meaningful outcomes for your clients over time, and to help inform them of...
Transform the way financial advice is delivered with a 1 page report. With Snap, you’ve always been able to show your clients their whole life on one page. Now, you can create that same client experience using our newest reporting feature, the SnapShot — a 1 page...
If you want to retain clients long-term, personalization is key. But what exactly does that mean? And how can you provide it? In a recent article that was published by Investment Executive, Clients stick with advisors because of personalization: survey, it was...
On July 23, 2024, the team at Snap hosted this CE-accredited financial planning webinar that had 370 Financial Advisors & Planners register to attend. Live attendance was required to be eligible for the CE Credit. Watch the video here. https://youtu.be/xhrfW4VP8Qk...
On June 25, 2024, we sat down with Snap user Adam Bornn, CFP, CLU to discuss what practice management and practice growth strategies have been effective. Adam has been dedicated to clients looking to build financial, retirement, and estate plans since 2006. After...
How to re-engage with your clients When an existing Advisory client becomes unengaged, how can you reconnect? This is a challenge Advisors are dealing with on a regular basis. Advisors using Snap have shared with us how they use the financial planning software as a...
What makes retirement projections software good? If you are like me, when you evaluate new software you are looking for specific features. You wonder: “How will this software take care of “X”? Or, “Can it help me with “Y”.
Keeping your current Advisory clients engaged with the financial planning process can be a challenge. What are some ways Advisors can maintain the relationship, keep clients engaged, and ensure conversations remain current? How Advisors use Snap to engage their...
If you want make practice growth easier, it's time to start growing your email list with a Lead Magnet. Sending out regular emails of high quality content is a great way to stay engaged with current clients and to expand relationships. But how can you take this to the...
In your basic 5-step process to start creating and sending out content via emails to your existing clients, we covered sending out a newsletter-style email on a regular schedule. Now, we can build on this idea once that has been established. What is a Nurture...
Have corporate planning discussions with confidence Ever wonder how other Advisors are simplifying corporate planning? Even if you are not currently providing corporate planning, you will still learn a lot during this financial planning tutorial. After watching this...
Do you absolutely love the report produced by your current Canadian financial planning software? If not, you may want to check out the newly released SnapShot feature by Snap Projections. Advisors can now provide their clients with a customized, one or two page...
When customizability meets time savings The reports generated by financial planning software are too long. Even though Snap’s comprehensive reports are client friendly and easy to understand, the reality is that for many clients, even a 5-page report is still too...
One concept we have discussed previously when it comes to content creation is to always first start with the questions your current clients are asking. We covered this, and provided the steps to get started with content creation and email marketing in this article:...
A few weeks ago, we discussed how Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers can get started with engaging their prospective clients on social media. If you are ready to start creating your own content to share, this article will provide you with first...
Learn to confidently discuss corporate planning opportunities with your clients May 14th's corporate planning webinar had over 500 Advisors register to attend. Attendees got to see two new and exciting planning capabilities during the Case Study — how to create a...
The 1 page financial plan summary report We recently announced the launch of the new SnapShot, Snap's latest major development. Advisors need and want better client reporting options. Period. Many of you are making short presentations in Canva or PowerPoint. This is...
As everyone already knows, the new capital gains inclusion tax rules are planned to come into effect on June 25th of this year. (Since this post was published, the new rules have come into effect!) Many of you, we have been told, are heading into the office this week...
This article is for Canadian Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers who are not currently using social media in their practices and would like to start. We are going to cover the basics to get the ball rolling. We will take it one step at a time and...
Who do you want to serve? Building the practice you want takes time and concentrated effort. In the beginning, you may find it works to be more generalized with who you can help. But as your practice grows and evolves, at some point you will need to start making some...
Learn from a top Canadian Advisor On March 6, 2024, Snap user Jamie List sat down with Snap Projections for an Advisor interview to share his background and depth of knowledge after working in the Canadian financial services industry for the last 30 years. Jamie is...
Personalization is key to client retention If you intend to keep your clients happy long term, providing personalized service is going to be essential. But how can you do that with efficiency? This tutorial tackled this challenge that many Advisors are dealing with —...
As a Financial Advisor, Planner, or Investment Manager who wants to differentiate themselves and stand out from the pack, it’s important to develop a compelling value proposition. This statement is how you will attract your ideal clients and build the type of practice...
When it comes to marketing your Advisory practice, one of the first stages is getting clear on who you want to serve and why, and determining a process to set clear and actionable goals. In this article, we are going to cover how you, the Financial Advisor or...
In this video, you are going to witness how a basic financial plan can be built from end to end, in just 5 minutes using Snap Projections financial planning software. Watch the 5-minute financial plan build https://youtu.be/JTqPLnQSsMw Canadian Financial Advisors,...
Advisors can do more planning with less data entry while helping their clients to see the value in maximizing TFSA & RRSP contributions. When you can show the personalized impact of what it looks like long-term to maximize contributions for your client, the...
As a Financial Advisor, Planner, or Investment Manager, how can you best help and prepare your clients for their futures? Every client, every case, is going to be completely unique. While yes, there will be commonalities and themes, what truly matters to each...
If a client asks, how much more do I need to start saving in order to meet my retirement goals? and their Advisor can't tell them, it's a problem. If it takes them a long time to determine the answer, that's a problem, too. Advice expected but not delivered is how...
Here at Snap, we've always tried to keep things simple — especially when it comes to the use of our financial planning software. We've always pushed to ensure we keep it simple to use, but that does not mean sacrificing features and flexibility. Simple does not mean...
As a Financial Advisor, Planner, or Investment Manager, you already know how important it is to invest in your own professional development to continuously improve and update your skills and knowledge. Part of that is going to include staying ahead of industry changes...
Networking and intentionally developing professional partnerships is crucial for individual business owners in essentially all industries, but for Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers, it can be really make or break. If you want grow the Advisory...
Providing exceptional service, encouraging client referrals, and implementing a Referral Program. Referral programs are a powerful strategy for Canadian Financial Advisors and Planners to grow their client base. Referral programs involve encouraging satisfied clients...
As a Financial Advisor or Planner, you already know how challenging it can be to get your existing and prospective clients engaged with the financial planning process. What we have found, in practice, is that starting with creating a retirement vision first can make...
For individuals aiming to save for their first home purchase, the newly introduced First Home Savings Account (FHSA) offers substantial advantages. Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers who use Snap Projections told us that they wanted this new account...
When should your clients start taking CPP/QPP and OAS? Which accounts should they first draw from when they retire? Today we are going to explore personalized decumulation strategies. The answer is, it depends As a Financial Planner, you already know there are no...
This article about the importance of interactive financial planning was originally published back in 2016. Today, as we're working to keep this blog updated, this message is a little bit ironic because here we are today, in the last calendar month of 2023, still...
If you want to create more financial plans for more clients, saving time and increasing confidence are likely pretty high on your priority list. But — easier said than done? Only if you're not using the right tools. Advisors need to understand the numbers We speak...
In the ever-changing world of Financial Advisory services, differentiating from the competition while providing top-notch service to clients is paramount. One essential tool that has revolutionized the industry is financial planning software. Financial Advisors who...
Top Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers continually refine and enhance their business operations and improving referral rates should be no different. The financial industry is marked by ever-evolving dynamics, including market shifts, regulatory...
A Guide to prepare for the unexpected Let’s start with digging into the reasons why Financial Advisors and Planners should be helping their clients plan for the unexpected. The video case study addresses 4 specific client questions that are based on planning for those...
Creating content as a Financial Advisor or Financial Planner can be a highly effective way to engage with your audience, demonstrate your expertise, and attract potential clients. Let’s start with exploring the specific benefits to your practice, and then we can get...
New client acquisition for Financial Advisors & Planners can be extremely challenging at times. Early on in your career, the challenges can be enormous. There are many factors that come into play. Client acquisition challenges Challenges that impact both new and...
During the recording of this financial planning session, you will learn how to easily model 4 planning strategies that can have a major impact on your clients’ lives and retirement plans. You will see how addressing complex financial planning questions can actually be...
As a Financial Advisor or Planner, you likely already know how challenging it can be to get some of your Advisory clients or prospects on board with the financial planning process. For Retirees, or those approaching retirement, it's even more important to break...
We recently conducted a survey of Snap users and uncovered the three top business driving activities Financial Advisors, Planners, and Investment Managers are conducting with Snap's financial planning software. Are you currently prospecting? When we asked Snap users...
Financial Advisors and Planners can demonstrate value and positively impact their clients' lives in countless ways. Beyond merely providing financial advice, Advisors have the opportunity to build strong, trusted relationships with their clients and offer...
Should your projections focus on cash-flow or goals-based planning? Cash-flow planning and goals-based planning are two distinct approaches to financial planning, each focusing on different aspects of an individual's financial situation and objectives. Ultimately, the...
You asked, and we built it (again!) Goals-based financial planning We’ve just released a major product update; it’s something our users have been asking for — and it may be a functionality that your practice requires as well. It’s all about being able to dig deeper...
Experienced Financial Advisors can start doing more financial plans for their clients by following these 5 steps. Step 1: Review current client portfolios. Begin by reviewing your current client portfolios to identify clients who may benefit from a financial plan....
Many Financial Advisors that we speak to are already creating financial plans for their clients. Typically, they're reaching out to us because they want to improve their process. We also hear from Advisors who aren't currently creating a lot of financial plans....
As an experienced Financial Advisor, Planner, or Investment Manager, you likely already know how important it is to start planning early for a successful financial future. Unfortunately, many young adults are not in that head space just yet and wind up missing out on...
As a Financial Advisor, Planner, or Investment Manager, making the decision to switch financial planning software is almost never an easy one. There is much to consider, and every individual is going to have their own list of must-haves. We have spoken with thousands...
When Financial Advisors are able to effectively present a financial plan, they can successfully engage clients in the financial planning process and cultivate long-term relationships. This is an important part of the process but something many Advisors tell us they...
By stress testing financial plans, Financial Advisors can help retirees identify potential risks, make informed decisions, and optimize their financial strategies to achieve their objectives and maintain financial security in retirement. Here are 6 of the top reasons...
Let's begin by discussing the underlying reasons for financial planning. Although we recognize its benefits for clients, it's important to consider the genuine value of implementing a financial planning process for you and your practice. Why having a financial...
Retirement income planning research As Canadian retirees approach age 72 and have investments in a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), they are required to withdraw a minimum amount each year. However, some retirees may consider withdrawing more than the minimum...
As a Financial Advisor, you likely already know how beneficial financial planning is for the client. So how can you build financial plans faster? Benefits of financial planning Financial planning helps to create the foundation for a strong client-advisor relationship....
Case study on corporate life insurance Corporate-owned life insurance can be used as a tool not only to build wealth, but as an effective way to tax-efficiently transfer that wealth to beneficiaries. Corporately-owned life insurance policies can provide numerous...
The value in financial planning Do you have clients who don't see the value in planning? When your clients don't think they need a financial plan and you're having a hard time articulating the value, what can you do to help them understand? Learn what strategies 4 top...
It's never been easier to provide tremendous value to your corporate financial planning clients. One easy way to improve corporate financial planning advice is through the modelling of life insurance. Snap now enables the modelling of corporate Whole Life and...
We recently surveyed Snap users to get a better understanding of how financial planning software has benefited and grown the financial advisory practice. The responses were meaningful and impactful – so much so that we wanted to put together essentially a guide for all Canadian Financial Advisors who seek to grow their practices through effective financial planning.
We know that right now inflation, interest rates, talk of bear markets, and declining portfolio values are top of mind for nearly all Canadians — in particular, those who are either approaching retirement or are already there. It's time to learn how to stress test...
As a Financial Advisor, you already know that your clients continue to demand more value in each and every client meeting. To start, they want transparent retirement planning. They want to understand where the numbers are coming from. To facilitate this, Advisors rely...
The Financial Advisor's Tax Planning Guide As you help your clients work through the many stages and phases of retirement income planning, financial planning, and creating long-term projections, the importance of tax planning undoubtedly remains a top priority and...
Welcome to Snap’s first ever user spotlight! Today, we’re doing a deep-dive with Renee Hawk. You can download the full case study down below if you want the numbers and business impact information. Let’s start with some questions.
Did you know that there are new technology rules for Financial Planners? In July 2021, the FP Canada Standards Council added two new rules to their Standards of Professional Responsibility. Certified financial planners (CFPs) & qualified associate financial...
The Referability Quadrant Over the last few weeks, I decided to take a deep dive into the practices of our top clients in order to distill their approach into a simple framework for what makes them referable. I always take meticulous notes when I see something that...
We’ve been working hard for the past 5 years to bring you financial planning software that is intuitive, interactive and impactful so that you (and your clients) can easily determine which strategies add to and detract from building long-term, after-tax wealth.
On February 27, 2018 the federal government released Federal Budget 2018. It’s titled, Equality and Growth, A Strong Middle Class. You can view the entire 369 page report at this link, but perhaps first read this quote from Jamie Golombek, Managing Director, Tax and Estate Planning with CIBC in Toronto:
If you book and attend a lot of meetings, you and I have a lot in common. You’ll probably agree that: The most valuable aspect of our work is the time spent with our current and prospective clients. We have limited resources and staff, and the less time we spend on...
Whether you’re an established advisor looking to grow your business or just starting your career, you cannot ignore a major shift happening in the financial services industry worldwide: we now live in the world of low fees. Today, I’m going to show you how to succeed...
If you expect that one spouse will outlive the other in your clients' retirement projections, it is useful to illustrate the surviving spouse's financial situation after the death of their spouse. We call this a Surviving Spouse Scenario in Snap Projections. Here's a...
Today, I'd like to share with you a few useful details on financial planning for business owners. Financial Planning for clients with corporations Integrating a holding company or an operating company into the personal retirement projections of your business owner...
Over the weekend, I stumbled upon an article talking about how a mix of three basic Vanguard index funds (referred to as the Bogle Model) outperformed some of the best and brightest institutional investors managing college endowment funds. It’s staggering that such a...
The Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a revolving line of credit secured by your clients' home. The credit limit on a HELOC combined with a mortgage can be a maximum of 65% of your clients' purchase price or market value. The amount of credit available in the...
What is pension income splitting? Pension income splitting is an important mechanism, and should be a feature in any Canadian financial planning software, that allows to transfer the taxable eligible pension income from one spouse to another for the purpose of...
The IAFP Symposium Recently I attended the IAFP Symposium in Vancouver, BC. It is one of the top conferences for Canadian financial planners and was, as always, packed with valuable content. I wanted to share with you the key takeaways from the conference, so you are...
Savvy financial advisors know that the key ingredient of their success is knowing what their clients and prospects truly want. This makes perfect sense because if you know what is on your prospect's mind, it is much easier to start a conversation with her, build trust...
We've interviewed over 3,000 Advisors Over the last 10 years, we've had the privilege of speaking with over 3,000 Financial Planners, Investment Managers and Financial Advisors at large, medium and small organizations all across Canada. 3,000 people. Think about that....
Since one of the key frustrations for a Canadian financial planner is the excessive time it takes to create a new set of retirement projections, we knew the software had to be fast — you can read about all other reasons why we developed Snap Projections here. We know...
How can software help me scale my financial planning practice? Here are some of the most popular software applications that can massively improve how you run your business from managing your client communication and data to collaboration among your team and your...