I hope this letter finds you in good health (physically and financially). Today I want to talk about public investments and how they can help you meet your goals. Your job isn’t to become an expert in investments (that’s why you hired me), but it helps to know the basic options you have in the public markets. Public investments are…

I’m often asked what makes Kismet different from other wealth managers. The fact is, most wealth management firms are only concerned with increasing their assets under management (AUM). They earn a percentage based on the funds they manage, and all the other services are just part of a long sales pitch to get you to trust them with your investments.…

Tax season is just around the corner, and as you gear up to write that cheque to the government, you’re probably realizing how much tax you owe on your investments. As your portfolio grows, you are going to find you have more than enough money to fill up both your TFSA and RRSP. At this point, you’ll need to start…

One month down! Are you meeting your goals, or already scrambling to catch up? I can’t help you with that pesky stomach fat, but as tax season looms closer, it’s a good time to think about everybody’s top investing question: RRSP or TFSA? Ideally, you are able to max out your contribution room in both accounts this year, but if…

Happy New Year! I hope the holidays treated you well and that you’ve managed to keep up your resolutions so far. The start of the year is the best time to assess the status of each of the different areas of your life. That also makes it a great time to assess how your investments have performed over the last…

At 22 years of age, Victor Godinho has become a homeowner. He purchased a two-bedroom, 750-square-foot unit at Ten88, a new townhouse condominium under construction in Toronto.

CAMILLA CORNELL, SPECIAL TO THE TORONTO STAR When Cris Lam bought her pre-construction Toronto condo in 2014, she was in the enviable position of having a big enough down payment to avoid mortgage default insurance fees. Even with her parent’s contribution, Lam needed a financial planner’s help. She met with Victor Godinho, a financial planner with Pangea Personal Financial Planning,…

Canadian couples with significantly different incomes may want to consider using a spousal RRSP to help cut their tax bill in retirement, but experts say it’s all about balance.

Despite pitfalls, getting on the ladder as a young buyer is possible. Molly McGrath, 25, and Jonathan Palmer, 27, began their house hunt in early January. “We had just gotten engaged,” she says. “And a gift from my grandfather made it possible for us.” But the couple’s introduction to the Toronto housing market was like a bucket of cold water over her head.

Financial planner Victor Godinho said goodbye to his wallet four years ago and hasn’t looked back. The 23-year-old adviser at the VTAG Financial Group Inc. in Toronto was one of the early adopters of the “cashless” lifestyle, a move to ditch pocket change and bills in favour of plastic cards and mobile phone payments.