INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Cardinal Point provides personally tailored investment management services for clients with U.S. and Canadian investment accounts. Investment strategies are customized to our clients’ risk tolerance and goals and then we work to fully integrate them into their tax, financial and estate planning initiatives.
Investment Management
Cardinal Point provides personally tailored investment management services for clients with U.S. and Canadian investment accounts. Investment strategies are customized to our clients’ risk tolerance and goals and then we work to fully integrate them into their tax, financial and estate planning initiatives.
Professionally Managed
The firm’s Investment Philosophy is molded by the Cardinal Point Investment Committee, a group of five investment professionals with over 100 years of combined investment management experience. Committee members hold numerous industry credentials, including CFA, CFP, CIM, CIWM, and FCSI designations. The Committee meets formally on a quarterly basis to review all aspects of the investment management process.
Investment Philosophy
Our Investment philosophy guides an investment management process comprised of three key components: Discovery of your risk tolerance & capacity, formation of a customized asset allocation, and implementation of that allocation across multiple currencies and jurisdictions.
A Transparent Investment Strategy
Cardinal Point adheres to a transparent and conflict-free investment philosophy in which our clients’ interests are always put first. As a fee-based firm, we do not invest our clients’ assets in investment products that directly compensate our firm through hidden commissions, trailer fees or 12b-1 fees, and we do not offer proprietary products for investment. We feel these products can create a conflict of interest between the advisor and client. Instead, our investment committee puts an emphasis on investment process and researching best-in-class investment solutions for our clients. To help further protect our clients’ assets, all investment accounts are held and safeguarded through third-party custodians.
Managing Money Across Borders
Cardinal Point through its portfolio management company, Cardinal Point Capital Management, has the ability to manage integrated investment portfolios that include accounts in Canada and the U.S. Many of our clients have lived and worked in Canada and the U.S. and have accumulated assets and investment accounts in both countries. It can be very difficult to locate an advisor that can oversee these investment accounts in the two countries, and many have had to work with an advisor on each side of the border. At Cardinal Point, we create and oversee integrated cross-border investment portfolios that include all types of accounts in both Canada and the U.S.
OUR RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Navigating Digital Assets in Estate Planning
These days almost everyone holds valuable digital assets and they continue to accumulate them. Examples include online financial accounts, photos and videos on smartphones, and digital currencies like Bitcoin. These may have financial value, legal value, or significant sentimental value. But most people do not fully consider the importance of including these digital assets when doing their estate planning. That leaves them exposed to the risk that if they are impaired or die, the assets may be difficult or even impossible to access. This article explains how to avoid that risk, to ensure a seamless transfer of digital assets for the benefit of both you and your beneficiaries.
Cross-Border Wealth Management: Overcoming the Downside of Over-Funding Your Child’s 529 Plan
For both Canadian and U.S. residents, a 529 plan can be a very effective tool to help save for a child’s higher education. Plus, recently passed U.S. legislation under the SECURE Act 2.0 offers a unique way to more efficiently manage 529 contributions. Starting in 2024, it will be possible to transfer into a Roth IRA any extra funds that remain in the 529 after all educational expenses have been paid – as long as certain eligibility requirements are met. As this blog explains, that can enable you to avoid steep 529 withdrawal taxes and penalties, while continuing to accumulate wealth in a tax-free Roth IRA.
Matt Carvalho Featured in the Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail recently asked Cardinal Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Officer, Matt Carvalho, to help explain “direct indexing” – a hot topic in the investment industry. He described some of the pros and cons of direct indexing to customize your portfolio compared to using an ETF or mutual fund.