Read, Listen & Watch

Barstools and Backdrops – Growth Themes Defy Traditional Gravity
What movie won Best Picture at the Oscar’s in 1994? You’re not realistically expected to know offhand, and I’ve reflected recently that I may be in the final demographic of Advisors that remembers a time when this once-asked barstool trivia question simply ended with an “agree to disagree” outcome. Where today the resolution to our spirited evening debate would be solved by a quick consult with “The Google”, my Motorola flip-phone of the era and its numbered keypad were of no use in providing assistance with my query that evening. Instead, we’d all go home, do our independent dial-up research, and return to ridicule each other for lack of trivia knowledge at a later date.

Spring Cleaning your home? What about your finances?

Now that spring has sprung and many of us are in spring cleaning mode, don’t forget to declutter your finances! This is a great time of year to check in and eliminate any unused or unnecessary expenses.

Do you have any of the following?
Unread magazine subscriptions
Unwatched streaming services
Unused gym memberships
Forgotten app subscriptions
Outdated software subscriptions
Services that do not match your financial goals
Products that no longer align with your lifestyle needs
Forgotten automatically billed services
Overlapping or redundant accounts or services

Tax Season Reminders and Key Dates!
It’s tax season and the Gold Seal Financial Group is busy putting our clients’ tax packages together. Some of you have directed us to send documents directly to your accountants, which we will do once all slips have been generated. For those clients that like to get a head-start on their taxes, here are some important dates to remember and how-to’s:

Tax Season Reminders and Key Dates!
It’s tax season and the Gold Seal Financial Group is busy putting our clients’ tax packages together.  Some of you have directed us to send documents directly to your accountants, which we will do once all slips have been generated. For those clients that like to get a head-start on their taxes, here are some important dates to remember and how-to’s:

TFSA & RRSP REMINDER

TAX-FREE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (TFSAs):
• Annual contribution limit for 2024 is $7,000, and the cumulative total as of 2024 is $95,000.
• Investment income generated within a TFSA is not taxable.
• No deadline for contributions.

REGISTERED RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLANS (RRSPs):
• Check your Notice of Assessment from CRA to find out your contribution limit.
• Contribution limit is equal to 18% of earned income in the previous year minus an individual’s pension adjustment, up to an annual limit.
• Maximum contribution for 2024 is $31,560, assuming no prior year carry-forward room exists.
• Deadline for contributions is February 29, 2024.

It was the best of times, it was the… absolute, all-time, best of times! As the U.S. market (S&P 500) cruised past its previous highs, posting a close of 4,927.93 and +23% 1-year gain to January 29, 2024, it became difficult for investors to recall that 2023 was supposed to be a recession year for North America. All year long, markets had remained cautiously fixated on the U.S. Federal Reserve as it continued hiking interest rates in an effort to cool inflation, in typical late-business cycle fashion. The longest serving Chairman, William McChesney Martin Jr., had once mused that it was the role of the Federal reserve to act as the chaperone who has ordered the punch bowl removed just when the party was really warming up. That is to say that it’s their job to hike rates and encourage saving, rather than spending, to reign in an economy running hot before inflation takes off.

The Santa Claus Rally

T’was the night before the strategy meeting, when all through the floor
The portfolios were shining, but Gold Seal wanted more;

The yields were printing from the bond desk with care,
With hopes that some rate cuts soon would be there;

Both Powell and Macklem were snug in their beds;
Dreaming rosy speeches for each of their Feds;

Our August 31st Gold Seal newsletter told the story of a North American stock market figuratively reaching the end of a whimsical summer and reluctantly returning to the classroom as it began to awaken to some harsh economic lessons. Indicators aside, an optimistic sentiment had clearly been in the air through the first half of the year as imaginations and valuations ran wild with the limitless potential of artificial intelligence and the adoption of ChatGPT.

The past few years have demonstrated that guidance from a trusted financial advisor has never been more valuable. Substantial data shows that families are significantly better off financially when they utilize the advice of a financial advisory team and have a comprehensive plan in place.

September saw the Gold Seal Financial Group take to the roads for our annual inspection of the outside-BC facets of the Canadian economy as Brendan, Ryan and Tanya made their way cycling from the western provincial border of Saskatchewan to the Manitoba welcome sign.

It is likely that for each of us, our childhood memories of summertime was a time of bliss. The structure and discipline of the school year is thrown aside for two glorious months as problem sets shift from studying for math or spelling exams, to who is hosting the next sleepover or pool party.

Like the family birthday party that you reluctantly agreed to, only to be berated by relatives on your plans for the future and relationship status, this Canada Day long weekend we’re taking a look at our nation and asking the hard questions. This year, Canada’s not exactly bragging at the dinner table, with the S&P/TSX having posted a relatively meagre 3.97% return for the first half of 2023, with the economy (real gross domestic product) growing 0.8% in the first quarter.