Blog

Back in October, our team covered some of the best Pumpkin Spice Lattes in Calgary, and we’re back with another round for the festive season! Our little elves have been hard at work tasting all of the holiday drinks from cafés across Calgary, from Peppermint Mochas to Eggnog Lattes and

As we wrap up the year, it’s the perfect time to check in on your financial goals and update your savings plan for 2025 and beyond. Two important numbers to keep in mind are the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) and Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contribution amounts for the year.

The holidays are here, and it’s time to hit pause, cozy up, and savour some much-needed downtime. Whether you’re embracing the great outdoors, diving into a new read, or baking up a storm, this list has everything you need to make the most of your holiday break. Let’s make this

For many business owners, your company isn’t just your career—it’s your baby. But as you think about the future, it’s important to create a financial plan that lasts beyond your business. Building a “pension-like” investment through your corporation has the potential to set you up for retirement with a steady

As Black Friday approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of discounts and limited time offers. But instead of impulsively grabbing deals, taking a more tactful approach can bring long-term value—especially when viewing purchases as investments, not just transactions. Repeat this back, “This is an investment, not

Back at the end of September, we hosted Wellington-Altus Private Wealth’s Chief Market Strategist, Dr. James Thorne, at our office to chat about the current state of the market and his predictions for 2025. If you weren’t in the room with us, I’ve summed up the discussion, so you don’t

I know we’re already very much into autumn, which means pumpkin spice everything season is in full force! My team has taken to the cafés to hunt down the perfect pumpkin spice latte (PSL), and we’ve compiled our ratings and thoughts below. From more metropolitan coffee shops like Deville, to

In the past, I’ve talked about and given tidbits on how to utilize and maximize the use of a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), but something I haven’t touched on yet is what happens when we overcontribute to our accounts. It’s important that when you are putting money into your TFSA,

As many of you know, Montréal is my hometown, a place that I love to go back to a few times a year. For me, it’s a mixture of the nostalgia and architectural elegance that draws me in year after year. Of course, I love to visit family, but there’s

As you can probably tell by my social, blog and video content, I’m a big supporter of starting your financial knowledge young. Since Nate and Avrie were little, my husband Kurtis and I have educated them on smart saving and building healthy financial habits, and in today’s age, there’s an

With back-to-school season fast approaching (how is it already the end of Q3?!), we see an influx in requests to withdraw funds from our clients’ Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs), and the same questions come up a lot: what do I need to do to withdraw from my RESP and

When we refer to “financial strategy planning” in our business, we are simply referring to the way in which we work with clients throughout their wealth-building journey. In each interaction, we are strategic in our decision-making, assessing the current financial landscape, looking at our clients’ goals and weighing out the

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love Calgary so much in the summer. The sun is out, the flowers are in full bloom and everyone’s in the mood for a patio day or park hang. We have an abundance of great patios here, so you have

In June, I sat down with the brilliant mind of Janine Moir, CA and CPA at Deloitte with over 15 years of experience. Currently, Janine acts as A&A Innovation Leader for Deloitte Canada. She is extremely passionate about technology and the impact that emerging technologies, like blockchain, are having on

  I’ve talked about it on my social media channels since the 2024/2025 Canadian Federal Budget came out, but one area that has experienced significant changes is the capital gains inclusion rate. As of June 25, the capital gains inclusion rate increases from 1/2 to 2/3 (50% to 66.67%) for

Looking to travel this summer, but not quite ready to jet off to Europe on a big adventure? I encourage you to stay close to Calgary, as you might be surprised at some of the cool places you can find along the way! Staycations are a great way to get

Like Money Myths, there are many “retirement rules” that float around as people prepare for their retirement. In many cases, we ask our friends, get insights from our professional connections, but we don’t always have the inside scoop from those who are working with them on a day-to-day basis. Here

Things are finally warming up here in YYC and our calendars are filling up with exciting plans for long weekends and long-awaited time out of the office. Stop that lingering FOMO from summers past in its tracks and fill the gaps in your summer itinerary with some of the fantastic

In May, I sat down with my good friend Margarita de Guzman, Managing Director and CEO of Circle CRM Group and The Fair Field Foundation. She is one of very few female archaeologist entrepreneurs in Canada, with over 20 years of extensive archaeological experience, and she never fails to blow

In April, I sat down with a very talented woman and entrepreneur, Eden Simari. As an award-winning mortgage professional with over 20 years in the mortgage lending industry, she is passionate about the industry and sharing her skillset with customers to assist them in making their financial and home ownership

As many of you know, my family and I LOVE to travel. Whether it’s a bigger trip abroad or an excursion into our own backyard (hello, BC), we can often be found out and about, and I want to share a few of my favourite locations with you. As we

Hi everyone! I know that many of you have likely already submitted your taxes, but I have some tips for those of you who haven’t (make sure you set these aside for next year, too). First off, here’s your friendly reminder that your taxes must be filed with the CRA

I first officially introduced my JSS brand in December 2020. Since then, I have grown a lot thanks to my team, Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, and most importantly—you, my clients. This year, I decided to launch my new brand look on my birthday, March 5, not just a marker of another year, but a new visual chapter. I’m so glad that it’s finally here!

Over the course of my career as a Wealth Advisor, I have seen money myths come and go, but many have endured through market fluctuations, investment trends and more. I’m here to tell you that despite all of this, they are, in fact, money myths.

I recently sat down with the one and only hospitality king, Jeff Jamieson. For many years, he has been at the heart of the hospitality scene in Calgary, with businesses like Donna Mac, Proof and Vine Arts.

There are a lot of acronyms in my industry, and I’m the first one to admit that they can be extremely confusing. Today, I want to break down a few of them that I have been recently talking about on my Wealth With Julie Instagram, because they’re crucial accounts that are great to know about in helping you build your wealth.

In February, I sat down with Dr. Jane Levesque to chat about how to best prepare for a fertility journey and the finances that come into play when couples embark on this journey together.

In January, I sat down with my very own kids, Avrie and Nate, to talk about budgeting and investing for kids—from when kids should start, to whether or not pets like hamsters are a good investment. I might be biased, but I think it was a pretty hilarious session.

Recently, I found myself at Charlie’s Watch Repair, a new speakeasy hidden behind one of Calgary’s newest restaurants, Salt & Brick. There’s something about specially curated cocktails, dim lights, cushy seating and a hidden entrance that has us all intrigued.

Starting off a new year most likely means having your sights set on new goals and dreams! Like anything, in order to get there, you need to set yourself up with a great plan of action. It’s the little habits that can make a big difference. You may see a few of the same tips that I’ve shared before, but that’s only because I think they’re SO important. Without further ado, here are my favourite simple tips I’d recommend for setting yourself up for success in 2024!

In January, we look back on the previous year. December is the season of giving, associated with compassion and empathy. But what about January, February, and so on? While I love the amount of giving that is done in December, I always consider where support and funds are going the other 11 months of the year too. Cue The 12 Months of Giving Project!

As another year ends and a new one begins, I always like to focus on balancing versus budgeting, especially throughout the month of December. During a month that can be expensive for many, balancing your finances now can help reduce a lot of stress later. By getting into a routine habit of balancing and not budgeting, you are setting future you up for success. In this mindset shift, I recommend balance across the board, from finances to life commitments. Read on for more!

Holiday break is almost upon us, and I can’t wait to get up to all our favourite winter activities. From skiing to skating, there are so many amazing ways to get moving, while cashing in on some quality time out in nature. My family is always on the move, so I’m sharing some ideas for what we’ll be doing this upcoming break.

Did Christmas just come early?! Kidding, but as many of you know, I love getting ready for the holiday season early, and part of this is planning out gifts and experiences for all my loved ones. Here, I have compiled some of my favourite gifts for that special someone in your life, and the best part is that these ones keep on giving!

Lately, I’ve had news left, right and centre to share with all of you, from my Prosperity Playbook E-Course modules and packs to my Art of Abundance vlog. Well, today I have one more addition to make things interesting – my husband Kurt and I purchased a Rumble Boxing Franchise,

Big news, my friends! This month, I’ve launched a project that I’ve been working very hard on for the last few months, and it involves some inspirational business owners. Drumroll please… I’m so proud to introduce The Art of Abundance Vlog, a series where I sit down with talented, passionate

Us parents are full-time teachers, providing guidance for everything, from how to tie a shoe to how to cook a proper KD lunch (nostalgia, am I right?). There’s nothing more difficult, yet rewarding, than figuring out how to properly prepare our kids for the future. Teaching them how to save

Calgary has no shortage of workout studios, classes or trails to help you get the blood pumping. 💪🏼 I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s nothing like a good workout class to intentionally set yourself and your day up for success. From the physical and mental benefits,

Lately, I’ve felt pulled to share more of my everyday life with all of you, through both my social media channels and my blog. Today, I want to highlight one of my favourite summer activities– gardening! Since the spring, the kids and I have been working hard to get our

If you’ve been around for a while, reading snippets of my blogs and social posts, you know I’m a big proponent of living an active, healthy lifestyle. I find a lot of joy in taking time out of my day to get in a good Barry’s class or hike with

Time’s a tickin’! It’s tax season, and I’m here to chime in with my two cents to get you set up properly for your 2022 tax year. This year, the Canadian tax deadline falls on April 30, which means we have around a month to prep. Personally, I always like

As you might know, I’m a BIG proponent of balance, both in my work life (as you can see in my blog here) and in my personal life. Today, I want to give you a little glimpse into my “free time,” or what I have of it after I factor

It’s a new year, meaning it’s time to start fresh and curate a list of new books for 2023! I’m not sure about you, but depending on my mood, my book preferences change. I’ve been working on my own list of book finds, and I thought I would share some of my favourite reads from 2022 and the ones that have been recently suggested to me for 2023!

As we kick off the new year, it’s time to reset and re-centre so we can set ourselves up for success in the next 12 months. This month, I want to focus on balancing our finances rather than budgeting our finances. We hear it so often that it might not even register, but budget is a very restrictive word, one that reminds us of all the things that we cannot have.

Social Accounts I Trust and Follow I’m about to say something I may not have said a few years ago, but I love social media! I love how this world has expanded to include so many different communities, and I especially love the accounts that have committed their time to

Best Apps for Travel Series: Splitting Costs Whether on a road trip to Kelowna or planning a Greek Island getaway, sharing and splitting costs with your travel companions can sometimes be a bit stressful. Luckily, I found a few great apps that can help to ensure a stress-free trip. I

So you’ve probably heard about RRSP and RRSP season… but perhaps you’re wondering what it all means and how can it work best for you? The Registered Retirement Savings Plans were created in 1957 as part of the Canadian Income Tax Act. RRSP accounts are available to all Canadian residents

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022 – I keep seeing the meme that this year is 2020 2…  like 2020 is happening again 🙈. While I probably find this meme funnier than I should (still laughing about it to myself), I think a lot of us are good to leave

Since it’s spooky season, and given that Halloween is only a couple of sleeps away, I thought I would touch upon some of the common “scary” concerns that I hear from clients. When I asked my network to reflect on what “scared” them most when it comes to their wealth,