What History Says About Stock Markets in U.S. Midterm Election Years
October has a reputation and heading into the November 3rd U.S. midterm elections, there is no shortage of commentary about what could go wrong. A lot of this analysis misses the “forest for the trees”. The tendency for there to be volatility ahead of the U.S. midterm elections is real, but so is the historical […]
Can You Set Up a Family Trust Right Before Your Company Is Sold in Canada?
What executives, founders, and early investors need to understand before a liquidity event. The short answer is yes. A family trust can be established in the weeks before a transaction closes. Whether it accomplishes anything useful at that point is a different question. For executives, founders, and early investors in private companies in Canada, […]
Too Much Financial Information? Here Is How Successful Families Decide What to Ignore
For almost all of history there was very little information. Today there is far too much. Most people assume that access to more information makes good financial decision making easier, but the opposite tends to be true. As wealth grows, the volume of information coming at you increases from articles, opinions, market commentary, advice from […]
How to Protect Your Email from Fraud in Canada (And Why It Matters More Than Your Investment Account)
Most people protect their investment accounts. Few protect their inbox with the same stringency. At Kluge Wealth Advisory Group, we have the privilege of working with approximately 130 successful families. On average, one of those clients has their email compromised every month or two. That works out to roughly 5% to 10% of our clients […]
How to Spot Misleading Financial Articles in Canada (And Why Experts Ignore Them)
I see hundreds of them every year. They start with a dramatic headline. Sharing a compelling story built on facts that fall neatly into place and end with a prediction of imminent doom. They show up as social media posts, in banner ads, occasionally opinion pieces in major publications, and forwarded links from well-meaning friends. […]
Is AI Creating a Stock Market Bubble? What the Data Says in 2026
Clients have been asking this question since late 2022, when the original ChatGPT debuted and stocks connected to artificial intelligence (AI) appreciated sharply. The articles, op-eds, X posts, YouTube videos, etc., suggesting we are in a bubble have kept coming. The fear of a bubble is as legitimate as it is understandable. Past bubble collapses […]
Is the Cash Building Up in Your Chequing Account Actually Part of Your Plan?
Here is a pattern that often shows up. A client retires. They set up a monthly distribution from their portfolio to their bank accounts based on what they think they will need. As life plays out, their spending turns out to be lower than expected. As a result, cash starts to quietly accumulate in their […]
Receiving an Inheritance in Canada: The Question Most People Skip
When a family receives an inheritance, the questions start immediately. What should we invest it in? Should we pay down the mortgage? A friend mentioned a family trust; does that make sense here? What are the tax implications? Those are all the right questions. Eventually. But there is a bigger question that tends to get […]
Retiring From vs. Retiring To: Why the Distinction Determines Whether Retirement Works
The phone call usually comes on a Wednesday afternoon in my office in downtown Calgary. “Conrad, I just wanted to let you know, I am back at work.” After more than twenty years of helping clients retire and stay retired, that call is one of the most consistent patterns I have seen. A client retires. […]
What Happens to Your 401(k) and IRA When You Move Back to Canada?
Do not assume your U.S. retirement accounts just carry over when you return to Canada. They do not. The rules governing your IRA, 401(k), and Roth IRA change the moment you become a Canadian resident. The accounts still exist. The money is still there. But how Canada treats that money, and what your U.S. brokerage […]