What is a financial planner?

A financial planner is an individual who will help you with your financial plan. The title “financial planner” is not regulated. Anybody can call themselves a financial planner. In fact, many product salespersons call themselves financial planners to add credibility to their sales process. To sell certain financial products (like stocks, mutual funds or insurance), the salesperson must be licensed by the province in which they sell. Many so-called financial planners jump ahead and want to implement your “plan” by selling you their investment product.

At Ron Graham & Associates, we believe you should go through the first four steps of the financial planning process before you buy any investment. We do not sell any financial products; we only provide advice. When it comes to implementing your financial plan, we work with other professionals (accountants, lawyers, investment counselors, investment advisors, bankers and brokers) to find the best solution to suit your needs.