Each year brings a fresh batch of seasonal market stories, Santa Claus rallies, “Sell in May & go away,” the January effect, even Super Bowl predictions. They all promise hidden rhythms in returns. But over time, the data has stripped these patterns of their power. At Westmount, we remind investors that lasting results come from fundamentals, discipline, and a long-term view, not from chasing calendar quirks. As the year winds down, stay focused on what matters, a resilient plan grounded in prediction.

Risk in investing isn’t one thing, it’s perspective. For Portfolio Managers, it’s numbers: volatility, drawdowns, and betas. For clients, it’s emotion: the fear of plans derailing or goals slipping away. This gap between data and feeling is where true wealth planning lives. At Westmount Wealth, risk is reframed not as something to avoid, but to understand and design around - through diversified behaviors, intentional cash flow structures, emotional guidance, and goal-based framing.

Two retirees with identical portfolios can end with vastly different wealth depending on whether markets fall or rise early in retirement. This sequence risk means portfolio withdrawals lock in losses, creating lasting gaps. Curious how preparation can narrow outcomes?

Can investors reliably identify skilled managers in real time? Evidence suggests not. Studies by Fama and French show that only a few outperform beyond luck, and even then persistence is elusive. SPIVA data confirms most managers lag benchmarks over time. The lesson is clear: focus on controllable factors instead.

Investing is often guided by assumptions that don’t hold up under evidence. Economic growth doesn’t guarantee market strength, past performance rarely predicts future returns, and buying at market highs is not as risky as many believe. Data highlights the value of patience and discipline. Continue reading to explore these investing realities.

A real estate freeze doesn’t guarantee a smooth wealth transfer, especially when $12M in taxes loom and liquidity is nowhere in sight.

By modeling post-mortem strategies and adding a $2.65M whole life policy, we created the cash needed to unlock tools like the 164(6) carryback and pipeline planning.

The outcome: taxes funded, real estate preserved, legacy protected.

When a high-net-worth family encountered a complex estate tax issue, collaboration became the key to unlocking a powerful solution. Partnering with their tax accountant, our team crafted a creative approach that resolved pressing liquidity concerns and meaningfully reduced the family’s overall tax burden. This case highlights the impact of coordinated advisory efforts in delivering an exceptional outcome.

As Canada's Baby Boomer generation approaches retirement, a critical issue emerges: how to ensure the smooth ownership transition in privately-held enterprises. Enter Employee Ownership Trusts (“EOTs”), a sophisticated structure gaining traction in Europe, is now beginning to carve out a foothold in Canada.

Women globally earn just 84 cents for every dollar a man makes, a disparity that severely impacts financial well-being, particularly in retirement. In Canada, ranked 52nd for wage equality, women in British Columbia face an even wider 17% pay gap. These inequalities accumulate over time, resulting in women retiring with approximately 80% of what men do, all while living longer.

What is a Testamentary Spousal Trust?

A testamentary spousal trust is a legal arrangement established through a will to benefit the settlor’s surviving spouse. It provides an alternative to the outright distribution of estate assets, offering certain tax benefits and flexibility for managing complex family dynamics.

Investing is as much an art as it is a science, and the quest for sustained alpha—the ability to consistently outperform the market—remains one of the most elusive goals for active fund managers. The S&P Canada Persistence Scorecard for the year-end 2023 highlights some crucial insights into the performance persistence of active equity funds. Let's delve into the findings and understand what they mean for investors.

The proposed changes to the capital gains inclusion rates in the 2024 Canadian Federal Budget may have tax implications for incorporated physicians when they sell corporately owned assets.

Let’s explore how the proposed changes may affect Canadian physicians who invest within their holding companies, examining the current inclusion rates, the proposed alterations, and the potential impact.

While life insurance may not be the most glamorous aspect of financial planning, its use in estate planning is pivotal in ensuring the financial security and legacy of individuals, families and businesses.

Music is an integral part of our lives. It can lift our spirits and provide an escape from the daily grind. The growth in music consumption has made music publishing catalogues an attractive investment.

Have you ever wondered how to invest in music?

Is there a certain level of wealth that confidently removes financial concerns in retirement?

Not quite.

More wealth often means more complexity, more taxes, more maintenance, more advisors, more fees, and overall, more hassle.

The first home savings account is a type of registered account that was designed to help individuals save for their first home purchase. If you are a resident of Canada with a valid SIN, are the age of majority in your province, and are considered a first-time home buyer, you may be eligible to open a FHSA.

Over the last few decades there has been a growing trend from institutional investors, like pension plans, to diversify beyond stocks and bonds into alternative investments.

So, what are the alternative investments that pensions are allocating to? Continue reading to find out.

In an ever-evolving world, women take on increasingly vital societal roles, becoming influential decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in various industries. By 2024 the privately held wealth of Canadian women is estimated to rise from $1.2 trillion to $2.7 trillion, representing 50% of total wealth in Canada.

Many factors contributed to the great inflationary spike of 2021-22. In response, central banks in Canada and the US implemented some of history's fastest interest rate hikes. Their goal was to slow the economy in hopes of moderating inflation. The result was that virtually all asset classes, from stocks to bonds to real estate, were negatively impacted.

The BC Property Tax Deferment program is a lower-interest loan program offered by the province of BC for those in need. The province will pay your municipal property tax bill and charge you competitive interest rates for the money loaned to you.