Podcast appearances and mentions of cameron passmore

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you so focused on eliminating taxes that you're overlooking better opportunities to grow your wealth?A rising tax bill can feel painful, especially when your business is generating more profit than ever. But paying more tax is often a sign that your income and net worth are growing—and the real challenge is learning how to keep more capital working strategically instead of chasing the unrealistic goal of paying nothing.In this episode, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce unpack a real business-owner scenario involving a significant corporate tax bill, excess cash, and missed planning opportunities. They explain how a shift in mindset, combined with practical changes to compensation and corporate wealth structure, can create greater flexibility today and stronger long-term outcomes.You'll discover:Why focusing on after-tax wealth growth is more valuable than trying to reduce your tax bill to zero.How adjusting the balance between salary and dividends can create RRSP room, reduce corporate income, and improve tax deferral opportunities.How business owners can put excess corporate cash to work while maintaining liquidity, supporting future investments, and preparing for estate taxes.Press play now to learn how smarter tax planning can turn a frustrating tax bill into a more intentional wealth-building strategy.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.For Canadian entrepreneurs, building a resilient Canadian wealth plan means looking beyond the goal of simply paying less tax and creating financial systems that support long-term growth. This episode explores practical Canadian tax strategies, including salary vs. dividends in Canada, optimizing RRSP room, personal vs. corporate tax planning, and corporation investment strategies for excess business cash. It also examines how leveraged investing through a corporate line of credit may create a tax deduction when borrowed funds are used for eligible business or investment purposes, while emphasizing the importance of investment risk, liquidity, and professional guidance. By organizing capital into financial buckets, coordinating an investment bucket strategy, and combining tax-efficient investing with corporate structure optimization, passive income planning, financial diversification, and legacy planning in Canada, business owners can pursue financial independence, strengthen their estate plan, and build long-term wealth in Canada with greater clarity and flexibility.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!PE Gate is now offering accredited investors access to Project Rope: the acquisition of an established, cash-generative Canadian industrial business with more than 45 years of operating history.PE Gate's targets an annualized IRR above 25%, net of carried interest.For the Offering Memorandum and full risk disclosure, visit pe-gate.com or email sarmen@pe-gate.com. If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre your investments, corporate cash, and registered accounts working together—or are hidden gaps costing you money and time to reach financial freedom?Successful incorporated professionals can build significant wealth and still feel unsure whether their financial structure is truly optimized. When accountants, insurance advisors, and investment professionals each focus on only one piece, opportunities involving salary, retained earnings, taxes, and family savings can easily be overlooked.This episode examines a Canadian professional couple's financial setup and reveals the practical adjustments that could help them use their money more intentionally.You'll discover:How to balance salary, retained earnings, and RRSP contributions without withdrawing unnecessary personal income.Why TFSAs, RESPs, and available government grants should be considered before more complex wealth strategies.How idle corporate cash and high-fee investment products can limit long-term growth—and what to evaluate before choosing a better approach.Press play now to uncover the financial blind spots that may be hiding inside an otherwise successful wealth plan.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.Effective wealth management for high-net-worth Canadians requires more than isolated advice—it calls for coordinated tax planning, financial planning, and asset optimization across personal and corporate accounts. For incorporated professionals and business owners, a strong Canadian wealth plan may include RRSP optimization, maximizing RESP grants, evaluating salary vs. dividends in Canada, and building tax-efficient corporate investments with the right balance of growth, safety, and liquidity. The episode explores how corporate wealth planning, personal vs. corporate tax planning, optimizing RRSP room, passive income planning, and corporate structure optimization can support financial freedom in Canada while reducing missed opportunities. It also highlights the value of financial buckets, an investment bucket strategy, capital gains planning, real estate investing in Canada, financial diversification, and business owner tax savings. Whether the goal is financial independence, an early retirement strategy, legacy planning in Canada, or building long-term wealth, Canadian entrepreneurs need financial systems that align retained earnings, registered accounts, insurance, real estate, and corporation investment strategies. With clear financial vision setting and the right retirement planning tools, entrepreneurs can create a more resilient plan for tax-efficient investing, estate planning, and sustainable wealth building in Canada.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!PE Gate is now offering accredited investors access to Project Rope: the acquisition of an established, cash-generative Canadian industrial business with more than 45 years of operating history.PE Gate's targets an annualized IRR above 25%, net of carried interest.For the Offering Memorandum and full risk disclosure, visit pe-gate.com or email sarmen@pe-gate.com. If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat do you do when your business is profitable on paper, but payroll, taxes, and contractor payments are due before the cash actually hits your account?A cash flow crunch can make even a successful business feel unstable. You may have strong revenue, promising deals, and money on the way—but if the timing is off, your emergency fund is not prepared, the pressure can quickly turn into sleepless nights and reactive decisions. In this episode, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr unpack why profitability and solvency are not the same thing, and how Canadian business owners can build systems and tools, and better emergency funds that help them handle cash gaps without panic.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of why cash flow crunches happen, even in profitable businesses.A smarter way to think about your emergency fund or “wealth reservoir” so cash is not just sitting idle.Practical insight into how business owners can use structured reserves, policy loans, and strategic planning to keep operations moving while still building long-term wealth.Press play now to learn how to stop fearing the cash flow crunch and start building a system that keeps your business steady when timing gets tight.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.For Canadian entrepreneurs, a strong Canadian wealth plan starts with understanding the difference between profit and cash flow. Even when business growth looks healthy on paper, a cash flow crunch can expose weak cash management, gaps in business finance, and the need for better financial systems. This episode explores how a wealth reservoir can function like a more strategic emergency fund, helping business owners manage payroll, taxes, contractors, and other obligations without derailing long-term financial planning. By building financial systems for entrepreneurs, using corporate wealth planning, considering tax-efficient investing, and aligning personal vs corporate tax planning, business owners can create a stronger business strategy that supports financial freedom Canada, financial independence Canada, passive income planning, legacy planning Canada, and building long-term wealth Canada. Whether you are thinking about salary vs dividends Canada, RRSP optimization, corporation investment strategies, real estate investing Canada, financial buckets, capital gains strategy, estate planning Canada, or an early retirement strategy, the key is to create a flexible investment bucket strategy that supports both modest lifestyle wealth today and long-term wealth building strategies Canada for the future.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereIs the 4% rule giving you a false sense of security about your retirement plan?The 4% rule is one of the most popular shortcuts in retirement planning, but it was never meant to be followed blindly. If you're a Canadian business owner, incorporated professional, or high-income earner nearing financial freedom, your timeline, tax structure, and market risk may look very different from the “average” retiree the rule was built around. And when markets are expensive, even a strategy that worked historically can become much less reliable.In this episode, you'll discover:Why the 4% rule is a helpful starting point, but not a complete retirement strategy.How high market valuations, bubbles, and sequence of returns risk can dramatically change your odds of success.Why the way your portfolio produces income may matter just as much as the size of the portfolio itself.Press play now to rethink whether your retirement plan is built to survive more than just average market conditions.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.For Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs approaching financial freedom in Canada, relying solely on the traditional 4% rule or a fixed safe withdrawal rate may not be enough. A strong Canadian wealth plan should account for sequence of returns risk, CAPE ratio retirement risk, market valuation risk, and the need for a flexible retirement income strategy that supports long-term financial independence Canada goals. Instead of focusing only on portfolio size, effective financial freedom planning should consider retirement cash flow planning, income investing Canada, RRSP optimization, salary vs dividends Canada, corporate wealth planning, tax-efficient investing, personal vs corporate tax planning, and corporation investment strategies. Whether your early retirement strategy includes real estate investing Canada, passive income planning, capital gains strategy, financial buckets, or an investment bucket strategy, the goal is to build a retirement portfolio strategy that balances growth, income, tax efficiency, and legacy planning Canada. With the right retirement planning tools, Canadian tax strategies, business owner tax savings, estate planning Canada, financial systems for entrepreneurs, and corporate structure optimization, you can create wealth building strategies Canada that support a modest lifestyle wealth goal today while building long-term wealth Canada for the future.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereMany incorporated business owners believe they have only two choices: pull money out of my corporation now and pay the tax, or leave it inside the corporation and deal with the tax later. But both extremes can create problems. One owner may earn great income yet watch most of it disappear into lifestyle, taxes, and cash flow demands, while another may defer successfully for decades only to face mandatory withdrawals, clawbacks, and a much bigger tax bill in retirement.In this episode, you'll learn:Why high income and high net worth can still lead to the same underlying issue: lack of long-term planning.How aggressive tax deferral can become a future tax trap if there is no strategy for flexibility later.Why the best answer often sits between spending everything today and deferring everything forever—using planning tools that help protect lifestyle, grow net worth, and improve tax efficiency over time.Press play now to learn how to avoid building tomorrow's tax problem with today's financial decisions.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.A strong Canadian wealth plan for business owners requires more than basic tax planning or wealth management—it needs a complete financial planning system that balances tax deferral, leverage, insurance, retirement planning tools, and long-term tax strategies. For Canadian entrepreneur finance, this means understanding personal vs corporate tax planning, salary vs dividends Canada, RRSP optimization, optimizing RRSP room, corporate wealth planning, corporation investment strategies, and corporate structure optimization so you can create business owner tax savings today without building a future tax problem. By using financial buckets, an investment bucket strategy, tax-efficient investing, passive income planning, capital gains strategy, and financial diversification Canada, incorporated professionals can support financial freedom Canada, financial independence Canada, and even an early retirement strategy while maintaining a modest lifestyle wealth approach. Whether your plan includes real estate investing Canada, real estate vs renting decisions, legacy planning Canada, estate planning Canada, or building long-term wealth Canada, the key is financial vision setting and creating financial systems for entrepreneurs that protect flexibility, improve tax efficiency, and support sustainable wealth building strategies Canada.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereIs saving 10% of your income really enough to create financial freedom and set you up for a comfortable retirement—or could that “responsible” rule leave you short?Most people have heard the classic advice: pay yourself first, stay disciplined, and invest 10% of what you earn. But when you factor in inflation, lifestyle costs, taxes, time horizon, and the difference between gross and net income, that simple rule starts to look a lot less certain. In this episode, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr unpack what actually happens when you follow the 10% rule over 10, 20, or 30 years—and why your personal retirement number may require a much more intentional plan.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of why saving 10% may not replace enough of your future income.A practical way to think about savings rates, inflation, investment returns, and retirement timelines.A better sense of how your current spending and investing habits affect how soon you can become financially free.Press play now to find out whether your savings rate is truly aligned with the financial freedom you want.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.For Canadians pursuing financial independence, the real question is whether your savings rate and retirement planning strategy can actually support the lifestyle you want after work. While the traditional 10% rule is often presented as a simple personal finance starting point, factors like inflation, compound interest, investment returns, taxes, and time horizon can dramatically affect your retirement savings and path to financial freedom Canada. A stronger Canadian wealth plan may include tax-efficient investing, RRSP optimization, optimizing RRSP room, investment bucket strategy, financial buckets, passive income planning, and smart investment strategies tailored to your income, lifestyle, and goals. For incorporated professionals and entrepreneurs, this can also involve corporate wealth planning, personal vs corporate tax planning, salary vs dividends Canada, corporation investment strategies, corporate structure optimization, and business owner tax savings. Building long-term wealth Canada may also require evaluating real estate investing Canada, real estate vs renting, financial diversification Canada, capital gains strategy, estate planning Canada, legacy planning Canada, and financial systems for entrepreneurs. Whether your goal is an early retirement strategy, modest lifestyle wealth, or a broader vision for financial independence Canada, the key is using practical retirement planning tools, clear financial vision setting, and intentional wealth building strategies Canada to create a plan that supports lasting financial freedom.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Knowing what kind of seller you are turns out to be one of the most important things you can figure out before you ever take a meeting with a potential acquirer. There are three: the transactional seller who wants the money and the door, the transitional seller who wants to land the plane, and the transformational seller who sells to go bigger.  Cameron Passmore built one of the largest independent wealth management firms in Canada, roughly 3,000 families and about $8 billion under management, and owned half of it. Most founders in that seat cash out and leave. Cameron sold to OneDigital at 60, and has no intention of going anywhere. He rolled 40% of the deal into equity, and now uses OneDigital's capital, deal expertise, and acquisition currency to buy other firms. He has acquired five and roughly doubled the business in under two years.

Hiring a financial advisor is a big decision. My "How to Interview a Financial Advisor" worksheet gives you the tools to navigate the process and choose an advisor who fits your goals. Download it for free. -----  In this episode, I'm joined by Cameron Passmore, co-host of The Rational Reminder and a leader at PWL Capital, to discuss whether financial advice can scale without getting worse. We explore why the portfolio problem may be easier to solve than the advice-business problem, and what advisors need to do once low-cost, evidence-based investing becomes the starting point rather than the value proposition. Listen now and learn: ► Why Cameron believes the future of advice depends on better firms, not just better portfolios ► How fee transparency could force advisors to better define and defend their value ► What scaled advisory firms can do that solo advisors and smaller practices often cannot ► How private markets, AI, and investor behavior will shape the next decade of financial advice   Visit www.TheLongTermInvestor.com for show notes, free resources, and a place to submit questions.   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)   Disclosure: This content, which contains security-related opinions and/or information, is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in any manner as professional advice, or an endorsement of any practices, products or services. There can be no guarantees or assurances that the views expressed here will be applicable for any particular facts or circumstances, and should not be relied upon in any manner. You should consult your own advisers as to legal, business, tax, and other related matters concerning any investment. The commentary in this "post" (including any related blog, podcasts, videos, and social media) reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints, and analyses of the Plancorp LLC employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded the views of Plancorp LLC. or its respective affiliates or as a description of advisory services provided by Plancorp LLC or performance returns of any Plancorp LLC client. References to any securities or digital assets, or performance data, are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Please see disclosures here.  

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre IPPs and PPPs actually the right next step for your corporate wealth strategy—or just more complexity than you need?As your incorporated business grows, your planning priorities start to shift from simply reinvesting and reducing tax today to building a more structured long-term retirement and legacy strategy. Individual Pension Plans and Personal Pension Plans can offer powerful tax-deferred planning opportunities, but they only work well when your income, age, corporate structure, and future goals line up. This episode helps you understand when these plans make sense—and when simpler strategies may still be the better fit.You'll walk away with:A clear understanding of how IPPs and PPPs differ from RRSPs, including how contributions are calculated and why these plans are more than just “bigger RRSPs.”A practical sense of timing, including why these strategies often become more attractive in your late 40s, 50s, and beyond rather than during the earlier growth years of your business.Insight into the trade-offs between predictability and flexibility, including how IPPs and PPPs compare on cost, complexity, contribution options, tax deferral, and family business succession planning.Press play now to learn whether an IPP or PPP could fit your next stage of corporate wealth planning.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.A strong Canadian wealth plan for incorporated business owners should connect corporate wealth planning, personal vs corporate tax planning, RRSP optimization, salary vs dividends Canada, and corporation investment strategies into one clear system for building long-term wealth Canada. For Canadian entrepreneurs, the path to financial freedom Canada and financial independence Canada often involves choosing the right retirement planning tools, such as an Individual Pension Plan, Personal Pension Plan, or other RRSP alternatives Canada, while also considering tax-efficient investing, corporate tax deferral, business owner tax savings, passive income planning, and corporate structure optimization. Whether your strategy includes real estate investing Canada, real estate vs renting, a capital gains strategy, financial buckets, an investment bucket strategy, or financial diversification Canada, the key is aligning your financial vision setting with practical Canadian tax strategies, estate planning Canada, legacy planning Canada, and business owner succession planning. By optimizing RRSP room, managing retained earnings, and creating financial systems for entrepreneurs, incorporated professionals can build a flexible early retirement strategy, support a modest lifestyle wealth goal, and create a stronger foundation for retirement planning for entrepreneurs, long-term tax deferral, and lasting family wealth.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response! If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereIs leverage really the risky part of wealth building — or is the bigger risk misunderstanding how, when, and why to use it?Many Canadian business owners and investors already use leverage every day through mortgages, vehicle financing, business debt, or lines of credit — yet borrowing to invest often feels like a completely different level of risk. In this episode, Kyle and Jon unpack why some forms of debt feel “normal” while others feel dangerous, and how education, experience, asset choice, and the right support can dramatically change how risk is perceived. If you've ever wondered whether leveraged investing is smart strategy or unnecessary danger, this conversation will help you think more clearly about the difference.You'll walk away with:A clearer way to compare “acceptable” debt, like mortgages, with investment leverage that may create income or tax advantages.A practical lens for understanding objective risk versus perceived risk — and why your experience with an asset class matters.A better sense of when leverage may be an opportunity, when it may be a red flag, and why guidance or deeper education can help reduce costly mistakes.Press play now to rethink leverage, risk, and opportunity through a more strategic wealth-building lens.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.For Canadian entrepreneurs and investors, building long-term wealth Canada starts with a clear Canadian wealth plan that connects leverage, risk management, investment strategies, financial education, and tax optimization into one intentional system. Whether you are comparing real estate investing Canada with real estate vs renting, exploring passive income planning, optimizing RRSP room, or weighing salary vs dividends Canada, the goal is to use smart financial planning, personal vs corporate tax planning, and corporation investment strategies to reduce investment risk while creating more financial freedom Canada. A strong plan may include RRSP optimization, tax-efficient investing, Canadian tax strategies, capital gains strategy, corporate wealth planning, business owner tax savings, corporate structure optimization, and financial systems for entrepreneurs, all supported by retirement planning tools, financial buckets, an investment bucket strategy, and financial vision setting. By focusing on financial diversification Canada, modest lifestyle wealth, early retirement strategy, passive income, estate planning Canada, legacy planning Canada, and financial independence Canada, Canadians can create wealth building strategies Canada that balance real estate, corporate assets, tax planning, and long-term investment risk management.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response! If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereIs Ontario's small business tax cut actually saving you money—or just shifting the tax bill somewhere else?A lower corporate income tax rate sounds like a win for business owners, especially when headlines make the cut look dramatic. But if you eventually need to pull retained earnings out of your corporation, the personal tax side matters just as much as the corporate savings. This episode breaks down what the change really means, why the “savings” may not be as generous as they appear, and how business owners should think more strategically about salary, dividends, and retained earnings.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of how Ontario's small business tax cut affects active corporate income.The round-trip math behind saving tax inside the corporation versus paying more when dividends come out personally.Key planning questions to consider around retained earnings, passive income, salary, dividends, and long-term tax efficiency.Press play now to understand whether this tax change helps your business—or quietly creates a bigger planning problem down the road.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.For Canadian entrepreneurs, building a strong Canadian wealth plan starts with understanding how small business taxin Ontario, a corporate tax cut, dividend tax, and personal vs corporate tax planning can impact long-term decisions around tax planning, business strategy, and wealth management. Whether your goal is financial freedom Canada, financial independence Canada, or an early retirement strategy, the right approach may include corporate wealth planning, salary vs dividends Canada, RRSP optimization, optimizing RRSP room, tax-efficient investing, passive income planning, and smart corporation investment strategies. For business owners pursuing modest lifestyle wealth, legacy planning Canada, and building long-term wealth Canada, it's important to align financial buckets, an investment bucket strategy, financial vision setting, retirement planning tools, and financial systems for entrepreneurs with practical Canadian tax strategies, business owner tax savings, capital gains strategy, and corporate structure optimization. From real estate investing Canada and real estate vs renting to financial diversification Canada, passive income, and estate planning Canada, the best wealth building strategies Canadahelp connect today's cash flow decisions with tomorrow's freedom, security, and family legacy.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response! If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre your corporate retained earnings really worth what you think they are once they finally reach your family's hands?If you've built up cash inside your corporation or holding company, it can feel like that money is fully part of your net worth. But once passive income taxes, dividend taxes, and the small business deduction grind come into play, the number on paper can look very different from what actually lands in your personal pocket. This episode helps incorporated business owners rethink retained earnings not just as “money in the corporation,” but as dollars that need a smart path to eventually reach human hands.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of why passive income inside a corporation can trigger heavy tax drag and reduce access to the small business tax rate.A practical way to compare income-producing investments versus capital-appreciating assets inside a corporate structure.Insight into how strategies like the capital dividend account and corporate-owned life insurance may support tax-efficient cash flow, legacy planning, and long-term wealth transfer.Press play now to learn how to think more strategically about retained earnings, corporate investing, and getting more of your business wealth into your family's hands.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.A strong Canadian wealth plan for incorporated business owners starts with understanding corporate retained earnings Canada, retained earnings tax, and the difference between personal vs corporate tax planning so you can make smarter decisions around salary vs dividends Canada, RRSP optimization, optimizing RRSP room, and long-term corporate wealth planning. For Canadian entrepreneur finance, the goal is often financial freedom Canada, financial independence Canada, or an early retirement strategy built around modest lifestyle wealth, financial buckets, an investment bucket strategy, and practical retirement planning tools. Whether you are comparing real estate investing Canada, real estate vs renting, holding company investments, or other corporation investment strategies, the right approach should consider passive income corporation Canada, passive income planning, the small business deduction grind, capital gains strategy, the capital dividend account, corporate-owned life insurance, and broader Canadian tax strategies. With thoughtful corporate structure optimization, tax-efficient investing, business owner tax savings, financial systems for entrepreneurs, and financial diversification Canada, Canadian business owners can create stronger wealth building strategies Canada, support building long-term wealth Canada, clarify their financial vision setting, and strengthen legacy planning Canada and estate planning Canada through a more intentional corporate wealth strategy.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you chasing a tax-saving strategy that sounds smart—but may not be the biggest financial opportunity in front of you?In this episode, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce unpack a real-world Canadian wealth planning scenario involving rental properties, cash damming, the Smith Manoeuvre, a primary residence mortgage, and retained earnings inside a corporation. While strategies like cash damming can create tax-deductible interest, the episode challenges listeners to step back and ask whether the time, complexity, and bookkeeping are actually worth the payoff right now. For business owners and real estate investors, the bigger win may come from identifying the highest-impact planning opportunity before getting lost in the weeds of smaller optimizations.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of how cash damming fits within the Smith Manoeuvre and why the purpose of borrowed funds matters.A practical way to think through whether a tax deduction is meaningful enough to justify the effort.A reminder to compare small tax-saving moves against larger planning opportunities, especially when corporate retained earnings and future tax exposure are involved.Press play now to learn how to spot the difference between a clever financial tactic and the strategy that may matter most.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.Cash Damming and the Smith Manoeuvre are popular Canadian tax strategies, but the real question for Canadian investors, entrepreneurs, and business owners is whether these moves fit into a bigger Canadian wealth plan. In this episode of Canadian Wealth Secrets, we explore how Tax Planning Canada, Rental Properties, HELOC Strategy, and Canadian Real Estate Investing can work together with Corporate Wealth Planning, Retained Earnings, and Business Owner Tax Strategy to support long-term goals like financial freedom Canada, early retirement strategy, passive income planning, and financial independence Canada. For incorporated professionals, the conversation goes beyond real estate investing Canada and looks at salary vs dividends Canada, personal vs corporate tax planning, corporation investment strategies, corporate structure optimization, business owner tax savings, and tax-efficient investing. You'll also hear why modest lifestyle wealth, RRSP optimization, optimizing RRSP room, financial buckets, investment bucket strategy, capital gains strategy, estate planning Canada, legacy planning Canada, and financial vision setting all matter when building long-term wealth Canada. Whether you're comparing real estate vs renting, planning for retirement, exploring retirement planning tools, improving financial systems for entrepreneurs, or seeking better financial diversification Canada, this episode helps you focus on wealth building strategies Canada that align with your lifestyle, tax situation, and future goals.Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereCould your RRSP become one of your biggest future tax problems—and is there a smarter way to unwind it?Many Canadians spend decades building RRSP wealth, only to discover later that RRIF withdrawals can trigger a much larger tax bill than expected. This episode breaks down why the real issue is not the RRSP itself, but the lack of a coordinated system for withdrawals, deductions, leverage, and retirement cash flow. You'll hear how tax-efficient planning can begin well before retirement, especially for high-income Canadians, incorporated business owners, and anyone trying to preserve more of what they've built. In this episode, you'll learn:How RRSPs and RRIFs really differ—and why converting strategically can create more control over income, liquidity, and tax timing.What a true RRIF meltdown strategy involves, including how investment loan interest deductions can help offset taxable RRIF income.How self-made dividends and capital gains planning can support retirement cash flow while reducing reliance on fully taxable income sources.Press play now to learn how a more intentional RRSP and RRIF strategy could help you reduce future tax drag and create more flexibility in retirement.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle if you've been……taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you spending your best time chasing small financial gains while your biggest opportunity is sitting right in front of you?In this episode, Jon Orr unpacks a simple but powerful question every business owner and investor needs to ask: are the inputs required to reach a goal actually worth the output? Through stories about kite surfing, marathon running, poker, and portfolio management, he explores how easy it is to confuse “I could do this” with “I should do this.”For entrepreneurs especially, the real tension is often between actively growing the business and spending countless hours trying to optimize passive investments. Sometimes the smartest move is not doing more—it is choosing where your time creates the greatest return.You'll walk away with:A clearer way to evaluate whether a goal is worth the time, energy, and commitment it requires.A practical lens for deciding whether your “alpha” comes from your investment portfolio or your active business.Permission to let passive assets stay passive so you can focus on the areas where your effort creates the biggest payoff.Press play now to rethink where your time is going—and whether the trade-off is truly worth it.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat if your investment results have less to do with what you own—and more to do with who you become when markets get uncomfortable?Most investors are taught to focus on picking the right stocks, funds, timing, or asset mix. But the real difference-maker is often behavior: how you react to uncertainty, losses, control, and fear. In this episode, you'll explore why two people can hold the same portfolio and still end up with very different outcomes—because their investor personality shapes the decisions they make along the way.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of the five investor personality types: the set-it-and-forget-it optimizer, skeptical controller, emotional reactor, confident operator, and security seeker.Insight into how loss aversion, overconfidence, and the urge for certainty can quietly influence your financial decisions.A better way to think about building an investment strategy that fits your real behavior—not just your risk questionnaire score.Press play now to discover which investor personality patterns show up in your financial life—and how to build a strategy you can actually stick with.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat if your retirement plan depends on selling the very assets you spent decades building?For many business owners and high-net-worth Canadians, “financial freedom” often means reaching a number on paper—but what happens when that number has to be slowly drawn down to fund your lifestyle? This episode challenges the traditional retirement mindset of accumulating a pile of assets, then hoping it lasts long enough. Instead, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce explore how to think about income, diversification, and portfolio structure in a way that can support more confidence, flexibility, and peace of mind in your financial freedom years.You'll walk away with:A clearer understanding of why relying only on asset sales can feel emotionally risky when funding retirement.A fresh way to think about diversifying not just by asset class, but by strategy and structure for retirement.Insight into how income-focused investing can help create cash flow without constantly shrinking your principal when designing retirement.Press play now to rethink how your portfolio could support your lifestyle without forcing you to sell off the assets you worked so hard to build.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat happens if your main income engine slows down before your backup plan is even moving?If you're building a business, growing retained earnings, or counting on a future exit to fund your freedom, this episode is a timely reality check. Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce unpack why so many Canadian entrepreneurs pour everything into one flywheel—the business or job that funds life today—while neglecting the second flywheel that's supposed to protect them later. This conversation speaks directly to anyone who wants more stability, more options, and less financial stress when business gets unpredictable.In this episode, you'll hear how to:think about wealth in terms of two flywheels: your active income engine and your passive income enginestop relying on a future business sale as the only path to long-term freedomstart building a second flywheel early by allocating profits strategically between safe, liquid assets and longer-term growth assetsPress play now to learn how to build financial momentum that keeps working, even when your first flywheel hits turbulence.

In this episode, the Rational Reminder team unpacks the mechanics and implications of mega IPOs like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic potentially entering public indices. They explore how index funds handle IPO inclusion, why newly public stocks tend to underperform, and how structural features of indexing can lead to systematically buying high and selling low. The conversation dives into academic research on IPO returns, the role of free float in index construction, and how evolving market dynamics are forcing index providers to reconsider long-standing rules. They also examine alternative approaches from firms like Dimensional and Avantis, and whether investors are truly missing out by not accessing private markets. This episode blends market structure, empirical evidence, and investor behaviour into a nuanced look at one of the most talked-about investing topics today.   Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:04) Introduction to the Rational Reminder Podcast and hosts. (0:00:19) PWL Capital expands to Vancouver through partnership with Macdonald Shymko & Company. (0:03:45) Main topic: "Mega IPOs" and concerns about index fund exposure. (0:05:00) Why large private companies going public matters for index investors. (0:06:55) Index funds aim to represent markets—not optimize returns. (0:08:41) Massive scale of index funds and implications for IPO demand. (0:10:19) Why IPOs tend to have low expected returns. (0:12:39) How index inclusion rules differ (S&P 500 vs total market indices). (0:15:53) Research on "fast-track" IPO inclusion and front-running effects. (0:18:59) Why mega IPOs may amplify existing inefficiencies. (0:20:39) Important reminder: indexing trade-offs are small and structural—not fatal. (0:21:29) Potential solutions like pre-allocating IPO shares to index funds. (0:23:24) The role of free float in determining index weight. (0:25:00) NASDAQ rule changes and implications for low-float mega IPOs. (0:27:40) Conflict of interest concerns in index rule changes. (0:32:43) Why index providers may need to evolve with changing markets. (0:35:27) Historical changes to index methodology (e.g., float adjustment). (0:37:21) Why IPOs are historically poor investments ("new issues puzzle"). (0:40:28) Evidence from Dimensional on IPO underperformance. (0:41:14) IPOs behave like "junk" stocks (small, unprofitable, high growth). (0:43:04) Low-float IPOs and extreme underperformance data. (0:46:00) High valuations (price-to-sales) linked to worse IPO outcomes. (0:48:00) Index rebalancing as systematic "bad market timing." (0:50:03) Dimensional vs Avantis approaches to IPO inclusion. (0:52:56) Trade-offs and tracking error across different strategies. (0:54:16) Importance of investor discipline amid changing narratives. (0:56:00) Are investors missing out on private markets? (0:58:00) Risks and costs of accessing private shares (SPVs, fees, fraud). (1:00:15) Indirect exposure to private companies through public equities. (1:02:52) Final takeaway: index investing already captures most opportunities. (1:03:25) Wrap-up: IPOs are a known cost—not a reason to abandon indexing.   Links: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Ben Wilson on LinkedIn — https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ben-wilson   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWant to turn corporate retained earnings into future tax-efficient cash flow without locking your money away?If you are a business owner sitting on retained earnings, you have probably felt the tension between paying personal tax now or leaving money in the corporation and dealing with the tax consequences later. This episode walks through a strategy designed to create more flexibility: using a corporate-owned permanent life insurance policy as a pass-through structure that can support borrowing, asset growth, and long-term estate planning. It is especially relevant if you want more optionality with your money while keeping an eye on taxes, liquidity, and legacy.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Understand how a corporate-owned permanent life insurance policy can help reduce future personal tax friction on retained earnings.See what funding levels like $1 million per year versus $100,000 per year can actually look like in practice, including cash value growth, leverage potential, and policy offset options.Grasp how this structure can support both living benefits now and estate planning advantages later through growing cash value, borrowing flexibility, and tax-efficient death benefit planning.Press play now to see how this strategy can create more control, more flexibility, and a more tax-efficient path for your corporate wealth.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat would it actually take to make work optional by age 50?As a Canadian business owner or investor, If you have a good income, some investments, and a rough number in mind for “financial freedom,” it is easy to assume you are on the right track to financial freedom without ever testing the math. But there is a big difference between a financial goal that sounds safe and a goal that truly fits the life you want. This episode helps you cut through the guesswork so you can stop chasing arbitrary numbers and start building a financial plan that matches your timeline, spending, and priorities.In this episode, you'll learn how to:figure out whether your financial freedom number actually covers the lifestyle you want in the futurereverse-engineer your financial target based on spending, inflation, rate of return, and time horizonseparate your minimum financial goal from your stretch goal so you can grow wealth without losing sight of what matters mostPress play now to build a clearer, more realistic path toward financial freedom without sacrificing the life you want along the way.

What if the decades-long debate between active and passive investing wasn't really a debate—but a data problem? In this episode, Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore are joined by Tim Edwards, Managing Director and Global Head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices, for a deep dive into the SPIVA Scorecard—the industry's most enduring and data-driven comparison of active versus passive investing. Tim explains how SPIVA has evolved over 25 years, why survivorship bias matters more than most investors realize, and what the data consistently shows across markets: most active funds underperform their benchmarks—especially over longer time horizons. The conversation goes beyond the headline results, exploring persistence (or lack thereof) in manager performance, why bond funds don't escape the same fate, and whether combining active funds improves outcomes (spoiler: not really). They also tackle common critiques of indexing, including index rebalancing costs, IPO inclusion concerns, and the role of index funds in market concentration.     Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:17) Introduction to the SPIVA report and its long-standing role in the indexing vs. active debate (0:01:18) Overview of the episode: SPIVA, index behavior, IPOs, and market concentration (0:03:30) What SPIVA is and how it measures active fund performance versus benchmarks (0:04:14) Why SPIVA was created: to inform—not settle—the active vs. passive debate (0:05:20) How SPIVA has evolved across regions, asset classes, and research dimensions (0:06:59) Controlling for survivorship bias and why it materially affects results (0:08:57) Real-world survivorship rates: ~50–60% of funds survive over 10 years (0:10:12) Core finding: most active funds underperform, especially over longer horizons (0:10:57) Comparison of equity vs. bond funds: slightly better outcomes in bonds, but still mostly underperformance (0:13:44) Structural differences in equity vs. bond markets (e.g., skewness, dispersion) (0:15:06) Typical survivorship rates across markets and how crises affect fund closures (0:16:02) Persistence analysis: past winners rarely remain winners (0:18:16) Global variation: some markets (e.g., international small caps) show slightly better active results (0:20:41) "Better" doesn't mean good: even in stronger categories, most funds still underperform (0:21:31) Do active funds perform better in down markets? Not consistently (0:23:37) Multi-asset portfolios of active funds: 97% underperform over 10 years (0:25:10) Selecting top-quartile funds improves outcomes slightly—but not meaningfully (0:26:46) Surprising findings in SPIVA and how market dynamics shape results (0:27:45) Impact of SPIVA on industry behavior and investor education (0:29:03) Ben shares how SPIVA influenced his own career path toward indexing (0:30:08) The "index effect" and whether index rebalancing creates performance drag (0:31:30) Why the index effect has largely diminished due to market competition and liquidity (0:34:05) Research on IPO inclusion and whether index rules create systematic return drag (0:36:57) How S&P handles IPO inclusion (e.g., 12-month seasoning rule for S&P 500) (0:39:58) Whether index methodology could evolve due to larger modern IPOs (0:42:36) Addressing concerns about large IPOs entering index funds (0:43:52) Historical perspective on market concentration and today's top-heavy indices (0:45:29) What happened to past top-10 companies: many declined, but markets still thrived (0:47:10) Creative destruction: why markets can succeed even when leaders fail (0:49:15) Weak relationship between market concentration and future returns (0:50:55) None of today's top companies were top companies in the 1960s (0:52:16) Key takeaway: markets evolve, and cap-weighted indices adapt automatically (0:53:58) Concerns about index fund growth and its impact on market function (0:54:30) Benefits of indexing: lower fees and often better investor outcomes (0:56:15) Timing the market: why waiting for a bigger drop tends to hurt returns (0:58:52) "Time in the market" vs. "timing the market" (0:59:09) Tim's favorite index: the DSPX dispersion index (1:00:53) Defining success: why happiness is the ultimate metric     Links: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWant a smarter way to use corporate retained earnings without triggering a massive personal tax hit?If you're a successful incorporated business owner in Canada, you've probably felt the tension between leaving profits trapped in the corporation or pulling them out and losing a huge chunk to tax. This episode explores a different path: using a permanent insurance policy as a strategic pass-through structure so your money can keep working, give you more flexibility, and support both current cash-flow goals and long-term planning.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Turn retained earnings into a tax-efficient asset that can grow inside your corporate structure instead of sitting in taxable passive investments.Create a strategy where the same dollars can support future investing opportunities through leverage, helping your money work in more than one place at once.Build in long-term upside through tax-free death benefit planning and greater flexibility for personal cash flow, estate planning, and eventual extraction strategies.Press play to hear how this corporate strategy can help you keep more of what you've built while expanding your options for the future.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you spending too much time trying to optimize your money instead of making the moves that actually build wealth?This episode is for the Canadian business owner who wants to be smarter with taxes, investing, and long-term planning—but also knows how easy it is to get stuck in analysis. Hosts, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce unpack a powerful mindset shift for the year ahead: stop chasing every tiny optimization and focus on the habits and decisions that create real momentum. If you have ever wondered whether your financial strategy is actually helping—or just distracting you—this conversation will hit home.You'll hear how to create one simple, repeatable money habit that can quietly build wealth over time.You'll learn why increasing income and protecting your focus can matter more than endlessly tweaking tax and investment decisions.You'll also get a practical lens for deciding when to keep managing things yourself and when it may be smarter to systematize or delegate.Press play now to reset your financial focus for the next year and make the moves that matter most.

What if the way we think about investing—and expected returns—was fundamentally incomplete? In this episode, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti take a deep dive into one of the most influential papers in financial economics: Fama and French (1993). With nearly 15,000 citations, this research reshaped how we understand asset pricing by showing that market beta alone isn't enough to explain returns. Instead, multiple factors—specifically size and value—play a critical role. Ben and Dan unpack how this paper challenged the dominance of CAPM, introduced the now-famous Three-Factor Model, and laid the foundation for decades of empirical asset pricing research. They explore how factor investing evolved, why anomalies may not be anomalies at all, and what this means for evaluating portfolios and active managers today. The conversation also connects theory to practice—highlighting how modern fund providers implement factor strategies and what it means for investors trying to improve expected returns without abandoning diversification.     Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:00)  Introduction to the episode and why this is a long-awaited deep dive into factor investing. (0:01:12) Overview of Fama and French (1993) and its massive impact on finance and portfolio management. (0:03:55) Origins of factor investing and how it connects to index investing and academic research. (0:04:46) Core premise: multiple factors drive expected returns and asset prices. (0:06:08) He explains why different assets can have different expected returns, and why that matters for investors. (0:07:24) Ben introduces the CAPM as the dominant model that linked expected return to market beta. (0:08:53) Dan reflects on how revolutionary CAPM and portfolio theory were when they were first introduced. (0:10:51) Ben describes today as a "golden age of investing," where theory and implementation tools are widely accessible. (0:11:17) He explains how anomalies emerged that CAPM could not explain. (0:12:10) Ben introduces the joint hypothesis problem: we cannot cleanly separate market efficiency from model accuracy. (0:13:47) He identifies the three big issues with CAPM: size, value, and the weak relationship between beta and returns. (0:15:29) Ben introduces the three-factor model: market, size (SMB), and value (HML). (0:17:37) He explains that these factors are built as long-short portfolios designed to capture systematic return variation. (0:18:02) Dan notes that the model did not really address the low-volatility anomaly. (0:18:36) Ben agrees and explains that later work, including the five-factor model, went further on that front. (0:19:03) Ben describes how Fama and French formed 25 portfolios sorted by size and book-to-market. (0:20:00) He explains their use of time-series regression to test how well the model explained portfolio returns. (0:21:12) Ben walks through factor loadings, alpha, and R-squared, and why those outputs matter. (0:23:31) He highlights the model's strong explanatory power, with average R-squared around 0.93 across test portfolios. (0:25:00) Dan clarifies that unexplained return could reflect skill, luck, or another missing factor. (0:25:27) Ben emphasizes how dramatic the jump was from CAPM's explanatory power to the three-factor model's. (0:26:11) He points to small-cap growth as the major area the model struggled to explain. (0:27:09) Ben explains how the model also absorbed dividend-to-price and earnings-to-price "anomalies." (0:28:01) Dan discusses why dividend strategies may simply act as rough value screens rather than offering something unique. (0:28:52) Ben expands on how later research, especially profitability, sharpened value investing implementation. (0:30:37) He notes the unresolved debate over whether factors are true risk exposures or persistent mispricing. (0:32:16) Ben explains how factor models changed the way investors evaluate active managers and fees. (0:33:16) Dan raises the possibility that some early active managers may have intuitively identified factor opportunities before the research formalized them. (0:34:09) Ben discusses whether factor premiums have shrunk after publication and why the evidence is still noisy. (0:34:59) He describes how the paper helped launch the boom in empirical asset pricing research. (0:35:35) Ben introduces the "factor zoo" problem and the explosion of published factors. (0:36:49) He explains the five-factor model and the addition of profitability and investment. (0:38:21) Dan asks about the intuition behind profitability and investment, especially why profitable firms might have higher expected returns. (0:39:38) Ben explains profitability through a multi-factor lens and inferred discount rates. (0:42:15) He argues that combining factors matters because single-factor portfolios can have offsetting exposures. (0:44:05) Dan points out that layering too many factors naively can just bring you back toward the market portfolio. (0:44:56) Ben discusses the tradeoff between diversified tilts and concentrated factor bets. (0:46:29) Dan describes factor tilting as a subtle adjustment around a diversified core portfolio. (0:46:47) Ben cites Fama's idea that investors need to "talk themselves out of the market portfolio." (0:47:16) He notes that there is still active debate over which factors and models truly make sense. (0:48:31) Dan explains why momentum is harder to implement in practice because of turnover, taxes, and trading costs. (0:49:23) Ben says even simple-sounding factors like value and profitability remain heavily debated in academia. (0:50:20) He brings the discussion back to practical relevance: how investors can access factor exposure through funds. (0:51:06) Ben explains Dimensional's roots in academic research and its long history of implementation. (0:52:48) He introduces Avantis as a newer competitor with similar academic foundations and newly launched Canadian ETFs. (0:53:42) Ben discloses that PWL uses Dimensional extensively, while noting they are not paid to mention Dimensional or Avantis. (0:54:09) He summarizes what factor investing means for investors seeking higher expected returns through systematic tilts. (0:55:47) Dan reflects on how early PWL's adoption of index and factor-based investing was in the Canadian market. (0:57:07) Ben invites listeners to learn more about how PWL applies this thinking in client portfolios. (0:57:41) The episode moves to the after show and review section. (0:58:21) Dan reads a listener review focused on evidence-based investing, planning, and disciplined saving. (1:00:23) Ben notes that they never actually named the paper during the main episode. (1:00:32) Dan closes with: the paper is Common Risk Factors in the Returns on Stocks and Bonds.     Links: Patrick Adams – MIT PhD Candidate: https://patrick-adams.com/  Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you building a business you can actually step away from—or just creating a job that depends on you forever?If you're a Canadian incorporated business owner thinking about retirement, succession, or a possible exit, this episode digs into the messy middle most people face. What happens when your business creates strong income, but only because you are still carrying so much of the load? You'll hear a real-world discussion about how to start shifting from being the engine of the business to building something more sustainable, valuable, and flexible for your next chapter.In this episode, you'll learn how to:think more clearly about whether your best move is to sell, stay, or gradually step backincrease the value of a business by making it less owner-dependent and more self-sustainingexplore practical transition options like hiring the right operator, profit sharing, and phased ownership over timePress play to hear a smarter way to prepare your business for freedom, flexibility, and a more confident exit.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereIs paying 1% for investment management a waste of money—or the exact support that could protect your wealth?If you've ever wondered whether you should keep investing on your own or hand the reins to an advisor, this episode gets right to the heart of that tension. It speaks to the very real struggle between wanting to minimize fees and wanting more confidence, better decision-making, and less stress when markets get shaky. Whether you're early in your investing journey or getting closer to financial freedom, this conversation helps you think beyond simple math and make a choice that actually fits how you operate.You'll walk away with:A clearer way to decide whether DIY investing or professional management fits your personality, habits, and goalsA better understanding of what you're really paying for with a 1% fee, including coaching, accountability, peace of mind, and complexity managementA practical lens for comparing options using time, behavior, and risk-adjusted returns—not just headline performance numbersPress play now to figure out whether paying for investment management is costing you too much—or saving you from bigger mistakes.

What if your biggest investment risk isn't the stock market—but your own income? In this episode, we are joined by Patrick Adams, a PhD candidate at MIT, for a fascinating deep dive into how income risk, spending commitments, and liquidity constraints reshape what "optimal" investing actually looks like. Drawing on large-scale administrative tax data, Patrick challenges the conventional wisdom that young investors should be heavily—or even fully—invested in equities. We explore why stocks appear safe over long horizons but become risky when real-world constraints force investors to sell at the worst possible times. Patrick explains how high-income households behave during market downturns, why their income risk is closely tied to stock market performance, and how consumption commitments like mortgages and childcare create hidden financial leverage. The conversation also introduces a new life-cycle model that incorporates these frictions—leading to surprisingly conservative optimal equity allocations for working-age investors. This episode reframes asset allocation as a problem of liquidity and risk management, not just return maximization.     Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:00) Introduction to the podcast and overview of the episode's focus on asset allocation and new research. (0:01:18) Patrick Adams' background, MIT PhD research, and how the paper was discovered. (0:07:08) Why stocks are considered safe for long-term investors based on historical returns. (0:08:37) When the "stocks for the long run" logic breaks down—forced selling during downturns. (0:10:35) Evidence: High-income households sell stocks during crashes instead of buying. (0:12:24) Data source: Administrative U.S. tax return data and its advantages/limitations. (0:14:23) Investors shift into fixed income during crashes rather than staying invested. (0:16:52) Financial reality: High wealth, but low liquid assets relative to income. (0:18:00) Human capital: Income is risky and correlated with stock market downturns. (0:20:15) Typical allocation: About 25% of liquid wealth in stocks for working-age households. (0:22:36) Higher-income households have more volatile flows and greater exposure to stock risk. (0:23:42) Income shocks drive stock selling—not just panic or behavioral mistakes. (0:25:29) Why households draw down assets instead of cutting spending sharply. (0:27:26) Consumption commitments (mortgages, childcare) act like hidden leverage. (0:27:57) Key risk factors: Income volatility, low liquidity, and inflexible expenses. (0:31:31) Traditional models vs reality: People don't cut spending—they use savings. (0:35:25) New model incorporates income risk, market crashes, and spending frictions. (0:38:33) Core finding: Optimal equity allocation for working-age investors is only 10–40%. (0:40:55) Practical takeaway: Asset allocation is fundamentally about emergency funds. (0:42:35) Higher fixed expenses require larger safe asset buffers. (0:43:49) Counterintuitive result: Retirees may optimally hold more equities than workers. (0:46:56) Scenario analysis: Selling during downturns destroys long-term returns. (0:49:12) Key drivers of results: Income-stock correlation and spending rigidity. (0:51:11) Why this model differs from others suggesting 100% equity portfolios. (0:53:20) When 100% equity could make sense: low risk, high wealth, high risk tolerance. (0:56:28) Personal impact: Patrick rethinks his own savings, risk, and spending commitments. (0:57:34) Advice for listeners: Focus on liquidity, income risk, and fixed expenses. (0:59:58) Defining success: Impactful research, teaching, and meaningful personal relationships.     Links: Patrick Adams – MIT PhD Candidate: https://patrick-adams.com/  Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat do you do when you've built more wealth than you need—but your success is quietly setting up a massive future tax bill?This episode walks through a real planning scenario that will hit home for many Canadian business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors. You'll hear how one retired entrepreneur did almost everything right—paid off the house, built strong investment buckets, and created lasting financial security—yet still ended up with hidden tax inefficiencies inside a RRIF, personal accounts, and a holding company. If you've ever wondered whether your current structure could create unnecessary drag later, this conversation shows where those problems come from and what can still be done to improve them.You'll learn:How large RRIF balances can create a growing tax problem in retirement, even when you do not need the income.Why asset location matters—especially when comparing TFSAs, non-registered GICs, and corporate investments.How strategies like leveraged investing and corporate-owned whole life insurance may help reduce tax drag, improve estate efficiency, and create more flexibility for future withdrawals.Press play to hear how a “good problem to have” can become a smarter, more tax-efficient wealth plan. Built from your uploaded transcript.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre market drawdowns making you question your retirement plan—or tempting you to panic when your portfolio drops?When markets pull back, it is easy to feel like everything is suddenly at risk—especially if retirement is getting closer or you are finally starting to build real momentum with your money. This episode digs into the emotional side of investing during uncertain times and shows why drawdowns feel very different depending on your timeline, income needs, and overall strategy. Whether you are a business owner, a salaried employee, or someone trying to make smarter wealth decisions, this conversation helps you think more clearly when volatility hits.In this episode, you'll hear how to:understand the real “cost of admission” that comes with investing in growth assets like index fundstell the difference between risk tolerance and risk capacity so your plan actually matches your stage of lifecreate simple rules and strategies for handling market pullbacks without making emotional decisions you regretPress play now to learn how to stay calm, stay strategic, and make better financial decisions when the market gets shaky.

In this episode, we unpack the growing tension in private markets—private equity, private credit, and private real estate—and examine whether their long-standing appeal holds up under scrutiny. With increasing pressure to bring these investments to retail investors, the discussion explores how illiquidity, valuation opacity, and complex fee structures may be masking risks rather than reducing them. We break down how private assets are marketed, why their "smooth" returns may be misleading, and what recent events—like gated funds and forced asset sales—reveal about their true risk profile.    Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:00) Introduction to the episode and overview of private markets as the main topic. (0:00:39) Clarifying PWL Capital's full-service wealth management approach beyond asset management. (0:03:24) Why private markets are under scrutiny and recent negative developments across asset classes. (0:06:36) The seductive sales pitch: higher returns, lower risk, and low correlation to public markets. (0:08:32) Private assets explained: what they are and why they appear less volatile. (0:10:06) "Volatility laundering" and the illusion of stability in private market valuations. (0:13:51) Retail investors entering private markets and the risk of adverse selection. (0:15:09) Liquidity challenges and the growing issue of gated funds. (0:18:33) Why illiquidity is especially problematic for retail investors with uncertain cash needs. (0:20:41) The debate over whether an illiquidity premium actually exists. (0:23:56) Trade-offs between liquidity and volatility in portfolio construction. (0:30:41) Evidence on private equity performance vs. public markets and the role of fees. (0:31:39) High dispersion in private equity returns and challenges of manager selection. (0:33:00) Continuation funds and evergreen structures raising valuation concerns. (0:36:00) Secondary market sales, NAV manipulation concerns, and "NAV squeezing." (0:40:00) Private credit risks, gating, and comparisons to publicly traded BDCs. (0:44:00) Insurance companies allocating to private credit and potential systemic risks. (0:45:02) Private real estate funds, liquidity issues, and IPO valuation shocks. (0:47:43) Public listings revealing large gaps between NAV and market prices. (0:49:34) Summary: private markets may be as risky as public ones, with added complexity. (0:49:44) Larry Swedroe's critique and the debate over private market outperformance. (0:52:00) Illiquidity premium vs. "smoothing as a service" debate. (0:54:00) Manager skill, persistence, and the challenge of accessing top-tier funds. (0:56:50) Final reflections on ongoing research and the importance of informed debate.   Links: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you really diversified—or just following one investing strategy and hoping it works out?In this episode, we unpack what The Psychology of Money gets wrong about portfolio diversification and why many investors misunderstand what diversification actually means. While many popular investing books recommend keeping things simple with a single strategy, real-world investing often requires more flexibility.If you've ever felt torn between keeping your portfolio simple and optimizing for better results, this conversation will resonate. We explore why building wealth is not just about choosing the “best” asset class, but about choosing a strategy you can actually stick with through market swings, uncertainty, and changing goals.You'll hear a candid discussion about the emotional side of investing, the tension between growth and income, and why true diversification may involve more than just owning different assets—it may require diversifying strategies as well.In this episode, you'll learn:Why diversification is not only about asset classes, but also about investment strategies—and how that shift can change the way you build wealth.How to choose an investing approach that matches your personality, risk tolerance, and long-term goals so you can stay consistent.Why balancing net worth growth, cash flow, and flexibility can help you create more optionality as your financial life evolves.Press play to rethink diversification and start building a wealth strategy you can actually feel confident following.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre dividends really the smartest way to pay yourself from your corporation—or could they be quietly costing you more over time?If you're an incorporated Canadian business owner, chances are you've heard that dividends are the more tax-efficient option. But that idea can be misleading when you look at the full picture. This episode breaks down why the real decision isn't just about this year's tax bill—it's about RRSP room, CPP, corporate tax thresholds, investment discipline, and building a better long-term wealth strategy.You'll learn:Why the “dividends save tax” belief is mostly an illusion once you understand tax integration.When salary becomes the stronger move, especially as corporate income rises above key thresholds like $500,000.The practical income benchmarks that can help you decide when to use salary, dividends, or a blend of both.Press play to find out how to pay yourself more strategically—and stop leaving money on the table.

What if factor investing in Canada became as simple—and affordable—as buying a single ETF? In this episode, we are joined by Eduardo Repetto, CIO of Avantis Investors, and Caitlin Ebanks, Director of ETF Strategy at CIBC, to unpack the long-awaited launch of Avantis ETFs in Canada. This conversation explores how a partnership built on client-first principles and fee discipline is bringing sophisticated, evidence-based investing strategies to Canadian investors in a dramatically more accessible way. We dive into the structure and philosophy behind the new ETF lineup, including how Avantis applies factor tilts, why implementation details like direct security ownership and low turnover matter, and how the new asset allocation ETF (CAGE) could simplify portfolio construction for DIY investors. Eduardo also shares insights into Avantis' research process, expected premiums, and the realities of tracking error, while Caitlin explains how CIBC is positioning these products within the Canadian ETF landscape. This episode is a deep dive into the evolution of factor investing—covering product design, pricing, portfolio construction, and the broader shift toward low-cost, transparent investment solutions.   Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:00) Introduction to the episode and the significance of Avantis launching ETFs in Canada. (0:00:42) Why this launch marks a major step forward in accessibility for Canadian factor investors. (0:02:52) Lower fees and simplified implementation remove key barriers to factor investing. (0:04:55) Background on Eduardo Repetto and Caitlin Ebanks. (0:08:12) Avantis surpasses $125B AUM and the drivers behind its rapid growth. (0:10:20) How the Avantis–CIBC partnership came together and aligned on client-first pricing. (0:13:04) CIBC's ETF strategy and rationale for partnering with Avantis. (0:14:49) Overview of the Avantis ETF lineup launching in Canada. (0:19:33) Fee structure, competitiveness, and expected MER approach. (0:21:25) Eliminating operational cost uncertainty from investor fees. (0:23:20) "Gas station sushi" and maintaining product quality. (0:25:08) Why ETFs were chosen over mutual funds as the primary vehicle. (0:28:29) Roles of Avantis and CIBC in managing and operating the ETFs. (0:29:32) Direct security ownership vs. ETF-of-ETF structures and tax implications. (0:31:23) Construction of the CAGE asset allocation ETF and its factor tilts. (0:33:46) Expected outperformance (1.5–2%) and tracking error (3–4%) ranges. (0:35:26) Transparency challenges and regulatory considerations in Canada. (0:37:26) How CACE differs from the TSX through profitability and valuation tilts. (0:40:13) Low turnover and tax efficiency considerations. (0:42:05) Long-term commitment to the ETF lineup and viability concerns. (0:43:44) Ongoing research and potential improvements to factor implementation. (0:46:07) Current research focus: improving profitability forecasting. (0:48:30) What excites Caitlin and Eduardo most about the launch. (0:50:41) Why CAGE could transform how Canadians implement factor investing.   Links: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you really financially free if your net worth is locked in real estate but your cash flow still feels tight?This episode is for the investor who looks strong on paper but still feels uncertain about retirement. If you've built wealth through property, kept buying, refinancing, and growing equity, but haven't created reliable income, this conversation will hit home. Kyle and Jon unpack the uncomfortable gap between being asset rich and actually having the freedom to live confidently from your money.You'll hear how real estate can be an incredible wealth-building tool while still falling short as a standalone retirement income strategy.You'll learn why chasing equity growth alone can leave you stressed, overleveraged, and unclear on your next move as retirement gets closer.You'll walk away with a clearer way to think about diversification, liquidity, and building dependable income alongside your net worth.Press play now to rethink whether your portfolio is truly built for retirement—or just built to look good on paper.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you building wealth in the right order—or accidentally delaying the very foundation that makes bigger opportunities possible?If you're a business owner sitting on retained earnings, it's easy to treat every new opportunity like the priority—especially when real estate, acquisitions, or other growth plays look exciting. But this episode challenges a costly assumption: that a corporate wealth reservoir has to wait until after the next deal. Instead, it reframes that reservoir as the infrastructure that helps you pursue future opportunities with more control, liquidity, and long-term efficiency.In this episode, you'll hear how to:Rethink corporate-owned whole life insurance as foundational wealth infrastructure—not as a competing investment.Avoid the sequencing mistake that can quietly cost you years of compounding.Build a smarter capital strategy that supports liquidity, leverage, tax efficiency, and future investing flexibility.Press play to learn how to build your financial foundation first—so your next investment opportunity doesn't come at the cost of long-term wealth.

In this special 400th episode, the Rational Reminder hosts reflect on 50 years of index investing and the profound impact it has had on financial markets, investor behavior, and the cost of investing. The episode features a panel moderated by Ben Felix at the New York Stock Exchange—hosted by Vanguard and S&P Dow Jones Indices—bringing together leading voices in the indexing world to explore how passive investing evolved and what it means for the future of capital markets. Ben is joined on the panel by Tim Edwards (S&P Dow Jones Indices), Jim Rowley (Vanguard), and Shelly Antoniewicz (Investment Company Institute) to discuss the mechanics of indexing, the myths surrounding passive investing, and the evidence on how index funds affect markets. They unpack questions about market concentration, price discovery, and whether indexing is changing the structure of capital markets. Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:04) Introduction to the Rational Reminder podcast and the hosts from PWL Capital. (0:00:24) Celebrating the 400th episode and reflecting on nearly eight years of podcasting. (0:01:09) Dan Bortolotti discusses the early days of podcasting and the transition from the Couch Potato podcast. (0:02:11) The rise of podcasts and YouTube as major sources of financial education for investors. (0:02:49) How Rational Reminder grew after Dan ended his previous podcast and the demand for Canadian investing content. (0:03:47) The podcast reaches a record audience with over 384,000 views and downloads in January 2026. (0:04:19) Institutional investors—foundations, endowments, and unions—show increasing interest in PWL's low-cost index approach. (0:06:20) Why indexing can still be a difficult sell for institutional investment committees. (0:08:25) Peer effects in institutional investing: committees often hesitate to adopt strategies that seem unconventional. (0:09:11) 2026 marks 50 years since Vanguard launched the first retail index fund in 1976. (0:10:08) Ben moderates a panel at the New York Stock Exchange on the future of index investing. (0:11:55) Overview of the panel participants from Vanguard, S&P Dow Jones Indices, and the Investment Company Institute. (0:13:07) Discussion of research papers presented at the event examining index investing's market impact. (0:14:32) Historical context: the S&P 500 is currently as concentrated as it was in the mid-1960s. (0:15:36) The largest companies in 1965—AT&T, Kodak, GM, IBM—eventually faded from dominance. (0:17:43) A hidden advantage of cap-weighted indexing: investors automatically own future winners. (0:20:59) Debate about whether today's tech-heavy market concentration differs from past cycles. (0:23:30) The explosion of index funds and ETFs has created thousands of ways to implement passive strategies. (0:26:42) Technical improvements in ETF implementation, including lower tracking error and better hedging. (0:29:02) The "Vanguard Effect": index investing has driven massive reductions in investment fees. (0:29:38) Index funds account for about 23% of total U.S. market capitalization, not the commonly cited 50%. (0:32:48) Evidence suggesting index funds have not increased large-cap concentration in markets. (0:34:25) Passive funds represent only about 1–2% of daily trading activity. (0:36:16) Dispersion in stock returns remains high, meaning opportunities for active management still exist. (0:38:12) Panel begins: defining passive investing and why the term is more complex than it seems. (0:42:13) Who invests in index funds? Millions of households using them primarily for retirement savings. (0:45:22) How advisors and institutions use ETFs to build diversified long-term portfolios. (0:46:19) The surprising role of ETFs in trading and market liquidity. (0:48:30) The proliferation of niche ETFs raises questions about whether indexing has strayed from Bogle's vision. (0:49:49) Academic research offers conflicting views on indexing's effect on market efficiency. (0:52:27) Evidence suggests index fund growth has not increased market volatility. (0:54:25) Dispersion data shows indexing does not eliminate opportunities for stock picking. (0:57:15) Index funds own only about 30% of the U.S. stock market, leaving the majority in active hands. (0:59:42) Historical perspective: high market concentration has occurred before and eventually declined. (1:02:14) Research remains inconclusive about whether indexing harms markets. (1:05:25) Over 20 years, 94% of actively managed U.S. equity mutual funds underperformed the S&P 500. (1:06:20) Post-panel reflections and discussion with the Rational Reminder hosts. Links From Today's Episode: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereDo you really need $5 million in cash to be financially free—or is that number missing the bigger point?Many people hear bold retirement numbers from wealthy entrepreneurs and assume financial freedom is a fixed target. But the real question isn't just how much money you have—it's how much liquid, flexible capital you control. Without that buffer, investing can feel risky, market swings become stressful, and opportunities pass you by. Understanding your personal “wealth reservoir” could be the difference between constantly worrying about money and confidently making financial decisions.In this episode, you'll discover:Why the famous $5 million rule is less about the number and more about creating true financial flexibility.How a wealth reservoir (your “sleep-at-night” money) allows you to invest, take risks, and weather downturns with confidence.The different places your liquidity can live—from home equity and cash accounts to insurance strategies and other safe assets.Press play now to learn how building your own wealth reservoir can give you the freedom to invest smarter—and live on your terms.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you avoiding your RRSP because you're afraid it could become a massive tax problem later?If you're a high-income earner or incorporated business owner, you've probably wondered whether stuffing money into your RRSP today just means paying 50% tax on it tomorrow. Maybe you've even held back contributions, thinking you'll “optimize it later” when you have the perfect plan. But in trying to avoid a future tax issue, you could be missing the bigger risk: not building enough in the first place. Wealth doesn't grow because you perfectly optimized every detail — it grows because you consistently created bigger “problems” worth solving.In this episode, you'll discover:Why an “RRSP that's too big” is usually a sign you're doing something right — and how to handle it strategically.How leverage strategies and smart withdrawals can turn a future tax concern into an opportunity to grow even more.How to think about asset location across RRSPs, corporate accounts, and non-registered investments to maximize flexibility and long-term tax efficiency.Press play now to learn how to use your RRSP as a powerful wealth-building tool — not something to fear.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you holding too much cash “just in case” — and missing bigger wealth-building opportunities because of it?Most Canadians start with a simple emergency fund. But as your net worth grows, your “wealth reservoir” gets more complex — and more powerful. The problem? Many people never redefine their number. They double-count safety, sit on excess liquidity, or stay overly conservative without realizing it. Meanwhile, others jump into advanced strategies before they've earned the right to. If you've ever wondered whether your cash buffer is too small, too big, or just inefficient, this conversation will challenge how you think about financial security and opportunity.In this episode, you'll learn:How to clearly define your personal “tier one” emergency number — and why it should evolve over time.When excess liquidity becomes “gravy” that can strategically supercharge wealth through smarter moves.How your asset mix (real estate, ETFs, leveraged investing, business ownership) changes the size and role of your reservoir.Press play now to rethink your wealth reservoir and discover whether you're protecting your future — or unintentionally holding it back.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereShould you actually retire with debt on purpose?For years, you've probably pictured retirement as completely debt-free — no mortgage, no payments, no financial pressure. But what if aggressively paying off your home is actually slowing down your path to financial freedom? If you're a high-income earner, business owner, or someone intentionally building wealth, the real question isn't “How fast can I kill this debt?” — it's “Is this debt strategically working for me?” Understanding the role of cash flow, inflation, taxes, and risk can completely change how you see retirement planning.In this episode, you'll discover:How inflation quietly makes long-term debt less expensive over time — and why that matters for your strategyWhen carrying debt into retirement can actually improve tax efficiency and preserve wealthThe key difference between emotionally uncomfortable debt and strategically powerful debt (and how to know which side you're on)If you want to rethink retirement planning and learn when debt can be a tool — not a threat — press play now.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you accidentally letting hundreds of thousands of dollars sit idle in your holding company… unsure how to deploy it without triggering unnecessary tax?If you're a Canadian business owner with retained earnings building up in your holdco, you've probably felt the tension. You want to grow your wealth—but you don't want to make a costly mistake. Your accountant tracks what's happened, but who's helping you think proactively about what to do next? With salaries, RRSP room, rental properties, corporate investments, and tax efficiency all in play, it's easy to feel stuck between “do nothing” and “overcomplicate everything.” What you really want is clarity—and optionality.In this episode, you'll discover:A simple 50/50 framework for splitting retained earnings between risk-off liquidity and long-term growth.How to structure corporate investments to create tax-efficient capital gains and future tax-free income through the Capital Dividend Account.Why thinking holistically—across your corporation and personal assets—unlocks powerful flexibility, leverage, and long-term tax control.Press play now to learn how to turn your holding company into a strategic wealth engine—not just a parking lot for cash.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereIs index fund investing really the best path to financial freedom — or is it only effective if you can survive the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it?Most investors are told the same advice: buy the market, hold for decades, and trust long-term averages. And yes… mathematically, it works. But the real question is: can you stick with it when the market drops 20%? Or when you're retired and withdrawing income during a downturn?In this episode of Canadian Wealth Secrets, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr break down a powerful question many Canadians overlook:Index Fund Investing: Growth Strategy or Income Strategy?They explore why index funds feel simple on paper, why real estate often feels “safer,” and how the best portfolio isn't just the one with the highest average return — it's the one you can actually stay committed to.This conversation dives into:The real reason many investors abandon index funds during market volatilityIndex fund vs real estate: why real estate feels more stable (even when it isn't)How an income investing strategy can reduce emotional decision-makingWhy leveraged investing in Canada looks great in spreadsheets but feels scary in real lifeWhat the 4 percent rule in Canada misses when markets decline during retirementHow to think about diversification, “dry powder,” and building a portfolio that supports long-term income needsIf you've ever wondered whether your RRSP, TFSA, or corporate investments are built for true financial freedom — or just built for average returns — this episode will shift the way you think about investing.

In this episode, we welcome back return guest Hank Bessembinder for a deeply analytical conversation spanning leveraged ETFs, volatility, and the future of performance measurement. Hank walks us through his latest research on leveraged single-stock ETFs, clarifying the misunderstood concept of "volatility decay" and decomposing returns into rebalancing effects and frictions. The results are striking: meaningful underperformance relative to simple levered benchmarks, driven by both embedded costs and the mechanics of daily resets. In the second half, we shift gears to a more foundational question: What is a return, really? Hank challenges the dominance of arithmetic averages and even geometric means, arguing that neither truly captures the long-term investor experience. He introduces the concept of the sustainable return—a measure based on the cash flows an investment can support without depleting capital—and outlines how it could reshape academic finance and real-world financial planning. Key Points From This Episode:   (0:01:03) Welcome back to Hank Bessembinder and overview of his recent research. (0:06:16) What "volatility decay" really means—and why the term may be misleading. (0:09:16) Why volatility does not necessarily reduce mean returns in constant leverage ETFs. (0:10:11) Ex-ante decision-making and the wedge between mean and median outcomes. (0:11:26) Single-stock vs. index leveraged ETFs: Similar mechanics, different magnitudes. (0:12:52) Why past research has been so cautionary about long-term use of leveraged ETFs. (0:15:53) How rebalancing costs differ for long and short leveraged products. (0:16:57) The benchmark: Levered buy-and-hold versus constant daily rebalancing. (0:19:46) Empirical results: Long funds underperform by ~0.8% per month; short funds by ~1% per month. (0:21:10) Decomposing underperformance into rebalancing effects and frictions. (0:24:15) The real (though rare) possibility of returns below –100% in leveraged products. (0:27:04) Simulation results over 50 years: Skewness, negative medians, and rebalancing drag. (0:28:38) Why volatility tends to coincide with reversals—and why reversals drive rebalancing costs. (0:31:15) Practical guidance: Who, if anyone, should use leveraged single-stock ETFs. (0:34:58) The limitations of arithmetic means and single-period models. (0:36:55) Why aggregate investors are not buy-and-hold investors. (0:39:17) The shortcomings of arithmetic averages, alphas, and Sharpe ratios for long-horizon measurement. (0:42:38) Why log returns don't solve the core measurement problems. (0:44:56) The case for dollar-weighted returns and the limitations of IRRs. (0:48:18) Modified IRRs and their role in capturing aggregate investor outcomes. (0:50:14) Introducing the sustainable return: Measuring what can be withdrawn without depleting capital. (0:53:22) Expected sustainable return and its close relationship to the geometric mean. (0:56:09) Proportional sustainable return and withdrawal-based performance measurement. (1:00:00) Individual stock returns through the lens of sustainable returns. (1:00:53) Nudging academic finance beyond the "econometric streetlight." Links From Today's Episode: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/ Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you accidentally letting “dead equity” sit idle when it could be working harder for you?Most Canadians think financial freedom optimization is about cutting expenses or chasing the next hot investment. But what if the real opportunity is hiding in plain sight — in your car, your mortgage, or any asset quietly losing value? In this episode, we unpack a simple car lease scenario that reveals a much bigger question: Are you thinking strategically about debt, equity, and optionality — or just following the default path?If you've ever wondered whether to pay cash, finance, lease, invest, or “just play it safe,” this conversation will challenge how you evaluate those decisions.In this episode, you'll discover:How to spot “alpha” opportunities — small arbitrage moves that compound into meaningful advantagesThe difference between depreciating vs. appreciating assets — and how to reposition equity more strategicallyWhy optionality might be one of the most overlooked principles in building long-term financial flexibilityPress play now to start seeing everyday financial decisions through a sharper, more strategic lens.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to KylIn this episode of Canadian Wealth Secrets, a simple vehicle scenario becomes a powerful lesson in alpha, arbitrage, and optionality — revealing how smart CanReady to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat if carrying debt into retirement could actually reduce your taxes and increase your long-term flexibility?Many Canadians are taught that being mortgage-free is the ultimate financial goal—but what happens when that mindset clashes with taxes, retirement withdrawals, and lost growth opportunities? If the Smith Maneuver or leverage-based investing has ever made you uneasy, especially when you picture retirement looming, you're not alone. This episode breaks down why “good debt” doesn't suddenly stop working when your house is paid off—and how intentional use of leverage can turn future tax problems into strategic advantages.In this episode, you'll discover:How investment debt can offset RRSP/RRIF withdrawals and potentially eliminate taxes in retirementWhy starting the Smith Maneuver earlier creates more optionality and smoother income later onHow combining RRSPs, non-registered investments, and leverage can increase net worth while reducing long-term tax dragPress play now to learn how strategic debt, done right, can give you more control, lower taxes, and greater financial freedom over your lifetime.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to KylReady to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!Ready to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereAre you sitting on rental or business cash flow that could be quietly accelerating your mortgage payoff and cutting your tax bill at the same time?If you're a Canadian business owner, sole proprietor, or personally hold rental properties, chances are cash flows into your account each month—and then slowly leaks out to cover expenses. In this episode, Kyle and Jon unpack how that “idle” money can be put to work instead of collecting dust, using a strategy that builds on the Smith Manoeuvre without requiring you to go all-in or take on more risk than you can handle. They walk through real-world scenarios, common misconceptions, and the practical constraints that determine whether this strategy fits your situation.By listening, you'll learn how to:Turn non-deductible mortgage interest into deductible business or investment interest using cash damming—without increasing your overall debt.Improve cash-flow efficiency by recycling the same dollars to pay down your mortgage faster while still funding business or rental expenses.Apply the strategy conservatively or aggressively based on interest rates, mortgage rules, and your personal comfort level—so you stay in control.Press play now to see how cash damming could quietly boost your net worth and tax efficiency using money you already have.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to KylReady to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!If you listen to podcasts like The Rational Reminder with Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, The Canadian Investor, The Canadian Real Estate Investor, Build Wealth Canada with Kornel Szrejber, ChooseFI with Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett, Afford Anything with Paula Pant, The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, BiggerPockets Money, The Money Guy Show with Brian Preston & Bo Hanson, Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz, The Wealthy Barber Podcast with David Chilton, Financial Audit with Caleb Hammer, In the Money with Amber Kanwar, The Loonie Hour with Steve Saretsky, or More Money Podcast with Jessica Moorhouse — we're confident you'll enjoy Canadian Wealth Secrets too.Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

ETFs were once almost synonymous with low-cost, sensible investing. But that era is changing fast. In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson introduce and unpack the concept of "ETF slop"—the explosion of complex, high-fee, behaviorally engineered ETFs that are designed to attract assets rather than improve investor outcomes. The trio traces how ETFs evolved from simple index-building tools into wrappers for increasingly speculative strategies. They discuss how the ETF "halo effect" can mislead investors into equating structure with quality, and why innovation in financial products often benefits manufacturers more than end investors. From thematic hype to downside "protection" that isn't what it seems, the episode offers a clear framework for thinking critically about modern ETF offerings. Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:04) Introduction to the Rational Reminder Podcast and the hosts. (0:00:39) Ben introduces the idea of "ETF slop" and why ETFs are no longer synonymous with sensible investing. (2:20) More actively managed ETFs now exist than index-tracking ETFs in the U.S. (3:30) ETFs increasingly engineered to attract assets rather than improve investor outcomes. (4:04) Record ETF launches in 2025: over 1,000 in the U.S. and 300+ in Canada. (6:43) Average management fees on newly launched ETFs rival traditional active mutual funds. (7:47) The ETF "halo effect" and why structure is mistaken for quality. (10:31) What an ETF actually is—and why it's just a wrapper for a strategy. (11:13) The first ETF was launched in Canada and still exists today. (14:40) ETFs as tools for speculation versus long-term investing. (17:08) Evidence that simpler allocation funds reduce harmful investor behavior. (20:35) Why too much product choice can make good investing harder. (21:40) Four categories of ETF slop introduced: thematic, buffer, covered call, and single-stock ETFs. (22:16) Why thematic ETFs appeal to optimism and extrapolation bias. (24:04) Evidence that most thematic ETFs underperform after launch. (26:25) Morningstar data: almost no thematic ETFs outperform over long horizons. (28:55) Why exciting narratives don't translate into superior returns. (31:25) Buffer ETFs explained: capped upside with partial downside protection. (34:31) Research showing high fees, high costs, and inconsistent protection. (38:16) Why simple stock/bond mixes dominate buffer ETFs even in drawdowns. (42:53) Covered calls: high income today, lower total returns tomorrow. (45:48) Why covered call ETFs systematically underperform their underlying assets. (47:38) Income needs can be met more efficiently without covered calls. (48:19) The cult-like following driven by double-digit yield marketing. (49:57) Single-stock ETFs as the "sloppiest" form of ETF slop. (53:44) Leveraged and inverse ETFs magnify volatility and complexity. (56:20) Research showing massive underperformance versus simple benchmarks. (58:56) Why these products resemble speculation more than investing. (1:03:35) Complexity in investment products is strongly linked to poor outcomes. (1:05:48) John Bogle's warning: beware of new and "hot" investment products. (1:06:48) Why ETFs are powerful tools—but only when used correctly. Links From Today's Episode: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/ Ben Wilson on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wilson/ Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)  

In this first episode of 2026, we sit down for a deep dive into one of the hottest concerns coming from clients and listeners lately: Is the U.S. stock market dangerously concentrated—and are we in an AI bubble? Ben, Dan, and Ben unpack the data, the history, and the psychology behind today's valuations, drawing lessons from past episodes of market euphoria such as Nortel in Canada, the dot-com boom, and Japan's 1989 peak. They explain why high market valuations—not concentration—pose the bigger challenge, how bubbles historically fuel real economic innovation while hurting investors, and why diversification continues to offer the only reliable protection against unknowable futures. Along the way, they revisit examples of how value stocks, small-cap value, and global diversification have fared across different market regimes.   Key Points From This Episode: (0:00:40) What RR is about: evidence-based insights, synthesis episodes, expert interviews, and long-form inquiry — not debates. (0:04:20) Why listeners value RR: transparency, friendly inquiry, returning to topics over time, and the hosts' dynamic. (0:09:25) Rising concern: clients asking whether U.S. market concentration and an AI bubble mean it's time to exit stocks. (0:11:10) Advisors echo similar worries: U.S. politics, all-time highs, and emotional decision-making. (0:14:20) Today's data point: Top seven U.S. stocks = 36% of S&P 500; 32% of the total U.S. market — highest on record. (0:16:10) Why people fear concentration: a decline in the Magnificent Seven could meaningfully drag down the index. (0:17:30) Canada's cautionary tale: Nortel once hit 36% of the TSX — collapsed to zero — but the market recovered by 2005. (0:21:20) Bubbles through history: canals, railways, fiber optics, dot-coms — innovation funded by speculation. (0:25:30) Dot-com parallels: huge ideas, low cost of capital, lots of failures — but lasting infrastructure remained. (0:28:40) AI dominance: Since ChatGPT, AI-linked companies drove 75% of S&P returns, 80% of earnings growth, 90% of capex. (0:31:15) Reminder: No bubble calls — just context. High prices don't equal an inevitable crash. (0:33:10) Concentration vs. valuation: concentration shows weak links to future returns; valuations matter far more. (0:35:05) Market timing trap: U.S. valuations were high in 2021 — selling then would have been disastrous. (0:36:40) The U.S. lost decade: 2000–2010 returns were flat; in CAD, recovery didn't happen until 2013. (0:38:55) Value stocks held up: U.S. value and small-cap value delivered positive returns while broad indexes stagnated. (0:41:00) Recency bias reminder: Canadians once avoided U.S. stocks entirely after a decade of underperformance. (0:44:05) Japan 1989: World's largest market crashes — still not recovered in real terms 36 years later. (0:47:10) Global diversification wins: A 40% Japan-weighted global portfolio still performed fine thanks to U.S. growth. (0:49:00) Cross-country data: Many markets are far more concentrated than the U.S. — still delivered solid returns. (0:52:30) Valuation evidence: Higher CAPE = lower future returns — economically strong pattern across countries. (0:55:40) Core lesson: Diversification + discipline. You will always hold winners and losers — that's the point. (0:57:55) Practical ways to lower concentration risk: global equity funds, small caps, and Canada's 10% cap rule. (1:00:30) Why active managers don't help: only ~30–47% outperform depending on concentration trend. (1:03:25) Final takeaway: high valuations may imply lower returns, but prediction is impossible — stay diversified. (1:05:15) After-show review: Addressing a one-star critique ("Fartcoin Designer") with humour and community context. Links From Today's Episode: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/ Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

In this special year-end episode, Ben and Cameron turn the spotlight inward for a behind-the-scenes look at the Rational Reminder podcast. They're joined by the extended team that keeps the show running—from compliance to editing to marketing—to reflect on a landmark year in the podcast's evolution. We hear from Multimedia Specialist Matt Gambino, Compliance Reviewer Ross Brayton, long-time Marketing Lead Angelica Montagano, and others who share their roles, personal stories, and what the show means to them. Ben and Cameron also discuss the podcast's growth trajectory, the impact of joining OneDigital, standout market events from 2025, and what's ahead for 2026. It's a thoughtful, personal, and often funny conversation that celebrates community, nerdiness, and meaningful work.   Key Points From This Episode: (0:01:00) Behind the scenes: Why the entire Rational Reminder team joined the mic for this special episode. (0:01:40) Meet the production crew: From video editing to compliance and marketing. (0:02:54) From 767 to 334,000: How the podcast grew since August 2018. (0:04:40) YouTube's rising role: Now 33% of all podcast consumption. (0:07:24) AMA evolution: How listener Q&As became a regular series in 2025. (0:08:45) Bringing in PWL advisors: Sharing real-world financial planning experience on the pod. (0:10:05) 12,500 members: Rational Reminder Community continues to thrive. (0:11:30) OneDigital acquisition reflections—one year later, no pressure to cut costs or change values. (0:14:23) Compliance-free growth: Maintaining service levels while scaling the firm. (0:15:06) Market surprise of 2025: Canadian small caps up 35%+ year-to-date. (0:16:55) Real estate rewind: National average home prices down 20% since 2022 peak. (0:19:24) Rent declines too: Down 7% YoY in Toronto, 4.4% in Vancouver. (0:20:39) Looking back: A wild year of unexpected returns and market resilience. (0:21:00) A different kind of year-end episode: No highlight reel—just team storytelling. (0:23:53) [Matt Gambino] The editor speaks: Role evolution, creative direction, and 200+ episodes later. (0:28:42) YouTube growth: From 11,000 to 46,000 subs under Matt's watch. (0:32:55) Matt on money: What 4 years editing the pod taught him about finance and happiness. (0:36:54) Defining success: Matt's answer after years of listening to the show. (38:40) [Ross Brayton] Compliance from the inside: What Ross listens for, and why disclaimers got longer. (0:43:05) Ross on investing: From Warren Buffett books to podcast fact-checker. (0:46:11) Planning life after financial independence: Ross poses a thoughtful challenge. (0:47:41) [Angelica Montagano] The original marketer: How the podcast started in a hallway. (0:50:14) Early tech struggles: Mono recordings, brick recorders, and lots of duct tape. (0:51:53) COVID's silver lining: Why lockdowns accelerated the pod's evolution. (0:54:20) Launching the RR Community: From 100-member goal to 12,500+ and counting. (0:55:49) Podcast = Brand: How RR became central to PWL's identity and communication. (0:57:26) What's next: Angelica's dreams for live events and even a coffee table book. (0:59:10) Angelica on investing: From ex-banker cynicism to believer in behavior and psychology. (1:00:38) Favorite moment: Hearing real stories of how listeners' lives have been changed. (1:01:36) Defining success: Impact, confidence, and financial empowerment.   Links From Today's Episode: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).