What We Think – Surround Wealth Advisors

Illustrated image of an elderly couple supported by a hand. They are surrounded by medical and financial related icons.

The Surroundup

NAVIGATING THE AGING PROCESS

As Advisors we are always looking for best practices for our client families when it comes to their financial health and wealth. A lot of the focus is on the here and now and what we can do from an investment, tax or estate perspective… proper planning goes a long way and can help paint...

November 27, 2025

Illustrated image of four sets of hands placing different kinds of money into three separate baskets.

The Surroundup

THE GOLD STANDARD OF DIVERSIFICATION

Everyone’s heard the old saying: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” That’s the essence of diversification — protecting yourself so one event, market, asset class, or policy change doesn’t derail your entire plan. Diversification isn’t about chasing the highest return every year. It’s about survival — making sure you can withstand uncertainty and...

October 30, 2025

The Surroundup, Videos

ARE YOU PLANNING FOR A 100-YEAR LIFE? HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD BE

I’ll be honest: I spend a lot of time—and not a small amount of money, energy and attention—trying to stay healthy. Not in an obsessive Bryan Johnson kind of way, but in a conscious, daily-practice kind of way. My supplements are personalized. My workouts are tracked. I walk 10,000 steps most days, hit my zone...

September 25, 2025

Image showing a paper cut out of an elderly couple holding hands. There is a stack of coins to the right of them.

The Surroundup

DEATH OF A SPOUSE – PENSION INCOME SPLITTING IN THE YEAR OF DEATH

We are often asked to assist in several areas for our client families after someone has passed. Many of the inquiries are estate related, and other are tax related. One question which often comes up is the ability to pension split for the year of death of a client. In Canada, we benefit from the...

August 28, 2025

Photo of two young boys wearing Canada shirts. One boy is smiling the other is sticking hi tongue out at the camera.

The Surroundup

WHAT TRADE WAR?

Here we are—already the end of July. I could’ve sworn summer just started, then I blinked and suddenly everyone’s talking about their end-of-summer plans. Where does the time go? It feels like just yesterday I was advising clients to keep their expectations in check heading into 2025… and now analysts are already looking ahead to...

July 29, 2025

A young boy wearing red heart shaped sunglasses floats in a pool on an inner tube while wearing floaties.

The Surroundup

B-SIDE – INSURANCE: A LIFE STORY IN 3 PARTS

Where exactly does insurance fit into a life well lived? I mean, isn’t it a bit of a third rail, morbid, snoozer of a topic after all? This kid here, does he really look like he’s worried about insurance? Heck no. Well you’ve got me. Despite being an immensely important way to protect just about...

June 27, 2025

The Surroundup, Videos

THE TRUTH ABOUT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES: WHY CHEAPEST ISN’T ALWAYS BEST

Let’s get something straight: Investment management fees are not the enemy. They’re the cost of accessing expertise, strategic guidance, and opportunities to grow your wealth in alignment with your goals. Yet, in a landscape where robo-advisors, DIY platforms, and fee-for-service models have exploded, there’s more confusion than ever about what you’re actually paying for —...

June 27, 2025

Six wooden blocks are lined up in a row. A finger from out of frame presses down on top of one that has a pause button symbol on the front face. The other blocks each have a single letter on the front face spelling out Pause.

The Surroundup

TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR RRIF IN 2025?

The Liberals’ victory in the recent federal election in April has a few important campaign measures which will now need to be formally presented via a ways and means motion to enable the proposed changes. One of those changes is the potential to reduce mandatory RRIF Minimums for one year (2025) by 25%. The proposal...

May 29, 2025

Image showing a man with his back to the viewer. He has his hands holding his head, looking stressed. His head is surrounded by an assortment of frantic looking arrows and dollar signs.

The Surroundup

INFORMATION OVERLOAD

“Hearing everyone’s thoughts 24/7 is the worst thing to happen to society since the mosquito.” – Michael Antonelli In an age where data is endless and our screens never sleep, the investing world has become both more accessible and more overwhelming. Economic reports, breaking financial news, algorithmic trading signals, and thousands of voices on social...

April 29, 2025

Computer screen showing Gillian in a video call for a podcast.

The Surroundup

BEHIND THE MIC (NEW!)

This month Gillian appeared as a guest on The Hole Shebang, a brazen and unashamed podcast that shines a light on the gaps in our knowledge to help empower us to be healthier, wealthier and wiser. Click here to listen on Apple, and here on Spotify.

March 26, 2025