Laura Southall Finance

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Laura Southall Finance

Personal Wealth Management I was fifteen when I started investing $50 a month to save for a down payment on a house. For me, nothing could be more rewarding.

Laura Southall, CFP®, CLU®, Senior Wealth Advisor, Assante Wealth Management Ltd

Personal Wealth Management

I was fourteen years old when I bought my first GIC and my passion for investing was ignited. At 23 years old, I bought my first house, where I immediately rented out the basement to cover the mortgage. My passion for investing, finance and business is unlimited and ongoing. I feel so lucky to be a financial advisor at Assante. I get to work with my clients to help them achieve their goals. Outside of the office, I am married with three young children. I complete several triathlons every year and I love travelling. This material is provided for general information and is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to compile this material from reliable sources however no warranty can be made as to its accuracy or completeness. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, and expenses may all be associated with mutual fund investments. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in unit/share value and reinvestment of all distributions/dividends. They do not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any security holder that would have reduced returns. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Please read the Fund Facts and consult a professional advisor for individual financial advice based on your personal circumstances before acting. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Assante Financial Management Ltd. Insurance Products and Services are provided through Assante Estate and Insurance Services Inc. Please visit www.assante.com/legal for important legal and regulatory disclosures

10/15/2026

Recently, I did a public speaking workshop in Toronto provided by Buddy Brennan of along with other CI Assante Wealth Advisors, Heather Borrelli, Jacqueline Ozdemir, Lexie Stark and Lynn Whetham. What a great day of learning!

10/14/2026

Feeling financially uneasy on a strong income is more common than you'd think, and it usually comes down to clarity rather than earnings. When you know what your money needs to do and whether you're on track, the worry has less room to grow.

Here's what a financial plan can do for a high earner:

▶️ It can define “enough.” Helping you get to the number you need for the life you want.
▶️ It turns income into wealth through intentional savings and tax strategies.
▶️ It tests the "what ifs” helping you prepare for the potential impact of a market drop, a career change, or an early retirement before it happens.
▶️ It creates the big picture, ensuring accounts, pensions, business, and estate, are all working together.
▶️ It makes big decisions easier. Buying that cottage, the practice buy-in, helping the kids through school, all makes more sense when you understand what each really costs now and in the future.

10/12/2026

Happy Thanksgiving from The Southall Group of CI Assante Wealth Management LTD!

10/09/2026

While in Toronto recently, I had lunch and a visit to with 6 other female advisors from CI Assante Wealth Management.

I really value these friendships and the depth of experience that these women bring to the table. Thanks, Angela Shryane, Tina Tehranchian, Janine Purves, Dolores Witt, Sara Zolo, and Marie Debono!

09/30/2026

I am very proud to have represented alongside Anne-Marie Lee (Stone Point Properties) and Stacey Macdonald (Royal LePage Commercial Realtor) at 37th Annual Chamber Classic, hosted by the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce.

09/28/2026

Recently, I attended the inaugural “Celebrating Women in Business” event hosted by the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce.

It was an amazing night and so fantastic to see so many fabulous women!

A huge thank you to for organizing the evening.

09/25/2026

Last week I attended the Girls Inc. AGM. I am so honoured to be on the board of this exceptional organization that offers free programming for at-risk girls.

09/24/2026

An inheritance, bonuses, a strong sales year, a business sale, or extra consulting income can push you into a higher bracket fast.

But registered accounts give you a way to smooth that out instead of taking the tax hit all in one shot.

How it works:
⏩ RRSP contributions in a high-income year reduce what's taxed now, while your tax bracket is highest
⏩ Carrying forward unused RRSP room lets you time your deductions for years they’ll be most beneficial
⏩ TFSA withdrawals can supplement income in a high-income year without adding to your taxable total
⏩ Spreading windfalls across contribution room (rather than cashing out all at once) prevents you from spiking into a tax bracket you are unlikely to stay in

The idea isn’t to avoid tax in a good year, it is to prevent a good year from costing you more than it needs to.

09/21/2026

By the time tax season rolls around, most of your options are already gone.

Tax filing is just reporting what already happened. Tax planning is what actually changes the outcome and nearly every move you can make needs to happen before December 31st, not in April.

Once the calendar year ends, these options disappear:
▶️ Making RRSP contributions to maximize the current year’s deductions at your current tax bracket
▶️ Tax-loss selling to offset capital gains realized earlier in the year
▶️ Income splitting or timing bonuses and dividends into a lower income year
▶️ Charitable giving strategies structured for the current year’s tax picture
▶️ TFSA contributions to shelter growth before the year ends

April is for filing. December is for deciding. Waiting until tax season means reacting to a year that's already locked in.

Contact your wealth advisor to make a plan now, while there is still time to act.

09/16/2026

Everyone looks for deductions but fewer people think about timing.

When you take income can matter more than what you deduct. Pulling income in a higher earning year can see you paying more in taxes than if you’d waited to take that income in a different year.

Here are some things you can do to change the timing of your income:

🔵 Defer a bonus into a lower-income year
🔵 Plan when you draw from an RRSP or a TFSA
🔵 Spread capital gains across multiple years instead of realizing them all at once
🔵 Decide when to retire based on your income curve, not just your age

Deductions reduce what's taxed. Timing decides which tax bracket you're taxed in. Both matter. The year you take income can change what you keep.

Contact your wealth advisor to uncover the timing that makes the most sense for you.

Address

90 Johnson Street
Kingston, ON
K7L1X7

Website

https://www.assante.com/advisors/lsouthall

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