Shawn J. Pankow, CFP, Retirement and Estate Planning

08/26/2026

An act of love today, peace of mind tomorrow.

No one likes to think about what happens "someday" but Estate Planning is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones. It ensures your wishes are known, your affairs are in order, and the people you care about are spared unnecessary stress and uncertainty.

Important conversations today, can prevent confusion and conflict in the future.

Tools like these journals below that The Book's Better Bookshop has in stock, are a great addition to Estate Planning. They can help you share your wishes, instructions, and meaningful details all in one place.

Your legacy isn't just what you leave behind, it's how you care for the people you love.

Let's have that conversation. Contact us today to create a plan that gives you peace of mind and protects your legacy.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19GxqFojVs/

Restock alert!

Jody Maffett popped into the bookstore yesterday to restock her It’s Been Nice. But now I’m dead. (Or perhaps just really, really sick.) journals.

These are journals hold essential information, an invaluable end-of-life planning tool, and a witty, tongue-in-cheek snapshot of life.

07/21/2026

Although retirement should be the time to eliminate the stress and grind of a regular work life, get more out of life and take advantage of the extra time we have gained to seek greater fulfillment, the golden years are not stress free.

People are living longer. Approximately one in two people aged 65 will live over 20 years and one in four will make into their 90s.

Among the risks that could derails a retiree's long-term financial security is longevity risk - the possibility one outlives their retirement savings.

As a Certified Financial Planner focused on helping people plan for a financially-secure retirement, a well thought out retirement plan that considers all of the risks that could derail one's security is an absolute must for people approaching retirement. It is also critical to anyone who has already retired without a comprehensive plan.

As well as the potential risk of one day running out of money, retirees, must also be prepared to weather the storm of market risk - a prolonged period of poor investment returns. They must also be able to withstand the sequence of returns risk, and the possibility they face a significant downturn in the financial markets soon after retirement. Ask anyone who retired in 2007-09 how impactful that can be.

Retirees also need to be prepared for unexpected higher rates of inflation. Although many planners, myself included, incorporate inflation risk into our planning, we use an average rate of inflation across a full retirement. As we experienced in 2023 to present, higher rates of inflation can have a profound effect on the cost of living.

Additional risks include failing health that leads to greater healthcare costs and behavioural risk, which can plague retirees who become too conservative or react emotionally and irrationally when faced with difficult and declining financial markets.

Fortunately, a comprehensive retirement plan accommodates and quantifies all of these potential risks. Additionally, it demonstrates both your ability to withstand these issues and provides solutions to ensure they do not knock you off track.

Retiring without a plan is risky for those who have the benefits of a defined benefit pension plan, and potentially devastating for someone who doesn't.

If you have already retired, contact me today for a free, comprehensive retirement and estate plan to ensure you are positioned for a financially-secure lifetime. If you are closing in on retirement or even years away from doing so, now is the time to develop a plan that will enable you to retire when you want, with the lifestyle you seek and a future of lifetime financial security. Again, this is a free service I provide.

A lot can happen over decades of retirement; don't leave your long-term financial security to chance.

06/17/2026

How often to you review your investment portfolio with your financial planner or advisor?

I have met numerous people over the years who have not heard from their advisor or truly reviewed their investment portfolio for years.

Although a well-constructed investment portfolio rarely needs wholesale changes, tactical adjustments and dynamic rebalancing should be part of everyone's investment strategy.

Every investment portfolio should be constructed to match the timelines, objectives and risk tolerance of each investor. This determines the split between equity and fixed income holdings in a portfolio. It also determines the geographic allocation of the equity holdings, hopefully, with an eye on the investment style a manager will employ.

But over time, portfolio shift occurs. This happens when some funds outperform others and generally, leads to an increase in risk. As we get closer to retirement and the need to start to draw from our assets for income, it is usually wise to reduce risk or, at minimum, rebalance to the appropriate allocations.

With U.S. Equities dominating the markets over recent decades, especially the tech sector, I am seeing many portfolios where the concentration of investments in the U.S. has grown. While this may be OK for some investors, dynamic rebalancing to reduce exposure to certain assets classes to diversify more broadly in others can help reduce volatility and better preserve your nest egg when the next bear market hits. And it will.

Depending on your stage in life, tolerance for risk and timelines, scaling back on excess risk in your investment portfolio can help ensure you are prepared for the next market downturn, and are not forced to liquidate riskier assets for income when they are at a low.

I can help.

06/16/2026

Many people do not fully understand what I do as a Certified Financial Planner.

There are numerous ways I add value to my clients' lives. Over future posts, I will focus on what this means.

For today, it means creating the pathway and plan to grow your wealth, the confidence to enjoy it, and the satisfaction of one day passing it on for the betterment of your family.

This means assessing your goals, understanding who you are as an investor, designing a customized investment portfolio to support your future, and managing this actively going forward, with a watchful eye on the various factors that can separate you from your dreams.

Yes, it can be that simple, and I do not charge you a fee. Advice is always free.

Contact me to learn more.

05/27/2026

For the majority of people living with a disability, modest income and financial challenges are an ever-present part of their lives. All the more reason they leverage the government programs and associated opportunities that can truly make a meaningful difference to their quality of life.

Recent changes to the Federal Disability Tax Credit has created an opportunity for many more Canadians to qualify for the tax savings this creates, and for additional benefits tied directly to eligibility.
Also, in addition to the 40 specific, long-lasting conditions that can now lead to qualification, a new streamlined approval process for severe, persistent conditions is now available.

Combined, the federal and provincial Disability Tax Credits (DTC) provide a tax reduction of approximately $2,000 annually for an individual over the age of 18. This increases to approximately $3,200 annually to a parent or caregiver of a qualifying child living with a disability.

The Canada Revenue Agency will provide up to ten years of retroactive payments should it be determined that the disability that determines eligibility was present that long ago. In Ontario, that could mean a tax refund in excess of $21,000 for an adult and $28,000 for the parent or caregiver of a dependent under age 18.
Once an individual has qualified for the DTC, either for them or an eligible dependent, the door opens to additional income programs and benefits, including the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) which can be funded with up to $90,000 in government grants and bonds.

The earlier someone opens a RDSP, the better able they will be to maximize government contributions, take advantage of the power of compounding over a longer period of time and create access to income support that will not have any impact on other government benefits, including the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).

Additionally, once a plan is opened, up the beneficiary could be eligible for up to ten years of retroactive government contributions.
The amount of benefit available is income-tested. For beneficiaries under age 18, the income thresholds are based on parental income. Once a beneficiary is aged 18, the amount of government disability grant and bond will be based on their own income.

For example, a contributor with a family net income below the threshold of $117,045, who is able to contribute $15,000 at the opening of a plan, with a beneficiary who is eligible for the maximum ten years of retroactive contributions will see government contributions of $35,000 through the Canada Disability Savings Grant and $10,000 through the Canada Disability Savings Bond. That can quickly take a plan to $60,000 in value.

Invested properly, and supported by $1,500 annual contributions, ten years into a plan, the beneficiary could now have a RDSP valued at $138,754 assuming an average annualized rate of growth of 7%. This beneficiary would now have maximized grant and bond opportunities.

Assuming the beneficiary was twelve years old when the plan is opened, they can now let it grow to provide greater income security later in life.

Going forward 30 years, when the beneficiary is now 62 years old, the plan could have a value of approximately $1,056,231, despite total contributions of just $30,000 from a beneficiary or their family. At this point, they now have great long-term financial security despite being unable to ever work due to their disability.

The majority of people living with a disability and qualifying for the DTC are living on modest fixed incomes. Even if these people do not have the ability to contribute to a RDSP, the Canada Disability Savings Bond will add $1,000 annually to the plan. For someone who starts this at age 18, by age 65, when their ODSP runs out, they could accumulate approximately $250,000, assuming an average, annualized rate of return of 7%. This amount could provide a high degree of income security going forward.

Qualifying for the DTC also opens the door to the Canada Disability Benefit, the Child Disability Benefit and an enhanced Canada Workers Benefit.

If you or a loved one is living with a disability and has not yet applied for and received the DTC, speak with your doctor and check out the details here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit.html

Don’t assume you or your loved one will not qualify. With so much to gain and nothing to lose, don’t hesitate to apply.

If you have qualified for the Disability Tax Credit, I can set up and manage a Registered Disability Savings Plan for you or your loved one, and help initiate a more financially-secure future.

Planning for the long term financial security of a person living with a disability can be complex, but I can help.

Pankow Financial Solutions Ltd.

03/24/2026

Here is some of what I can do for you as a Certified Financial Planner.

We all have professionals in our life that we turn to for help when needed.

If we are sick, we see our doctor. If our car breaks down, we take it to our mechanic. If we have a plumbing issue, we call a plumber. The list goes on and on.

However, many people don't know when, or why, they should be contacting a financial planner for assistance and advice.

In the world of financial advice, as stated so well by FP Canada, A financial planner helps individuals and businesses create comprehensive strategies to reach long-term financial goals, such as retirement, by managing income, investments, taxes, and risks. They assess a client's current financial position, identify needs, and offer advice on savings, insurance, and estate planning to improve financial well-being.

Additionally, key responsibilities of a Financial Planner include:
Goal Setting and Assessment: analyzing a client's assets, liabilities, and cash flow to set realistic financial goals.

Retirement & Investment Planning: creating strategies to build wealth, selecting appropriate investments, and planning for secure income in retirement.

Risk Management: identifying insurance needs to protect against unexpected events, such as disability or premature death.

Tax Efficiency: developing strategies to minimize tax liabilities on investments and income, and plans to maximize government benefits.

Estate Planning: assisting with plans for wealth transfer, beneficiaries, and legacy.

Ongoing Monitoring: reviewing and adjusting plans as personal circumstances, laws, or market conditions change.

To sum things up, a Financial Planner assesses where you are today financially, helps you understand your short and long-term goals, and develops the best strategies to get you there.

He or she takes on the responsibility of managing your investments and tracking your progress to ensure life-long financial security and other financial goals are secured.

As a Certified Financial Planner, I am here to help.

03/19/2026

Now you can find us! Thanks Signs and Stripes!

Thanks to Corrina of and Sterling for the creation and hanging of this great sign for our new home! Love it!😍

03/16/2026

Excited to hang this original artwork by local artist Art by Chris Dickson. Absolutely stunning piece and will add a much needed pop of colour to our office! Thanks again Chris for creating this piece. Birch trees are a symbol of new beginnings, renewal and growth. Perfect for our new office!