Most people in Brampton open a savings account at the branch where they got their mortgage, put money in it, and hope for the best. It works, more or less. But it leaves two things on the table that matter more than most people realise: what happens to that money if something goes wrong, and what happens to it after you are gone.
I work with registered plans held as segregated fund contracts — investments issued by insurance companies rather than banks. The money grows the same way. What changes is everything around it. You name a beneficiary, so the money goes directly to that person instead of sitting in your estate for months. In most cases it bypasses probate entirely. And the contract carries maturity and death benefit guarantees, so there is a floor under it.
That difference is the reason to talk to me instead of a teller.
What I can set up for you
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
For your children’s education. The government adds up to $7,200 per child in grant money, and lower-income families can receive up to $2,000 more without contributing a dollar. If you arrived in Canada recently, there are timing rules that cost families thousands when they are missed.
First Home Savings Account (FHSA)
For a first home. Deductible going in like an RRSP, tax-free coming out like a TFSA — the only registered plan in Canada that does both. $8,000 a year, $40,000 lifetime, and it stacks with the Home Buyers’ Plan.
Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)
Growth and withdrawals entirely tax-free. $7,000 for 2026, and up to $109,000 of room if you have been eligible since 2009. If you arrived in Canada recently, your room is smaller than you think — and over-contributing carries a monthly penalty.
Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
A tax deduction now, tax-deferred growth, and in a segregated fund contract, creditor protection that matters if you are self-employed. The 2026 limit is 18% of your previous year’s earned income to a maximum of $33,810.
Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
For families where someone is approved for the Disability Tax Credit. The grants here are the most generous in the entire Canadian system — up to $70,000 in grant and $20,000 in bond — and almost nobody in this area offers it.
Annuities and retirement income
Turning savings into income you cannot outlive, with a payment that does not move when the markets do.
Why segregated funds
Segregated funds are the thread running through all of it. They are investment contracts issued by insurance companies, and they do four things a mutual fund or a savings account cannot:
- Guarantees. A percentage of what you deposit is guaranteed at maturity and on death, under the terms of the contract.
- Named beneficiaries. The money goes to the person you name, directly.
- Probate bypass. In most cases it settles in weeks, privately, without estate administration tax.
- Potential creditor protection. Meaningful if you are self-employed or run a business, though it depends on how the contract is set up and is not absolute.
The trade-off is honest: those guarantees cost something, so management fees are generally higher than a comparable mutual fund. For some families that is worth paying and for others it is not. I will tell you which one you are.
Who I usually help
Newcomer families opening a first RESP and trying to work out which grants they still qualify for. Renters saving toward a first home who do not know the FHSA exists. Self-employed contractors who want retirement savings out of reach of business creditors. Parents of a child with a disability who have been told by three institutions that nobody offers an RDSP. Families who have just lost a parent and discovered what probate actually costs.
Common questions
Are you a financial advisor or an insurance broker?
Both, in a sense. I hold a life licence with the segregated funds qualification, which lets me offer registered plans issued as insurance contracts. I do not sell mutual funds, ETFs or individual stocks — if that is what you need, I will tell you and point you elsewhere.
Is my money safe?
Segregated fund contracts carry guarantees on a percentage of your deposits at maturity and on death, set out in the Information Folder and contract. The value between those dates moves with the markets. Assuris also provides protection if a member insurer fails.
Can I move an existing RESP or RRSP to you?
Usually yes, by transfer. Whether you should depends on what you would give up — some plans carry exit fees or deferred sales charges. I will look at your statement before recommending anything.
Do you charge for the first conversation?
No.
Do you serve people outside Brampton?
Yes. I am licensed across Ontario and regularly work with families in Mississauga, Vaughan, Toronto, Caledon and Milton. Most of it happens by phone or video.
Not sure which plan fits? Book a 15-minute conversation. No paperwork, no pressure — just a straight answer about what makes sense for your situation.