Think Smart with TMFG

Take control of your financial destiny with great insights, tips and advice from the team at The McClelland Financial Group of CI Assante Wealth Management Ltd.

Think Smart with TMFG is a business podcast hosted by TMFG, with 100 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

TMFG hosts Think Smart with TMFG, a business show with 100 episodes published.

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  Episode #383

  Episode 369: The Sandwich Generation - Caring for Aging Parents and Grown Kids at the Same Time

  Aug 18, 202616 min

  Right now, 1.8 million Canadians are raising their own kids and caring for aging parents at the exact same time, and Statistics Canada says it's most common for people right in the middle of their careers, not after they've retired. In this episode of Think Smart with TMFG, we unpack the sandwich generation: what it means to be squeezed between two generations at once, why it's becoming more common as adult kids stay home longer and parents live longer, and why so many Canadians in their prime earning years don't realize how close they are to this until it hits. We also dig into the real cost of being sandwiched, and it's not just financial. Roughly a third of these caregivers report financial hardship tied directly to their caregiving role, and about 30% end up adjusting their work schedules while 11% have had to give up a career opportunity entirely because of it. It's a slow bleed on retirement savings and career growth that often goes unnoticed until years later. From there, we break down why in-home care can run $150,000 to $200,000 a year, why waiting too long to have "the conversation" with aging parents can make things harder emotionally and financially, and why having that discussion while parents are still fully capable, in their 70s, not their 90s, changes the entire outcome for everyone involved. If you're caring for aging parents, supporting your own kids, or you can see this stage coming in the next few years, feel free to reach out. We'd be happy to help you build a plan that protects your future while you're taking care of everyone else's: Schedule a meeting here Check out the full analyzed source here: Statistics Canada: "Sandwiched" between multiple unpaid caregiving responsibilities Want to dive deeper? Check out Tyler Robertson’s TMFG article on managing the Sandwich Generation financial strain: Read the article here Listen to the full episode on YouTube. Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/

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  Episode #381

  Episode 368: Permanent Life Insurance: What It Is, Who It Fits Best, and More

  Aug 11, 202622 min

  Most people stop thinking about life insurance the moment the mortgage is paid off and the kids are grown. For a lot of retirees, that's actually when it starts to matter in a completely different way. In this episode of Think Smart with TMFG, we sit down with Ingrid Kucera, financial advisor at TMFG and our resident insurance expert, to unpack permanent life insurance: what it actually is, how it's different from term coverage, and why it becomes such an important planning tool once you're sitting on more than you'll ever spend, whether that's a large RRSP, a corporation, or just a bigger-than-expected estate. We also dig into what happens to that money when you pass it on. A large RRSP can trigger a huge tax bill in your final year, and money left inside a corporation has to clear a "tax wall" before it ever reaches your family. We break down the capital dividend account, the mechanism that lets certain amounts, including a life insurance death benefit, flow out tax-free, and why it's one of the few tools that can get money past that wall efficiently. From there, we get into the practical side: the real differences between whole life and universal life policies, why the "steady" option tends to win out for estate planning, and why some of the aggressive strategies advertised online like borrowing against an over-funded policy for tax-free income, carry real risk if the loan or CRA's rules don't cooperate. Finally, we share how we think it through with clients: matching the right type of policy to your actual goals, funding it in the most tax-efficient way available to you, and knowing where the line sits between smart planning and the strategies CRA has already flagged as abusive. If you're wondering whether permanent insurance fits your situation, personally, through a corporation, or as part of a larger estate plan, feel free to reach out. We'd be happy to help you through those decisions: Schedule a meeting here Listen to the full episode on YouTube. Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/

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  Episode #382

  Episode 367: Early vs Late Retirees, Who Is Financially Happier?

  Aug 4, 202617 min

  Every year, thousands of Canadians make retirement decisions, assuming that earlier is automatically better. New research says that assumption might be costing them their happiness. In this episode of Think Smart with TMFG, we break down a 2025 Manulife study on retiree satisfaction: why the retirees who left work earlier than planned report being less happy than those who stuck to their original timeline, and what actually predicts a happy retirement. We also dig into one of the more uncomfortable findings in the data. Nearly half of early retirees didn't leave by choice; they left because of health issues, caregiving needs, or layoffs, and only 15% retired simply because they'd saved enough. That gap between "chosen" and "forced" early retirement turns out to matter more than the age on the calendar. From there, we break down what each group tends to regret most. Early retirees often underestimate the healthcare cost gap once workplace benefits disappear, and many claim CPP at 60 without realizing it locks in a permanently smaller payment for life. Late retirees carry their own risk: Canada's health-adjusted life expectancy sits around 66.9 years, which means working straight through to 65 or later can quietly cost someone their healthiest remaining years. Finally, we share what actually separates happy retirees from unhappy ones on either side: building income, healthcare coverage, and a sense of purpose into the plan before the transition happens, not after. If you're within five years of retiring, whether you're leaning early, leaning late, or still unsure, feel free to reach out. We'd be happy to help you build a plan around it: Schedule a meeting here Listen to the full episode on YouTube. Check out the full analyzed source here: Manulife: Financial Resilience and Longevity Survey (2025) Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/

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  Episode #380

  Client Stories Series | Episode 366: Fostering, Family And What Money Is Really For

  Jul 21, 202623 min

  In this episode of Think Smart with TMFG: Client Stories, we sit down with Trish Lyle, a longtime TMFG client who spent 22 years as a foster parent to 135 children, alongside raising seven of her own. Together, we talk about what it really means to build a life and a home around family, generosity, and love rather than financial limits. From a 15-passenger van and a four-by-eight-foot dining table to saying goodbye at the driveway more times than she can count, this conversation explores what it actually looks like behind the scenes of a life built around caring for others. We also discuss the financial realities of opening your home to so many children, the moments of heartbreak and joy that came with letting go, and why Trish says family, not the house it lives in, is what home really means. Question for our listeners: What does "home" mean to you? If you'd like to learn more about who we are and how we help individuals and families navigate long-term financial decisions, you can connect with our team here: Schedule a meeting. Listen to the full episode on YouTube. Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/

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  Episode #379

  Episode 365: Do You Actually Know How Much Risk You’re Taking?

  Jul 14, 202617 min

  You filled out a risk questionnaire once, when you opened your account, and probably never looked at it again. But do you actually know how you'll react if your portfolio drops 20%? In this episode of Think Smart with TMFG, we unpack risk tolerance vs. risk capacity: what a risk questionnaire is really measuring, and why the answers people give in a calm market rarely hold up once one turns. We dig into recency bias, why investors overestimate their risk tolerance in good markets, and why fund flow data shows people moving into equities at the top and fleeing to cash at the bottom, exactly backwards. We also cover the handful of life events that should actually change your risk profile: retirement, losing a spouse, or simply getting older. 📌 If it's been years since you reviewed your risk profile, feel free to reach out. We'd be happy to help you through those decisions: Schedule a meeting here 🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube. Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/

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