Frequently Asked Questions

Why the name Braestone?

Our business name encompasses two things. “Brae” is a Scottish term for hillside. To us, this represents our team's ability to view the landscape from the hilltop to uncover your overall vision and goals. The “stone” is what comes next to create a solid, stable wealth plan. With this plan, we share ideas and solutions so you are confident in the foundation created to support your family today and into the future.



What type of clients do you help?

Our clients range from young families just starting out, to those enjoying their golden years. Where we are able to help clients the most is when they are facing major challenges or transitions in their lives. Whether they are getting married, buying a home, starting a business, retiring or find themselves on their own for the first time. It's during these times when clients need the most advice and support.



Why should we choose Braestone?

Our entire business ambition and motivation are nourished by you. Our many years of success comes from three crucial values we live by day-to-day. It’s important to us to be caring, competent and committed to each client. The more people we can support to build their foundation the better our community will be. You will be supported by a team of five financial professionals, including two Portfolio Managers and a tax and estate specialist, to address all your needs today and well into the future. We provide independent advice, selecting the stocks, ETFS and mutual funds that best meet your needs. We are also proudly affiliated with HollisWealth, a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. Having the backing of a large and reputable company is of the utmost importance when it comes to our business and ensuring our clients' savings are secure.



What are your fees?

Our first meeting is always complimentary.


There is no trading fee for the buying and selling of mutual funds and GICs, and the commission for buying and selling stocks and ETFs is very competitive.


Clients with over $250k of investible assets prefer our Comprehensive Service Account where there is a very competitive flat and totally transparent fee based on a percentage of your assets. This can range from 1.5% down to 0.65%. There are no other costs or commissions for trading and this fee includes all our additional financial, tax and estate planning services.



When should I take my CPP?

Almost every client we have that is nearing retirement is curious about when they should begin their CPP. There are many factors to consider when making this decision. How long you feel you will live, what other sources of income you expect (do you have other guaranteed pensions), the amount of taxable income you will have and when will you be drawing on this (do you have large RRSPs), how much return you feel you can get on the CPP money if taken early and invested, or do you need the cash immediately, which makes the decision easier.



What is responsible investing?

Responsible investing(RI) involves incorporating environmental, social,and governance (ESG) factors into the selection and management of one’s investments. Other familiar terms may include; SRI, community investing, social finance, green investing, ethical investing, or impact investing. Interest in this type of investing has grown significantly in recent years, as many investors feel that it's important to choose products and services that are sustainable and consistent with their overall values.



What is book value?

On your monthly investment statements, you may notice a column titled “book value”, and another titled “market value.” It may seem straightforward to compare the difference between these two columns and assume that is your gain or loss on the investment. However, this is not the case. The book value is calculated by taking your original investment plus any reinvested distributions. This means that if your mutual fund pays a monthly distribution in units (rather than in cash), your book value will increase by the distribution amount each time. Therefore, your book value will increase, even though you are not actually adding any more money to the investment.