You’re a novice mountaineer – perhaps new to the Sea to Sky – and you’ve got your heart set on scaling the Stawamus Chief.
But where and how to start? And what challenges might you face?
Picture Squamish resident and Investment Advisor Tyler Fichtner as your guide to getting it done, with advice to cover every step up and back again: proper footwear, sunscreen and water, what the weather is doing, right down to the approximate time the sun sets.
As an advisor with BlueShore Financial in Squamish and Whistler, Fichtner employs that same level of readiness and foresight to his client’s portfolios, who range from the first-time individual investor to a small business owner to the savvy retiree who wants their money to grow holistically.
“When it comes to investing, I know it can be daunting for some people, but as an advisor I am here to help make things easier,” says Fichtner, who holds both a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Professional Accountant designation. “There are so many different areas we can place our funds, so I always say getting started earlier is always better, as time is on your side with compound growth.”
Navigating investments in Squamish
Just like planning which of the Chief’s three peaks you’d like to visit, Fichtner begins a client’s financial journey from the ground up with goal setting, long-term planning and establishing risk tolerance for investments. If the end game is home ownership or early retirement, for example, Fichtner examines different investment options that grow your wealth while remaining sheltered from tax implications.
“The power of compound growth with investing, is that you can get started with any amount available to you, it doesn’t necessarily have to be large,” Fichtner explains. “As an advisor, I guide my clients through the investment selection process and am available to answer any questions along the way."
Fast forward to the Second Peak and an idyllic view of Howe Sound, or the time in life when a client is in their 40s, making good money and wanting those finances to grow.
Fichtner advises clients on different asset classes to invest in and how best to shelter from taxes. It’s also an opportunity to take stock of what happens should the weather or wind turn – or in the case of your finances, rising inflation, borrowing uncertainty or unexpected life events.
“Inevitably, there will always be a series of life events that clients face and I’m here to work with them to ensure we weigh out all the options, give recommendations and adjust their portfolio accordingly,” Fichtner describes.
Now that you’ve scaled the summit of the Third Peak, it’s time for the ascent and to kick up your heels. As retirement nears, Fichtner helps clients protect their wealth in a number of ways, including strategically withdrawing money to minimize taxes, assisting with estate planning or succession planning for business owners, and, perhaps, shifting investments to more dependable streams of income.
Fichtner states, “I make a point of showing clients what could happen with their investments through various market conditions from the get-go to set expectations and give them an understanding of what’s possible if you have a well-constructed, sound portfolio.”
For more information about how Fichtner and the team at BlueShore Financial can help you get started with investing, visit blueshorefinancial.com/wealth.
