Fee only, advice only financial planning with Steve Bridge
Advice-Only Planning, ExplainedIn this episode, Keith Matthews sits down with Steve Bridge, advice-only financial planner at Money Coaches Canada, for a wide-ranging conversation on one of the most important and underserved areas of Canadian financial services: fee-only, advice-only financial planning.Steve shares his personal journey from losing money with a commission-based advisor in the early 2000s, to educating himself, to eventually building a practice where he works exclusively in clients’ best interests with no product sales, no commissions, and no conflicts of interest. Keith and Steve walk through the full 7-step financial planning process, discuss why cash flow management is the foundation of everything, and explore why advice-only planning is finally gaining the recognition it deserves in Canada.They also tackle CPP deferral, the role of robo-advisors, workplace financial wellness seminars, and what the arrival of CRM3 means for the future of the industry.A landmark episode for any Canadian who wants to understand what truly unbiased financial planning advice looks like and how to access it.Happy listening!Key Topics Covered:Steve’s personal story: losing money with a commission advisor and discovering the advice-only model (01:10)What advice-only planning actually is — no product sales, no commissions, pure fiduciary planning advice (05:48)A brief history of fee-only planning in Canada from the ’90s to today’s resurgence (04:04)The full scope of a financial plan: cash flow, retirement, tax, insurance, estate, education, and more (09:10)Why cash flow management is the foundation of financial success regardless of income level (12:04)Ontario’s mandatory high school financial literacy course and why it should be national (14:34)The 7-step financial planning process every CFP in Canada should follow (19:38)Step 5: implementing the plan, the hardest step, and why accountability changes everything (23:35)The demand gap: only ~150 advice-only planners in Canada for millions of Canadians who need a plan (16:26)Robo-advisors as a strong implementation partner for advice-only clients (31:23)Why advice-only planning grows: more information, word of mouth, and a retiring boomer generation (34:56)Workplace financial wellness seminars — who hires Steve and what he covers (41:01)CPP deferral: the math says wait until 70, but the behavioral answer is complicated (43:09)The state of Canadian financial services today — more choices than ever before (50:57)CRM3 in January 2027: total cost transparency and what it means for the industry (51:45)Show notes:Advice-Only Financial Planning: The Best Investment You’ll Ever MakeFrom Confusion to Clarity: The Money Coach EffectAdvice for Life: How Money Coaching Helps You Navigate Real Life with Clarity and ConfidenceBe sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Feel free to drop us a line at [email protected] or 514-695-0096 ext.114.Follow Tulett,Matthews & Associates on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, and more!Follow The Empowered Investor on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.Thanks for listening!