When you walk into a bank branch, it’s pretty simple. The advisor sitting across the desk works for the bank, and if you invest with them, everything comes on the bank letterhead. At Q Wealth, there’s a bit more to it, and that’s a good thing.
Your Advisor
Ultimately, your most important relationship is with your trusted advisor who is responsible for putting together your financial plan, and helping you navigate all aspects of managing wealth and life transitions. There’s much more to it than just investments, and so the ultimate barometer of how you’re doing will always be your financial plan – think of this as the highest form of reporting we provide – it’s the answer to the all-important question: “Am I ok?”, and it’s always being updated because your life never stands still.
Your Partner Firm
Our Partner firms collectively own Q Wealth (where we provide investment management). Each of our Partners operates under their own brand identity to deliver a unique service experience, and comprehensive wealth management layered on top of investment management – which is everything beyond securities. Your advisory team typically includes a multi-disciplinary group including Certified Financial Planning professionals, investment professionals or both. Think of your Advisor’s firm as your personal “family office”.
Quintessence (Q) Wealth
In all cases, individuals who provide investment advice are registered to do so under Q Wealth, so you may see them affiliated with both the Q Wealth Partnership and their Partner firm. As a registered Portfolio Manager and Investment Fund Manager, Q Wealth replaces the operational functions advisors must typically affiliate with an investment dealer to provide, but we also “vertically integrate” the investment management function – which usually reduces external costs that are often hidden from investors. Clients receive a detailed chart explaining who provides each function when they onboard to help keep it clear.
Custodian
Q Wealth maintains service agreements with custodians such as National Bank’s Independent Network (NBIN). The custodian is where your accounts sit, protected by their large scale, and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
