It’s no secret that everybody wants to live a financially-stable lifestyle. It’s also no secret that achieving that takes time and work – even involving financial experts along the way.
Let’s make that easier for you with today’s article about the best financial advisors in our city. See which firms made our cut so you can achieve your financial goals and make smart money choices.
How We Chose the Best Financial Advisors in Calgary
Here are the factors we used to evaluate the entries:
1. Cardinal Point Wealth Management
| Experience | 5/5 |
| Specialization | 5/5 |
| Communication skills | 4/5 |
| Professional fee | 5/5 |
Cardinal Point is a cross-border financial advisor, making them ideal for clients in either Canada or the United States, or both. Their expert team is mostly composed of certified financial planners and portfolio managers.
They specifically have expertise in the areas of capital preservation and tax planning, as well as in providing personalized investment advice. So, they’re pretty much a one-stop shop for major financial goals in life.
Clients can expect to work with a team of experienced professionals to develop a comprehensive plan tailored to their needs. They place a high value on their clients’ input, making certain to always communicate with them about all financial updates.
We find it commendable that they don’t sell proprietary investment products, and that they are all about providing solutions, plans, and advice. This also gave us confidence – when a company is not tied to certain financial instrument providers, it’s less likely to push those providers’ products onto clients.
On top of its top-notch services, Cardinal Point follows a sliding scale pricing structure, which allows clients with more assets to pay lower fees. This means that the higher the value of a client, the lower the fee.
With everything we’ve said, it’s easy to see why Cardinal Point is recognized by various portfolio and financial organizations. What concerns us is that the company hasn’t generated much buzz in the online world, which is a crucial factor nowadays.
Pros
- Focuses on providing personalized investment and financial solutions
- Specializes in tax planning and capital preservation
- Solid team of experienced and certified financial advisors
- Comprehensive wealth plans
- Doesn’t sell investment products
- Sliding scale pricing structure
Cons
- Can be difficult to reach online
3. Bilyk Financial
| Experience | 4/5 |
| Specialization | 5/5 |
| Communication skills | 4/5 |
| Professional fee | 4/5 |
We considered Bilyk Financial because of its process-oriented approach to providing financial advice and solutions. They’ve been doing it for over 50 years, and it appears to work, as they have a 99% client retention rate.
The best thing we liked is that they bring their clients along in every step for a comprehensive structural plan. They take the time to listen to their clients so the communication level is transparent and mutual on all levels.
They can assist clients with insurance, tax planning, and legacy planning, but they excel at investment management. In particular, they specialize in monitoring, reviewing, and adjusting your portfolio to make sure it doesn’t fall victim to industry problems.
Bilyk Financial’s investment team can also deliver investment alternatives and keep clients up to date on emerging trends. We appreciate that they use a hybrid approach for this rather than traditional investment management.
What they do is move beyond the traditional stocks-bonds paradigm and into modern strategies. For example, they’ll analyze their resources on a specific basis rather than directly allocating them to different assets and then see where this leads them.
To make going with Bilyk Financial even more compelling, you should know that they offer a free consultation, which you can arrange conveniently on their website. Just a reminder – they’re not available during the weekends.
Pros
- More than 50 years in the industry
- 99% client retention rate
- Process-oriented approach
- Specializes in investment management
- Free consultation available
Cons
- Closed on weekends
Always answer questions
These guys know the meaning of service. Always answer your questions, and get you the information you need. Appreciate all they do. – Mark Corkery
Positive approach, impressive customer service
We have dealt with Adam and Joe for several years and have always been impressed with their customer service, responsiveness, and positive approach to managing our investments. They definitely stand out amongst financial advisors in our view. – Raylene Palichuk
4. Edward Jones
| Experience | 5/5 |
| Specialization | 4/5 |
| Communication skills | 5/5 |
| Professional fee | 3/5 |
It’s easy to connect with Edward Jones, wherever you are in Calgary. It’s because this Canadian financial firm has a large number of financial advisors scattered throughout the town.
Many of their current clients actually praised their commitment to working one-on-one with them, supported by a branch office administrator who helped every step of the way. Their team includes economists and market experts, as well as portfolio managers.
Looking at their profile, it’s safe to say that their strongest suit is helping clients invest with the insurance they require, which helps in their personal goals in life. They can even advise on complex insurance solutions with the support of their senior insurance specialists.
However, in order to qualify as a client for portfolio management, you must have a minimum of $25,000 on your account. So, it goes without saying that they typically cater to clients and businesses with strong finances.
Well, it just makes sense, as the company is clearly intended to hook large clients onto them. For instance, the investment products they sell are based on a commission-fee basis, which means that the more clients who try to invest with them, the more they’re likely to pay.
Fortunately, Edward Jones provides a cost-free initial consultation, allowing clients to determine whether the firm is a good fit for them. You can secure a meet-up or set up a virtual meeting with the financial advisor of your choice through their website.
Pros
- Has a large number of financial advisors
- Works one-on-one with the clients
- Specializes in insurance investments
- Complimentary initial meeting
- Investment products and plans available
Cons
- Not available on weekends
- Large minimum required for portfolio management
Quick to recommend changes, very professional
Eric has been managing my portfolio for over two years and is always quick to recommend changes that will improve returns. He is very professional and willing to spend extra time to answer all of my questions. I’m very happy with his management of my accounts and I would not hesitate to recommend his services. – Jocelyn Klyne
5. Up Financial Inc.
| Experience | 4/5 |
| Specialization | 4/5 |
| Communication skills | 4/5 |
| Professional fee | 5/5 |
Up Financial specializes in providing investment advice and comprehensive financial planning. They’re the kind of wealth management firm that doesn’t offer products and plans but rather focus on advice-based planning.
They provide clients with access to various investment opportunities without burdening them with expensive professional fees. For that, they implement fee-based practices, where they charge a set rate.
Now that we’re talking about money, we appreciate that Up Financial does not have asset minimums as a requirement to accommodate clients. This allows those who are just starting to build their portfolio to benefit from the company’s investment decision-making expertise.
Talking about customer service, this company won us over with their excellent communication with each of their clients. They always make it a point to provide monthly updates and meet with their regular clients on a weekly basis.
Up Financial has only two financial advisors on their team, which is quite a downfall when compared to other firms on our list. Although, based on their portfolio, this has no bearing on their ability to provide high-quality financial advice.
In fact, they’re well-liked by the majority of their customers, as evidenced by a solid five-star rating on the most reputable review sites. It’s simply disappointing to learn that they’re not available to operate on a daily basis.
Pros
- Expert in various investment opportunities
- No asset minimum for portfolio management
- Charges at a set rate
- Good communication skills
- Online scheduling of appointments available
Cons
- Closed on weekends
- Limited financial services
Great advice, wonderful to work with
Up Financial is simply outstanding. Great customer service, advice and a wonderful team to work with. We feel extremely confident placing our trust in Up Financial and have been very pleased with the services received to date from their team. – Morgan H
Committed, outstanding service
The advisors are knowledgeable, independent and are committed to meeting their clients’ investment needs. The service is outstanding. We have confidently referred family and friends to Up Financial. – Catherine BEAL
6. Langford Financial Inc.
| Experience | 3/5 |
| Specialization | 3/5 |
| Communication skills | 4/5 |
| Professional fee | 4/5 |
Langford Financial specializes in working with Calgary residents approaching retirement age. They provide solutions for issues such as retirement income, investment, and tax planning.
They have curated a planning process that will tell their clients exactly how much income they will have in retirement. This includes the kind of investment structure they should have as they are entering the decumulation phase.
For a flat fee, they can create an ideal retirement roadmap specifically designed for each client’s needs and situation. As if this isn’t enough, they can even construct a plan that will transition their clients into the ideal, financially stable lifestyle.
However, you should be aware that when it comes to client accommodations, Langford Financial can be quite disappointing, at least in our opinion. It had only two financial advisors on its team, and it only served customers on weekdays, even closing earlier on Fridays.
If you ever choose them, you can schedule a meeting by simply filling out their online forms. It’s a free initial consultation, so there is no need to be concerned about the cost – simply be prepared for the price structure they’ll provide you.
Just a quick reminder that Langford Financial charges a 1% fee on all invested assets for its services. All that said, we find them great for retirement-oriented financial plans.
Pros
- Specializes in retirement planning strategy
- Provides ideal retirement roadmap
- Complimentary initial meeting
- Convenient online forms
- Charges a flat-rate fee
Cons
- Only works with 55+ clients
- Doesn’t accommodate on weekends
- Focused solely on retirement planning
Always up to date, readily available
We met through an in person seminar. Willis and Nancy are extremely knowledgeable and keep up todate on the ever changing markets. They are always readily available for all our questions and concerns. We highly recommend Langford for your financial needs! – Cindy Doerksen
Listens and recommends accordingly
I was unsure of how I wanted proceed with my retirement from a financial perspective. I had contacted a number of folks/organizations but was not happy with their suggestions or condescending manner of approach. Then I met with Willis. Wow. It was great. He listened to me, reviewed my current financial situation and my future plans. He came back with several courses of action, outlining advantages and disadvantages to each. I am confident I am now financially ready for the next 25 years. – Deirdre Peet
