The Canadian Securities Administrators, an umbrella organization of provincial and territorial securities regulators, introduced a measure two years ago to help protect investors’ financial interests. Investors could give their advisor the name of a “trusted contact person.”
MEETING A NEED
An advisor can contact this individual if the advisor believes the investor may be losing their ability to make sound financial decisions or could be vulnerable to financial exploitation or fraud.
Much of the need for a trusted contact person is to protect investors at older ages when they may develop dementia or another cognitive impairment, but investors may also benefit from this help at a younger age. For example, someone who suffers a serious illness could be taken advantage of by a caregiver.
AN ADVISOR’S UNIQUE POSITION
A wealth advisor may notice changes in an investor’s behaviour or signs of exploitation that could jeopardize their assets. Perhaps an investor is becoming confused about financial concepts they had understood before, or they’ve been making large, unexplained withdrawals.
An advisor could reach out to the trusted contact person to discuss their concerns. The contact person might offer helpful information to the advisor, have a discussion with the investor or take other steps to address the situation.
If you haven’t yet named a trusted contact person, consider naming a family member or close friend. Keep in mind, the Canadian Securities Administrators recommends that you choose a different person than your power of attorney or mandate representative, to provide an additional level of security.
This material was prepared for and published on behalf of your financial advisor and is intended only for clients resident in the jurisdiction(s) where their representative is registered.
This material is provided solely for informational and educational purposes and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities or as providing
individual investment, tax or legal advice. Consult your professional advisor(s) prior to acting on the basis of this material. Insurance products are available through advisors registered with
applicable insurance regulators. Individual equities are available only through representatives of Assante Capital Management Ltd. In considering any particular investment, please remember
that past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Although this material has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
All opinions expressed and data provided herein are subject to change without notice. Neither CI Assante Wealth Management or its dealer subsidiaries Assante Capital Management Ltd. and
Assante Financial Management Ltd., nor their affiliates or their respective officers, directors, employees or advisors are responsible in any way for any damages or losses of any kind whatsoever
in respect of the use of this material. CI Assante Wealth Management is a registered business name of Assante Wealth Management (Canada) Ltd. Assante Capital Management Ltd. is a member of
the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. Assante Financial Management Ltd. is a member of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association
of Canada and the MFDA Investor Protection Corporation (excluding Quebec). © 2022 CI Assante Wealth Management. All rights reserved.