De Thomas Wealth Management

De Thomas Wealth Management Providing objective and unbiased financial advice that is personalized to each of our client's uniqu De Thomas Wealth Management.

is a different kind of investment firm. Our independence allows us the freedom to offer truly independent advice to our clients. Our confidence in our ability to provide the highest calibre of investment service allows us to think differently about investing. We encourage you to compare our services, fees and performance to other investment firms – and we're confident that you'll quickly discover

that De Thomas will exceed your expectations. Founded in 1987, De Thomas remains independent. Being independent and not owned by a bank or mutual fund company, we are able to provide objective and unbiased advice that is personalized to each of our client's unique investment goals and objectives. And by promoting a culture of independence, we are able to ensure our clients that their best interests are always our number one priority.

Sports betting has become more than something you do during a game.For a lot of younger adults, it now sits in the same ...
09/07/2026

Sports betting has become more than something you do during a game.

For a lot of younger adults, it now sits in the same mental space as investing.

Betting apps are built around instant feedback, constant access and frequent prompts to act. At the same time, advertising and social media have made wagering feel like a normal part of following sports.

That helps explain why 52% of Gen Z investors in one recent survey said they had redirected money intended for investing into sports betting.

The problem is not simply that people bet.

It is when the habit starts replacing long-term investing.

Betting gives you an immediate result.

Investing asks you to wait and be patient.

One is built around repeated decisions and short-term outcomes. The other relies on patience, diversification and compounding.

That is why even relatively small amounts matter.

$200 per month invested at 8% for 30 years grows to roughly $298,000.

If you enjoy betting, treat it like entertainment.
1. Invest first.
2. Automate the contribution.
3. Then decide what is left for everything else.

The real cost of a bet is not always what you lose that night.

It is what that money never had the opportunity to become.

All-time highs make investors nervous.It can feel like you missed the opportunity and the smart thing to do is to wait f...
09/05/2026

All-time highs make investors nervous.

It can feel like you missed the opportunity and the smart thing to do is to wait for a pullback.

But new highs are normal.

Since 1950, the S&P 500 has recorded roughly 1,400 new closing highs, about 20 per year on average.

That does not mean the path was easy.

Investors lived through crashes, recessions, wars, inflation, rate hikes and bear markets along the way.

The problem is trying to TIME those events requires being right twice and doing it consistently:
- You need to know when to get out.
- Then you need to know when to get back in.

And markets often start recovering before the headlines improve.

Social media makes this harder. We see the winning trade, the person who “called” the crash and the prediction that happened to be right.

We rarely see all the calls that were WRONG.

Good investing usually looks much less exciting:

- Diversify.
- Keep investing.
- Rebalance when needed.
- Manage risk.
- Give compounding time.

There will be bumps.

You do not need to predict every one of them.

You need a plan that allows you to stay in the race.

The hare gets the attention.

The tortoise keeps moving.

Is today’s market becoming another tech bubble?That is the concern behind a lot of investor conversations right now.Mark...
08/20/2026

Is today’s market becoming another tech bubble?

That is the concern behind a lot of investor conversations right now.

Markets have risen quickly. Technology companies are driving much of the excitement. It feels familiar enough to make people think about 2000.

Then comes the other response:

“It’s different this time.”

The truth is somewhere between those two views.

Leading into 2000, prices were rising much faster than expected earnings. Investors kept paying more for the promise of future growth.

Today’s market has received more support from rising earnings expectations. Prices have increased, but expected earnings have increased even faster.

That is an important difference.

It does not mean markets cannot fall. It simply means today’s rise has not been driven in the same way as the tech bubble.

History rarely repeats in exactly the same way. But saying “this is 2000 again” can be just as misleading as saying “this time is different.”

The comparison should help us understand what is driving the market, not predict what happens next.

What should you do with this?

* Do not change your portfolio simply because the market has risen
* Check whether recent gains have pushed U.S. stocks or technology holdings above your intended allocation
* Rebalance if your portfolio has become too concentrated
* Keep money you may need soon outside the stock market
* Make sure a 15% to 20% decline would not force you to abandon sell

“I have a pension, so I don’t need an RRSP.”The mistake is assuming they do the same job.A pension provides predictable ...
08/18/2026

“I have a pension, so I don’t need an RRSP.”

The mistake is assuming they do the same job.

A pension provides predictable income. An RRSP gives you more control over tax, timing and family planning.

Consider what it can add:

Your pension adjustment reduces the new RRSP room you earn, but it does not erase unused room carried forward. Using that room in a bonus or peak-income year may create a more valuable deduction.

The annual tax refund can be reinvested in your RRSP, TFSA or other assets, where it can compound for years. It could also reduce your mortgage and future interest costs. Repeated annually, this can materially improve your financial position beyond the RRSP itself.

RRSP withdrawals can fund the years before CPP, OAS or your full pension begins. Drawing income during lower-tax years may be more efficient than leaving a larger balance for mandatory RRIF withdrawals later.

A spousal RRSP can build retirement assets in the lower-income spouse’s name, subject to attribution rules. After age 65, eligible RRIF income may also be split up to 50%. Regular RRSP withdrawals generally do not qualify, so timing matters.

A workplace pension may fall to a reduced survivor amount. An RRSP may transfer to a spouse on a tax-deferred basis when structured correctly. Life insurance can create additional capital to replace income the pension no longer provides.

The right question is not:

“Do I need an RRSP if I have a pension?”

It is:

“What can my RRSP do that my pension cannot?”

The highest CPP payment is not automatically the best CPP decision.Waiting until 70 provides a larger payment for life. ...
08/16/2026

The highest CPP payment is not automatically the best CPP decision.

Waiting until 70 provides a larger payment for life. Starting at 60 gives you income sooner.

A break-even age compares those cash flows. It does not tell you which option fits your life.

Ask a more useful question:

***What does this money need to do for you?***

Starting earlier may make sense if you need income, want to reduce withdrawals from your investments, have health concerns or have a specific use for the money.

Delaying may make sense if you have other income, expect a longer retirement and want more inflation-adjusted lifetime income later. That larger payment can reduce how heavily you depend on your investments in your 80s and 90s.

Your employment history also matters.

If you stop working before 65 or continue working after 65, it changes the amounts received.

Also consider what happens at death. CPP is not an account balance left to your estate. A surviving spouse does not necessarily continue receiving your CPP payments in full.

Before choosing a start date:

* Review your CPP estimate through My Service Canada Account.
* Compare ages 60, 65 and 70 using your actual estimate.
* Look at after-tax household income, not CPP in isolation.
* Include investment withdrawals, debt, health, longevity and income-tested benefits.
* Decide exactly how you would use earlier payments. Spending, investing and paying down debt create different outcomes.
* Review how the decision affects your spouse and your later retirement income.

Try our CPP calculator to compare your monthly income, total payments and estimated break-even. Link in bio.

Most financial problems do not begin with a bad decision. They begin with a reasonable assumption that is not fully unde...
08/15/2026

Most financial problems do not begin with a bad decision. They begin with a reasonable assumption that is not fully understood.

A parent adds an adult child to an account so they can help pay bills. The parent may intend to provide account access only, but the child now has withdrawal rights and the ownership after death may be disputed.

Someone names a beneficiary years ago and later updates their will. They may intend for the will to control, but the beneficiary designation can direct the account outside the estate.

A power of attorney can manage finances during your lifetime, but that authority ends at death. Once a financial institution is notified, individually held accounts are generally restricted until the estate representative provides the required documents.

Your intention matters, but it may not produce the outcome you expect.

If the account ownership, beneficiary designation, will and supporting documents point in different directions, your family may have to prove what you intended after you are gone.

The risk is assuming they all work together.

Take 30 minutes and review:

* Why was each joint owner added?
* Should the surviving owner keep the balance?
* Is your intention documented?
* Are your beneficiaries still correct?
* Do your designations agree with your will?
* Does your executor know where every account and policy is held?
* Can they locate your will, tax records and key professional contacts?
* Have you reviewed everything since your last major family or financial change?

A will is important, but it cannot correct every account or designation automatically. The documents, account structure and your intentions need to point in the same direction.

A TFSA is tax-free, however, that does not necessarily mean every dollar earned inside it arrives tax-free.If you hold U...
08/07/2026

A TFSA is tax-free, however, that does not necessarily mean every dollar earned inside it arrives tax-free.

If you hold U.S.-listed stocks or ETFs that pay U.S.-source dividends, the U.S. generally withholds 15% of those dividends before they reach your TFSA.

For example:

• A U.S. investment pays a $100 dividend
• $15 is withheld
• $85 reaches your TFSA
• You generally cannot recover the $15 through a foreign tax credit

The important distinction is that the 15% applies to the dividend, not the value of your investment and not your capital gains.

So should you avoid U.S. investments in a TFSA?

Not necessarily.

Tax is one part of portfolio construction. Expected return, diversification, fees, currency exposure and what you hold in your other accounts can matter more.

Where it becomes useful is when you have multiple account types. The same investment can have different tax consequences depending on whether you hold it in a TFSA, RRSP or non-registered account.

That is why good portfolio construction is not only about what you own.

It is also about where you own it.

If you have investments spread across a TFSA, RRSP and non-registered account, it may be worth reviewing whether each investment is sitting in the most appropriate account.

Markets moved higher this week, but the more useful story is what is happening beneath the surface.The S&P 500 gained 1....
08/06/2026

Markets moved higher this week, but the more useful story is what is happening beneath the surface.

The S&P 500 gained 1.05%, the Nasdaq rose 1.59% and emerging markets advanced 2.33%. Canada was the exception, with the S&P/TSX Composite down 0.40%.

For Canadian investors, currency also mattered. A weaker Canadian dollar added roughly 2.6 percentage points to year-to-date returns on major U.S. indexes. The S&P 500 was up 9.41% in U.S. dollars, but 11.97% in Canadian dollars. The Nasdaq showed a similar gap.

The chart of the week is probably the most important part of the report.

Stock dispersion is rising while implied correlation is falling. In simple terms, individual companies are behaving less like one big market trade and more on their own fundamentals, earnings and expectations. That can create more opportunity, but also more risk in trying to pick individual stocks.

For investors, the practical takeaway is not to chase whichever area is leading this week.

Instead:

* Check whether your portfolio is overly concentrated in one sector, country or theme
* Make sure your bond allocation still matches your time horizon and income needs
* Review the effect currency is having on your U.S. holdings
* Keep diversification in place when the gap between winners and losers starts to widen

Markets can look calm at the index level while individual holdings are moving very differently underneath.

That is exactly when portfolio construction matters most.

Source: TD Wealth, week ending July 31, 2026. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Most investors know they want to invest in ETFs.The harder question is:Which one?At first glance, many ETFs look almost ...
07/29/2026

Most investors know they want to invest in ETFs.

The harder question is:

Which one?

At first glance, many ETFs look almost identical. In reality, they can track different markets, hold different companies and serve very different purposes.

This guide highlights some of the most commonly used Canadian-listed ETFs across major investment categories.

Whether you’re researching investments or simply trying to understand the differences, I hope you find it useful.

If you think it’s something you’ll refer back to, save it for later.

Markets pulled back this week, but the bigger picture remains positive.The S&P 500 fell 1.55%, the Nasdaq dropped 2.90%,...
07/23/2026

Markets pulled back this week, but the bigger picture remains positive.

The S&P 500 fell 1.55%, the Nasdaq dropped 2.90%, and emerging markets declined 4.14%. Despite the weakness, all three remain positive for the year. The S&P 500 is up 8.94%, the Nasdaq 9.80%, and emerging markets 15.40%.

Canada held up better.

The S&P/TSX Composite declined just 0.12% and remains up 11.20% year to date. Financials, energy and resources continue to provide support, while technology-heavy markets experienced more pressure.

The week’s largest move came from oil.

WTI crude rose 15.50%, bringing its year-to-date gain to 58.75%. That strength can benefit Canadian energy holdings, but sharp moves like this also create concentration risk when one sector begins to dominate portfolio returns.

Bond markets were mixed as yields moved higher.

For Canadian investors, currency still matters.

The Canadian dollar has weakened against the U.S. dollar this year. That has increased the Canadian-dollar return from U.S. investments. The S&P 500’s 8.94% local-currency return becomes 11.37% in Canadian dollars, while the Nasdaq rises from 9.80% to 12.25%.

What should you do?

• Do not react to one weak week after a strong year.

• Review whether recent gains have pushed your portfolio above its intended exposure to energy, technology or U.S. equities.

• Rebalance based on your target allocation, not headlines or short-term momentum.

• Remember that bonds now offer higher income potential, even though rising yields can create short-term volatility.

The market is still rewarding investors, but leadership remains uneven. That is exactly when diversification and disciplined rebalancing matter most.

Address

9033 Leslie Street, Unit
Thornhill, ON
L4B4K3

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19057319800

Website

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