Edward Jones- Financial Advisor: Esther Jian

06/01/2026

One of the most helpful exercises families can do when budgeting is distinguishing between needs and wants. Your mortgage or rent, groceries, utilities, and transportation costs are essential. They keep your household running.

But wants aren't bad. Dining out, travel, and gifts for family and friends add meaning to life. The key is setting boundaries around them so they don't pull you off course from what's most important to you.

When you prioritize together as a family, you build healthier financial habits. Small adjustments in your discretionary spending can create meaningful savings over time without feeling like deprivation.

If you're looking to align your family's spending with your values and goals, let's talk. We can help you create a budget that reflects what matters most.

These considerations can help you get a handle on how you spend money each month.

05/28/2026

Markets experienced gain in April, bringing new life to diversified portfolios after a volatile first quarter. The broader backdrop has stayed constructive:

• Resilient economic activity in certain sectors
• Rising corporate profits
• Continued opportunity in energy, industrials, and materials for Canadian investors
• Longer-term bonds offering support as yields stabilize

Instead of trying to predict the exact peak of the market, our guidance focuses on a forward-looking approach built around two timelines: a longer-term strategy anchored to your goals, and a shorter-term, opportunistic view for timely adjustments with discipline.

If any of this raises questions, or you'd like to talk through what recent market shifts mean for your portfolio, please reach out. I'm here, and I'm happy to help.

Learn more about your portfolio’s performance, and check out our recommendations for disciplined investors.

05/21/2026

Recent market volatility has been unsettling, but this moment can offer strategic opportunities.

Here are three opportunities to consider:

• Earn more income from bonds: Take advantage of today’s higher interest rates to potentially generate more income from fixed income investments.
• Use losses to reduce taxes: Apply investment losses to offset gains you’ve already realized, which can help lower your tax bill.
• Invest at better prices: Add to your long-term investment mix when markets offer more attractive entry points.

I work with clients to ensure their plans stay aligned with their long-term goals, emphasizing quality investments, diversification, and maintaining a long-term perspective.

Let's review your portfolio together and keep your financial strategy on track.

05/19/2026

Does your financial plan match your life right now? Or is it set up for who you were five years ago? Life moves fast. Your strategy should too. Let's make sure it matches where you are today. Reach out if this sounds familiar.

05/14/2026

Ottawa's proposed national sovereign wealth fund, the Canada Strong Fund, is generating a lot of headlines. Before drawing any conclusions, it's worth pausing on what we actually know, and what we don't.

The details that matter most to investors are still undefined. Governance structures, safeguards against political influence, liquidity terms, lockup periods and realistic risk and return expectations have not been established. The fund's focus on areas where private capital hasn't stepped in suggests these investments may carry meaningful risk. And unlike Norway's sovereign wealth fund, which invests globally and excludes direct retail participation, the Canada Strong Fund would invest domestically and include a retail investor component. That's a significant distinction.

A strong financial plan doesn't react to headlines. It's built on quality investments, diversification and a long-term perspective grounded in your goals, your timeline and your comfort with risk. Those principles don't change because of a political announcement.

If you'd like to talk through what this means for your plan, reach out and let's talk.

Learn about what Canada's proposed Sovereign Wealth Fund means for your financial plan.

05/07/2026

Most people think of budgeting as managing what's happening right now. But a balanced budget can help do something more important. It creates room for your future.

Finding that little "extra" each month can mean a lot as you move toward reaching your long-term financial goals, like retirement. When you free up even small amounts through smarter spending choices, that money can go toward education savings for your children, building an emergency fund, or contributing more to retirement accounts.

This is where budgeting stops being about restriction and becomes about possibility. It's not just tracking expenses. It's making sure your daily financial decisions support the life you want to build over the next 10, 20, or 30 years.

If you'd like to understand how your day-to-day budget connects to your bigger financial picture, let's have a conversation. I can help you see a path from where you are today to where you want to go.

These considerations can help you get a handle on how you spend money each month.

05/04/2026

If you're planning to move in with your partner, you might be wondering what a cohabitation agreement actually is. Think of it as a clear, written understanding of how you'll handle finances, property, and responsibilities while living together.

A cohabitation agreement typically covers practical questions like:
• Who's responsible for the mortgage or rent?
• How will you split ongoing bills and utilities? What happens to property you each owned before moving in together, or things you buy jointly?
• How will you handle existing debt, and who's responsible for debt you take on together?

The goal isn't to plan for the worst. It's to create clarity so you can focus on building your life together without financial uncertainty getting in the way.

If you're considering moving in with your partner and want to understand how a cohabitation agreement fits into your broader financial picture, let's talk. I can help you think through the financial decisions that matter most.

Edward Jones financial advisors are not lawyers and cannot provide legal advice. A cohabitation agreement is a legally binding document that should be created with the assistance of a qualified lawyer or legal professional. We can help you understand how your financial decisions today connect to your long-term goals and work alongside your legal advisor to support your overall financial strategy.

Do you need a cohabitation agreement? And if so, what should it include? Before we answer those questions, let's first ask, what is a cohabitation agreement?

04/27/2026

A lot of people hear “financial planning” and immediately think about investing. But investing is only one piece of the puzzle. A real financial plan connects your money to your life, the things you value most. Whether you’re saving for education or working toward early retirement, your investments should support your goals.

If you’re curious about what a holistic plan could look like, I’m here to help.

Reach out to book a meeting and let’s bring your goals into focus.

Investments are tools. A financial plan is the blueprint. Together, they help you build and experience the life you want.

04/23/2026

Recent headlines about Middle East tensions and oil supply disruptions have created short-term market uncertainty.

Here's what I want you to know: markets experienced a pullback from some early 2026 gains in March, but longer-term returns remain strong. Average annual stock returns over the past three years have ranged from 13-25%, even after the recent pullback.

The reality? Periodic volatility is completely normal across market cycles. The S&P 500 typically sees a 10% correction about once a year. We didn't see that through Q1, so this isn't unexpected; it's healthy market behavior.

Rather than reacting to headlines, I encourage you to revisit what really matters: your comfort with risk, your time horizon, and your financial goals. These drive your portfolio design, not the news cycle.

If recent volatility has you questioning your strategy, or if you haven't reviewed your plan in a while, let's talk. We can walk through whether your current approach still aligns with where you want to go—and discuss any adjustments that might make sense for your unique situation.

What questions do you have about navigating market volatility? Drop a comment or send me a message, I'm here to help.

Learn more about your portfolio’s performance, and check out our recommendations for disciplined investors.

04/16/2026

A strong financial plan isn’t built on a single decision — it’s shaped by many moving parts working together. When we look at how you save, spend, invest, protect and plan for the future, we can design a strategy that supports both your life today and where you want to go next.

If you'd like help bringing the pieces together into a clear and connected plan, I’m here to guide you.

Reach out to book a meeting and let’s build it together.

Investments are tools. A financial plan is the blueprint. Together, they help you build and experience the life you want.