In this podcast episode, Dustin interviews Kristin Ramlal, a wealth management expert with many years of experience. They discuss the importance of diversification in a portfolio, alternative investments, and socially responsible investing. Kristin emphasizes the value of seeking advice from financial professionals and having a properly diverse portfolio across multiple asset classes. She recommends the bucket planning concept and discusses the Society of Real Wealth Managers. She also shares a story about collaborating with other financial professionals to create a well-rounded plan for a high-net-worth individual. This episode provides insights into the world of wealth management and investing for both big players and individual investors.

Kristin Ramlal is a passionate wealth professional with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Her experience ranges from CND and US banking and lending, personal and institutional investment management, securities trading and portfolio construction, and holistic wealth management (financial, estate, tax, retirement, and strategic gift planning). She was a Canada Life securities specialist until the end of 2023 and recently joined the Canada Life Institutional Investment Solutions Team as VP of Institutional Investment Sales. In her spare time, she volunteers for the Canada Life Women in Leadership Employee Resource Group and is the Chair of the Society of Real Wealth Managers; she also loves to dance, yoga, travel and spend time with her two boys (Syrel and Kaylem).

What we discuss:

[00:02:20] Kristin discusses what big investment firms look for when trying to get growth out of their investments, including diversification, alternative investments, and socially responsible investing.

[00:05:35] Kristin explains the importance of diversification in a portfolio, including diversification across asset classes such as cash, fixed income, and equities, as well as geographical locations and investment management styles.

[00:04:15] Kristin talks about the rise of socially responsible investing and investment management strategies with ESG tilts, and how investors are increasingly wanting to be invested according to their values.

[00:10:45] Kristin shares information on Investing in baskets of specific themes, such as electric vehicles or renewable energy, through mutual funds, seg funds, or ETFs.

[00:13:38] Kristen explains the concept of short-term, medium-term, and long-term buckets for cash flow needs, with different levels of risk and investment strategies.

[00:15:47] Kristen gives examples of questions to ask an advisor.

[00:21:00] Kristin discusses the concept of Real Wealth Management and how it works collaboratively to lead financial plans for sustainability.

[00:19:07] Kristin shares a story of a wealthy individual who was holding individual US stocks in an open non-registered environment, which magnified his potential for US estate taxes. She explains how they were able to avoid this problem entirely.

[00:22:15] Kristin provides information on where to find Real Wealth Managers, including the Society of Real Wealth Managers website and the Knowledge Bureau program.

Episode Resources:

Kristin Ramlal | Linkedin

Kristin Ramlal | Instagram

Kristin Ramlal | Real Wealth Managers