Helena Donaldson and Tim Niblett:

“Each person’s needs are distinct.  Every plan we work on with clients is original; every relationship is unique.  There is no single ‘right’ answer in financial planning.  It’s what makes this job so challenging and so interesting, even after 40 years of combined experience.”

For Helena and Tim, the satisfaction comes when clients who have achieved their own financial goals send them postcards from holidays and retirement destinations, saying “Thanks to you, we’re here” or call them saying “If it hadn’t been for you, we couldn’t have managed”.

They also love when clients let them know how big their tax refund was, or how much tax they were able to save from a bonus, severance or windfall.  Their multi-layered, tax-management strategies have put hundreds of thousands of dollars into their clients’ pockets, helping them to achieve their goals and dreams.

When people come to Helena and Tim for their financial plans, they examine ‘the big picture’ with them – wills, powers of attorney, insurance, education and retirement savings – along with their expectations for the future.  To the individual, the options can be mind-boggling – literally 1,000's of mutual funds, RSP’s, RESP’s, RIF’s, and insurance plans.  The Donaldson Niblett Financial Group has no ties to any particular financial institution and therefore makes recommendations for their clients independently, based solely on what is best for them.

Helena and Tim believe it’s important to work as a team with clients’ lawyers and accountants for estate and tax planning.  With more than 600 satisfied clients between the two advisors, they both still thrive on the unique relationship that is built with each client.

“We think our strengths are knowledge – of the business and the market – and insight – into people’s worries and dreams. We both really enjoy getting to know our clients as individuals and we’re very fortunate that a large majority have also become our friends.  They are often our neighbours, our business associates, people we meet through our community work with the United Way, the Rotary, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Milton Millennium Community Residence or they’ve been referred by other clients.”
        
And they urge women to take a more active role.  “We always encourage couples to come in together, to be equally aware, to discuss together their needs for life insurance, wills, powers of attorney.  Life doesn’t come with guarantees.  For the sake of themselves and their children, husbands and wives should both take part in decisions and share an understanding of short and long term planning”.