Questions About Family Investing?
We get it. Money decisions can feel overwhelming, especially when your family's future is involved. You've got questions, and we've got real answers from families who've been exactly where you are now.
Starting Out: What You Actually Need to Know
Most families wait longer than they should to start investing. They think they need to understand everything first, or save a huge amount. But here's what we've learned after working with hundreds of Canadian families since 2018.
You don't need to be an expert. You need to understand three things: what you're saving for, when you'll need it, and how comfortable you are with market ups and downs. That's it for week one.
The Abernathy family from Mississauga started with just basic questions in early 2024. They had two kids under five and kept hearing they should "invest" but had no idea where to begin. We spent our first meeting just talking about their actual life. Turns out they wanted to help with university costs and maybe retire before 70.
Once we knew that, the investment approach became obvious. No fancy products. No confusing jargon. Just a straightforward plan that matched their timeline and comfort level.
What Families Ask Most
- How much should we actually be saving each month?
- What happens if we need the money earlier than planned?
- How do we balance paying down debt with investing?
- Should we focus on RESPs, RRSPs, or TFSAs first?
- What if the market drops right after we invest?
- Can we really do this without a finance background?
The Honest Answers
There's no magic number for monthly savings. It depends on your income, your goals, and what's actually sustainable for your family. We've seen people build solid futures starting with $200 monthly. Others wait until they can invest $2,000 and never start.
Life happens. That's why we build flexibility into every plan. If you need money for an emergency, you can access it. The key is having different buckets for different timelines.
Debt and investing aren't opposites. Sometimes you do both. High-interest credit card debt? Pay that first. Mortgage at 3%? Maybe you invest while paying that down normally. It's not one-size-fits-all.
RESPs, RRSPs, TFSAs – these are just tools. The right one depends on your situation. Government matching through RESPs is hard to beat if you have kids. But if retirement is your main worry, RRSPs might make more sense. We figure this out together based on your actual life, not textbook examples.
Real Talk About Family Money
Stellan Vidarsson has been helping Toronto families since 2016. Before that, he was asking the same questions you are. He gets why this stuff feels complicated, because it felt that way to him too when he started.
The most common question he hears? "Are we doing this right?" And his answer is always the same: if you're thinking about your family's future and taking steps toward it, you're already doing better than most.
"I've never met a family who regretted starting to invest. But I've met dozens who wished they'd started earlier. The best time was five years ago. The second best time is now."
From Families Like Yours
We spent two years "meaning to" start investing. Always felt like we needed to know more first. Then we realized we were just making excuses because it felt intimidating. Once we actually sat down and talked through our questions, it clicked. We started in March 2025, and honestly wish we'd done it in 2023 when we first thought about it.
Still Have Questions?
That's completely normal. Money decisions shouldn't be rushed. Let's talk through what's specific to your family. No pressure, no sales pitch – just honest conversation about what makes sense for you.
Get Your Questions Answered