MIKE ARMSTRONG, CURTIS KIMPTON & KENDALL KOVITCH, Wealth Advisors, Wellington-Altus Private Wealth
CURTIS KIMPTON, Senior Wealth Advisor
MIKE ARMSTRONG, Senior Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager
KENDALL KOVITCH Senior Investment Advisor
Family Legacy Advisory Group with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth
"Reliability is priority one"
Mike Armstrong, Curtis Kimpton & Kendall Kovitch at Family Legacy Advisory Group with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, know that there is no secret to being one of the best wealth advisory teams in Canada: it begins and ends with client service. The team offers integrated wealth management for families with a specialty in supporting multi-generational family units.
For the team at Family Legacy, it isn’t just about a paycheque, either.
It’s about the client and their needs.
And it shows.
Above and beyond
The business of Family Legacy Advisory Group isn’t always business related. Sometimes, a client just needs a little help.
“Our practice is built on relationships with our clients, not just about the management of their money. Our team was contacted by a client who had recently lost a spouse. There were so many things that needed doing and she was feeling overwhelmed. Our team asked, ‘How can we help?’ We supported our client through the research and installation of a new gas fireplace; researched and sourced a backup generator because the client was now living alone; and even helped connect a mobile phone to a new car. For us, this was a Tuesday. We treat clients like family because they are family. We want them to know that they can lean on us because we’ll always be there.”
As Mike recounted the story, there was a distinct sense of pride, which was also echoed by Curtis and Kendall. While this level of client excellence may not always be the norm, the Family Legacy Group is proud of this being one of their differentiating factors. It’s also why they are so selective when bringing in new team members - their culture of caring is a vital part of their business.
Curtis added that the team feels more than a responsibility for their clients; they feel a duty. “I wrote something the other day that every Canadian has a legacy and every Canadian deserves one. What will yours be? For many clients, it’s investing money in their families. They want future generations to have a better start than they did. For others, it’s a desire to see the world, leaving no stone unturned. Building a roadmap for Canadians to build their legacy is why we do what we do.”
How can we help?
The team at Family Legacy Advisory Group starts with developing a deep understanding of a client’s ‘why’. What are they trying to achieve through their plan? The team has an industry-leading formula for getting to that ‘why’ because without it there can’t be a how or a when.
They call it their “Family Legacy Formula.” It’s more than just check boxes. It’s about making sure no steps are missed.
The team tries to keep their exploratory meetings focused on the important things like ‘what keeps you up at night?’ or ‘if you died tomorrow, what will you leave behind?’
They feel their formula for understanding a client’s motivations and goals is one of the things that sets their team apart.
“Every client is different,” Kendall said. “Therefore, the tools we use, and the plan we develop, will always look different for each client. It goes without saying that we undertake vast amounts of research, complex mapping, and due diligence before providing options to a client. Each plan is unique because each client is unique. But the common denominator between clients is achieving peace of mind. That’s our primary goal. We want to provide them with a plan that empowers them to live their best lives with the resources they have and give them the peace of mind that their detailed plan will support their dreams in the future.”
Family is the focus of the practice because to Mike, Curtis, and Kendall, there’s nothing more important. They’ve all seen changes in their families, and the families of their clients, as their practice has evolved. It gives them a good perspective and reminds them to keep an eye on the future.
They also focus on family because, often, it is a key consideration for many clients’ financial decisions. The team also encourages clients to have frank conversations about money, the future, and what comes next within their families. A significant number of financial stressors come from a lack of knowledge or understanding among family members. Having an open conversation allows everyone to be engaged so that no one is surprised as decisions are made.
It also allows other family members to plan accordingly, which is great because “you can never plan too much.”
Often, the team has built a relationship with one client family, only to expand that relationship to be inclusive of the client’s children and even sometimes their grandchildren, who come in for a discussion about what their financial future could look like. “Clients understand the depths we’ve gone to in serving their loved ones and know we can help them too and we want to serve the entire family tree.”
The team is proud of the impact their family-centric practice has had in supporting their clients, their families and their communities.
More than just investments
Wealth management is more than just investments, it’s about providing custom strategies and solutions that align with a client’s goals. Whether it’s about ensuring an effective estate plan, selecting the right insurance for a growing family, or minimizing tax burden, the team is constantly working to provide the right solutions for each client family. Investments play a part, of course, but it’s just one ingredient in a balanced meal.
Working in partnership with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth has also given the Family Legacy Advisory Group real flexibility in how they plan and work. The team is unconstrained by internal sales targets for a particular product or solution. They can provide the best advice to a client because there aren’t any artificial limits on what they can and can’t provide. They are empowered to go into the market and find the right fit for each client.
When talking about their practice, Mike kept coming back to a crucial element in their team’s vision: “It isn’t about the money. We focus on building positive relationships, first. We already talked about how we view our clients as family and this is where it starts, with that relationship. People look at our industry as being wholly money-driven, but our commitment to relationships is one of our key differentiators. The money is the how, not the why. We know if we build a strong relationship with a client, we’ll retain their business because they’ll be satisfied with our service. Earning money only comes through that positive, reciprocal relationship. If my 26 years in the industry has taught me anything, it’s that.”
Curtis reiterated Mike’s point and added that “we aren’t here to sell them on anything they don’t need. We’re here to counsel them and provide a roadmap toward the future they want.”
Good advice
Family Legacy Advisory Group is focused on providing the most effective advice possible. The team wants clients to understand that they are their staunchest advocate and biggest cheerleader. They are the CFO of the clients’ You Inc.
Their diversity of experience has given them an ability to drive effective solutions for complex challenges.
The team recounted some of the best advice they’ve personally received in their lifetime, that they often share with clients to help build a foundation of success. Kendall’s advice was simple, “spend less than you make. Live below your means. Make sure you have a plan in place should something unexpected occur.”
It’s a simple message that might seem old-fashioned in 2022, but it’s just as true now as it’s always been.
Curtis said, “always be true to yourself and always be there for others. If you do those two things well, the rest will take care of itself.”
Another one of the things that sets Family Legacy Advisory Group apart is its commitment to the community. To Mike, “success requires service. We’ve been fortunate to build a successful business and it’s incumbent on us to share that success with the people around us.”
Gary Milakovic is a veteran writer with more than a decade in the public sector and corporate communications. He has covered a wide spectrum of topics and his work has been featured by large and small organizations across Canada. Gary is passionate about communication, his writing often focuses on uncovering the “story behind the story.”
Family Legacy Advisory Group with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth
410 22 St E #1100 Saskatoon Square
Saskatoon, SK. S7K 5T6
MIKE ARMSTRONG, Senior Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager
639 - 638 - 4158 mike.armstrong@wellington-altus.ca
CURTIS KIMPTON, Senior Wealth Advisor
639 - 638 - 6151 curtis.kimpton@wellington-altus.ca
KENDALL KOVITCH Senior Investment Advisor
639 - 398 - 8430 kendall.kovitch@wellington-altus.ca
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