031 | Tax Refunds, RRSPs, and the Plan Most Canadians Don't Have

037 | The $9,000 Myth: What CPP Really Costs You w/ Aravind Sithamparapillai

If you're an incorporated chiropractor, you've probably heard the pitch from your accountant: pay yourself dividends instead of salary and save roughly $9,000 a year by skipping CPP. But is that actually true? In this episode, Chris and Scott sit down with Aravind Sithamparapillai of Ironwood Wealth Management — a CFP who ranked first nationally on his exam and has done deeper work on Canada Pension Plan than just about anyone in the country — to pull apart the real math behind the salary vs. dividend decision. You'll learn why the true cost of "opting out" of CPP is closer to $5,000–$7,000 than $9,000 once you account for deductions, credits, integration, and the hidden clawback on benefits like the Canada Child Benefit. Aravind also makes the case for why CPP should be treated as a guaranteed, inflation-protected asset class of its own — not a tax — and why its after-tax return is a genuinely tough hurdle to beat, especially as you get older. This one does get technical, but if you own a professional corporation and make the salary-vs-dividend call every year (whether you realize it or not), it's worth the listen. The big takeaway: this is a decision you get to make annually, and getting your accountant and financial planner in the same room is how you make it well. — Guest: Aravind Sithamparapillai — CFP®, CIM®, MBA Financial Planner, Ironwood Wealth Management Group 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/aravind.sith.cfp/ [https://www.instagram.com/aravind.sith.cfp/] 💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sithamparapillai/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sithamparapillai/] ✖️ X → https://x.com/AravindSitham [https://x.com/AravindSitham] ✍️ Substack → https://aravindsithamparapillai.substack.com/ [https://aravindsithamparapillai.substack.com/] Check out some other podcasts that Aravind was a guest! Is Anyone Doing Due Diligence? with Aravind Sithamparapillai | Rational Reminder 386 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyux4pBv4sY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyux4pBv4sY] Aravind Sithamparapillai: Financial Planning Tips from a CFP® Gold Medalist | TWB Podcast #36 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8vgQoHzfEc [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8vgQoHzfEc] - 📊 Take the Financial Clarity Assessment → https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com [https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com] 📸 Follow Scott Campbell on Instagram → www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp [http://www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp] 🌐 Learn more about Align Wealth → www.alignwealth.ca [http://www.alignwealth.ca]

036 | The SpaceX IPO: Why We're Not Buying the Hype

This episode looks at whether buying into a hyped-up IPO is actually a smart move, using the SpaceX public offering as the case study. We break down how a company can carry a trillion-dollar-plus valuation while never having turned a profit, and what that gap between price and reality really tells you. Then we get into the historical data on IPOs, which paints a very different picture than the day-one headlines do. If you've ever felt the pull to line up for a buzzy new stock, this one explains why the math usually works against you and what a calmer approach looks like instead. 📊 Take the Financial Clarity Assessment → https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com [https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com] 📸 Follow Scott Campbell on Instagram → www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp [http://www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp] 🌐 Learn more about Align Wealth → www.alignwealth.ca [http://www.alignwealth.ca]

035 | The Best of Both Worlds: A Smarter Way to Invest (Part 3/3)

In the final episode of our three-part investing series, we get into a third way to build a portfolio, one that sits between traditional active management and pure passive indexing. We unpack the research behind tilting toward value, profitability, and company size, why those factors have historically delivered higher expected returns over the long run, and how Dimensional Fund Advisors turns that philosophy into a real portfolio. We're also honest about the trade-offs: who this approach suits, who it doesn't, and why patience matters more than beating any single benchmark in a given year. If you've ever wondered whether you can do better than simply matching the market, this one's worth your time. 📊 Take the Financial Clarity Assessment → https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com [https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com] 📸 Follow Scott Campbell on Instagram → www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp [http://www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp] 🌐 Learn more about Align Wealth → www.alignwealth.ca [http://www.alignwealth.ca]

034 | Why "Just Buy the Index" Isn't the Whole Story (Part 2/3)

Most Canadians have been told the same thing: ditch active management, buy a passive index fund, and you're done. But "passive" investing is nowhere near as hands-off as it sounds. In this episode, Chris and Scott break down what passive investing actually is, why there are 13 million indexes to choose from, and the surprising number of active decisions you're making the moment you pick a fund. Through real stories about Lululemon's five-year wait to join the S&P 500 and Tesla's strange month-long price run before it was added, they show how index providers and fund managers make choices that can quietly cost you money. If you've ever assumed an ETF automatically means low fees and a smart strategy, this one will change how you think about your portfolio. Listen first before you decide where your money goes. 📊 Take the Financial Clarity Assessment → https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com [https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com] 📸 Follow Scott Campbell on Instagram → www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp [http://www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp] 🌐 Learn more about Align Wealth → www.alignwealth.ca [http://www.alignwealth.ca]

033 | Why 98% of Canadian Mutual Funds Are Losing to the Market (Part 1/3)

Most Canadians have no idea how their money is actually invested — and the stats show that 77% of investor dollars are sitting in actively managed funds at the big banks. In this first episode of a three-part investing mini-series, Scott and Chris break down what active management actually is, why it's still so common in Canada, and what the data says about whether all those highly paid fund managers are actually beating the market. Spoiler: over the last 10 years, less than 2% of Canadian equity mutual funds beat their benchmark. You'll learn how fees quietly eat into your long-term returns (the difference between a 1% and 3% fee on $1M over 30 years is over $2 million), why active funds keep disappearing, and the biases that keep investors chasing past performance. If you're not crystal clear on how you're invested today, this is the place to start. 📊 Take the Financial Clarity Assessment → https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com [https://alignwealth.scoreapp.com] 📸 Follow Scott Campbell on Instagram → www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp [http://www.instagram.com/scottcampbell.fp] 🌐 Learn more about Align Wealth → www.alignwealth.ca [http://www.alignwealth.ca]