The Financial Dream Solutions team
KELOWNA – Planning for the future is what Financial Dream Solutions Inc. (FDS) is all about.
“We focus on corporate, estate and inter-generational planning,” says Neil MacDonald, CEO of FDS, one of Sun Life’s premier holistic financial planning firms in Canada.
Wayne Henrikson, founder of FDS also founded Financial Dream Benefits Inc. (FDBI- a brokerage firm) to ensure selection, succession & continuity for all clients.
FDS was one of the earlier multi advisor corporations (30+ years ago) formed under the Sun Life umbrella, and FDS now has offices & teams in four BC cities. The company was set up with a desire to make an even more significant and lasting difference for individuals and businesses through total holistic planning.
“This was revolutionary for the financial world 30 years ago and was 20-plus years ahead of its time,” states the founder. The foundations of FDS started in 1992, and remains one of the longest operating Sun Life multi advisor groups. All of our businesses were founded on and continue with three fundamental values and principles: professionalism, integrity and care.”
Carmine Maddalena joined FDS as a partner in 2010 and continues to oversee the Osoyoos office. MacDonald, who became a partner in 2019, splits his time between their Kelowna and Penticton locations.
All three work extensively with business owners.
“We pride ourselves on our flexibility in being able to accommodate everyone’s planning needs, but our biggest strengths are in the fields of corporate and estate planning,” they state, adding they offer specialized products and strategies to help companies and business owners.
“We find tax-efficient means to further grow clients corporate wealth, and provide tax-efficient flows of capital out of their corps and holding companies in retirement,” MacDonald adds. “The goal is to help pass their corporate assets to their loved ones with much more tax efficiency than traditional routes.”
FDS uses a unique combination of products, strategies and close collaboration with a client’s other professional partners like accountants and lawyers as they plan and deliver.
“We create a plan that is tailored to the individual client, their business and their goals,” all three parties note. ”This uncommon approach allows us to thrive and grow in this rather niche market.”
MacDonald wears two hats with the firm.
“On an advisor level, I continue to specialize primarily with corporate planning and planning for business owners,” he explains. “From the CEO level, I now help guide the direction of FDS and it’s growth, while ensuring our clients continue to receive the highest level of professionalism, integrity, and care they’ve come to expect from our firm.”
The FDS team continues to expand as the company grows, year over year.
“With the evolution in our planning and service model, as well as our elevated commitment to the financial well-being of our clients, we’ve dramatically bolstered up our advisory and administration team to provide continual top-tier care to all of our clients, while leaving room for further growth,” MacDonald points out.
FDS offers life, health, wealth management and financial/estate planning. FDBI offers group benefits, group RRSP, along with business/succession, and tax planning resources.
“What started as one financial planner and one staff became FDS/FDBI, which now has four offices in central B.C. and is licensed in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. All of this growth was based on referrals from happy clients.”
By Mark MacDonald