Our Approach
Nicola Wealth’s values and philosophy are the cornerstones of our approach to integrated wealth management.
John Nicola, Chairman & CEOAdd a little bit of improvement every year to what you've built as a base - with solid foundations and the right principles, the compound effect is amazing
Values
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Trust & Transparency
Our fee-based services are designed with our client's best interests in mind.
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Investing Beside You
Nicola Wealth invests alongside our clients in all the investment opportunities we recommend.
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Communication & Reporting
Your advisor is always available, ready to help and keep you informed.
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Innovation & Performance
The desire to constantly improve and seek new opportunities for our clients is ingrained in our culture.
Our Fiduciary Duty
At Nicola Wealth Management, we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standard of a fiduciary – one who is entrusted to manage and protect our clients’ investments and best interests.
We place our clients’ interests above our own, dealing fairly, honestly, and in good faith. Our advisors are bound to it through the CIM and CFA designation codes of conduct and our firm adheres to it as part of the B.C. Securities Act.
When all is said and done, however, it goes beyond any legal or moral obligation – it’s simply the right thing to do.
Investment Philosophy
We moved beyond the traditional approach by taking into account all aspects of your financial picture and examining how they work together to reduce tax and increase investment returns.
Responsible Investing
In building well-diversified, cash-flowing portfolios, we maintain a high standard, focusing on high-quality, well-run companies.
As a signatory of the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), Nicola Wealth uses environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) principles as part of our investment analysis and decision-making process as a way to identify factors that may impact an investment’s ability to perform for our clients.
Beyond Stocks and Bonds
Our institutional approach to investing offers a broad range of diversified investments that generate stable cash flow with less volatility than a typical "stocks and bonds" portfolio.
Cash Flow Investing
Our investment philosophy doesn’t rely solely on price appreciation. Cash flow investing delivers accelerated wealth building while assuring flexibility to rebalance, protection from market volatility, and peace of mind that you’re earning a sustainable income.
Broad Asset Allocation
Typical asset allocation is often defined as a portfolio with 60% in equities and 40% in bonds, and further diversified by industry, sector or geography. In our view, however, most investors are not truly diversified with this typical model. Our broader approach includes investment-grade hard asset real estate, private equity, private debt, commercial mortgages, and other alternative strategies.
NWM Asset Allocation Mix (Balanced Portfolio)
Click the links below to open a detailed PDF about that individual asset. PDFs will open in a new window.
Integrated Planning
Proper wealth planning begins with understanding your current situation, identifying your goals and objectives, and developing a road map for the future to be revisited regularly and adjusted as needed.
Step 1
Create the Profile
- Net Worth
- Current Situation
- Goals & Objectives
- Income Needs
- Financial Structure
(personal, family, corporate, etc.)
Step 2
Craft the Plan
- Retirement Planning
- Tax Planning
- Investment Management
- Insurance Planning
- Business Planning
- Charitable Giving
- Estate Planning
Step 3
Implement, Review, Adjust
- Implement Strategies
- Measure & Monitor
- Make Necessary Adjustments
Performance and Reporting
Our unique suite of consolidated reports and statements offers the transparency and detail that are integral to helping clients understand their financial performance.
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Portfolio Statements
Does your current statement distinguish between deposits and actual investment return?
Our quarterly report features easy-to-understand performance summaries and consolidated rate of return figures, net of fees.
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Cash Flow Statements
Do you receive reports that explain how much cash is generated by your portfolio after all fees?
A detailed account of the income being produced by your investment portfolio, both historically and projected.
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Fiscal Report Statements
Do you receive reporting detailed enough to assist your accountant with tax filing?
A unique-to-the-industry fiscal report designed to facilitate efficient tax reporting for you and your accountant.
Fee-Based Compensation
As a fee-based private wealth management firm, the value we offer entails more than just investment advice. Our advice is a result of deep relationships, holistic planning, and our commitment to a high level of service. We focus on providing a superior wealth management experience by creating a sophisticated plan that brings all the disparate parts of your financial life together.
Investment Management Fees
We offer completely fee-based accounts using the following schedule:
Assets Under $20 million
- 1.25% on the first $1-million
- 1.00% on the next $1-million
- 0.75% on the next $2-million
- 0.50% on amounts over $4-million
Assets Over $20 million
- On the first $20 million 0.50%
- On the next $20 million 0.45%
- On the next $20 million 0.40%
- Balance above $60 million 0.35%
In addition to the administrative fee paid by each Nicola Wealth fund to cover fund operating expenses, the funds also pay the fund manager a management fee. Our LP’s pay all operating expenses directly, and pay the manager a fee. The general partner and manager of SPIRE LP / US LP / Value Add are owned in part by Nicola Wealth, which receives income from these holdings.
We receive industry-mandated compensation from insurance carriers when implementing risk management strategies. Financial planning services are not available in Quebec.