Blackmont Capital is a full-service firm, allowing me to offer people in our community a very wide range of financial products and services. My objective is to be your most trusted Investment Advisor with best-in-class products and services, and an honest, realistic, and ongoing plan to help you meet your financial objectives.

I believe that careful investment strategies and retirement planning, should be a top priority for individuals and families of all ages and income ranges.

Because many people regard financial planning as complex and confusing, they often miss out on many potentially rewarding financial opportunities. They may also be taking unnecessary risks – unware, or failing to adequately protect their assets.

That's where I can help. I will inform and educate you about the various opportunities available to you, and help take the mystery out of investing by explaining to you in easy to understand terms, such ideas as how to manage risk, prepare for retirement, and preserve your wealth. My goal is to establish a long relationship with you based on trust and mutual respect.

The Investment Process

Step 1: Identify & define your real needs and desires - what do you want to do, and where and how can I help?

• What is really important to you?
• What do you dream about achieving?
• What is your risk tolerance?

Step 2: Design a set of financial blueprints.

• Where are you now?
• Where do you want to be?
• What do you and I need to do to get you there?

Step 3: Confirm and implement your blueprints.

• I work with you - and your family, if desired - to fine tune and implement your financial blueprints.

Step 4: Focus on staying on track

My Strategy

Developing the right strategy for your needs is one of the more difficult aspects of successful investing. I will maintain regular contact with you, provide you with periodic reporting, and use other financial road signs to help you stay committed to your plan during the market's inevitable ups and downs.

I use an asset allocation model made up of four basic categories: cash, fixed income, investment alternatives and equity. I will explain all of this to you and help guide you in choosing how much to put into each category.

 
Fixed Income

In order to be included in fixed income, an investment must have a maturity date, a maturity amount and a stated interest rate to be earned over that period. In general, we recommend only investing in government guaranteed fixed income investments. This eliminates the "company" risk from the fixed income investment and provides an even better guarantee.

There are a few key concepts that an investor must realize in fixed income investing. Bond prices will fluctuate during the life of the bond. Most bonds are priced daily based on the yield-to-maturity from that date. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. As interest rates fall, bond prices rise. The longer the term-to-maturity the more volatility will be experienced in the price of a bond. As a bond approaches maturity the volatility will become reduced.
Interest rates are cyclical and the cycle can be broken down into four areas:

1. Rates are rising.
2. Rates are peaking and beginning to fall.
3. Rates are falling.
4. Rates are bottoming out and beginning to rise.

You will always "ladder" a bond portfolio (have a number of different maturities). Depending on where best estimates place us in the cycle you will buy longer or shorter term-to-maturity investments, that is, you will move up or down the ladder.

 
Investment Alternatives

I breakdown this category into three sections:

1. Hedge Funds.
2. Specialty Income.
3. Disciplined Leadership Managed Accounts

Hedge Funds are investments that have little or no correlation to fixed income or equity investments. They are normally quite complex and require a lot of extra due diligence and monitoring.

Specialty income includes a number of investment vehicles including income trusts, REITS, preferred shares and other structured products. In the market today there are a large number of investments that are not fixed income investments but that provide an income or cash flow. Because they provide no guaranteed maturity date they cannot be considered fixed income investments.

Disciplined Leadership Funds are available to customers of Blackmont Capital Inc. The Funds provide for full-time professional money management. You do not have to become involved in on-going or daily investment decisions, beyond making the first investment in the fund. The fund primarily invests in trusts and equities. Funds would be selected in accordance with your investment objectives and risk parameters.

 
Equity - Securities

Most everything else is considered equity (stocks). This category is further broken down by region (Canada , US or International) and style (value, growth or the ubiquitous GARP - buying Growth stocks, but only at a reasonable price).

When looking at investments it is important to know what you are investing in. If you buy a stock you want to know the management of the company, the suppliers, the products and the markets that they supply. Also, you should be aware that since stocks tend to fluctuate the most of any investment, and often for little apparent reason, investors in this area should ensure they are comfortable with accepting a higher risk and volatility level.