James McStay - IG Wealth Management

Grateful to call this beautiful country home. Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦

Proud to be sponsoring a hole today at the RE/MAX IWK Golf Tournament in support of IWK Health. ⛳

A big part of wealth management is helping people think about the impact they want to have on their families, their communities, and the causes they care about.

Events like this are a great reminder that some of the most meaningful investments don't show up on a statement.

Looking forward to a great day on the course supporting an organization that makes a real difference for children, youth, and families across Atlantic Canada.

How Increasing Life Expectancy Is Shaping Modern Retirement Planning People are living longer nowadays. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average life expectancy at birth in 2024 was 76.5 years for males, 81.4 years for females, and 79 years for both sexes. But these averages don’t tell the whole story. Medical advances mean mor...

Ok, Im jumping on the Pickleball bandwagon! This past weekend, I had the opportunity to be part of the Nova Scotia Pickleball Championships as a sponsor and representative of IG Wealth Management, proud title sponsor of Pickleball Canada.

For those who know me, sports have always been a huge part of my life, so being able to combine my work with something I genuinely enjoy was pretty special. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports for a reason. The energy, competition, and sense of community around it are amazing to see firsthand.

It was great meeting so many people throughout the weekend and supporting such a fun and active community here in Nova Scotia.

See you on the courts!

Canada’s 2026 Spring Economic Update came out, and I read it so you don’t have to. Here are the highlights:
• Deficit is about $67B… still high, just not as high as expected
• Economy is expected to grow around 1% this year
• Continued heavy spending on housing and infrastructure
• CPP contributions expected to drop slightly starting in 2027
• A new government-backed investment fund to invest in Canadian companies and projects
That last one is interesting.
It’s essentially a step toward a sovereign-style wealth fund, where the government is taking a more active role in investing alongside private capital. Something to keep an eye on over time.
My take…
Not much has really changed.
We’re still running meaningful deficits, still relying on strong revenues to improve the optics, and still dealing with the same core issues like productivity and affordability.
From a planning perspective, this is the kind of environment where having a clear strategy matters. Policy is playing a bigger role in markets than it used to.

For more details on the update --> https://www.ig.ca/en/insights/2026-spring-economic-update

Sending best wishes for a joyful Easter filled with peace, gratitude and time spent with loved ones as we welcome a new spring season.

Had the chance to attend the Halifax Chamber of Commerce event last week in Halifax, and hear from Prime Minister Mark Carney.

There was a lot covered, including housing, defence, and the broader economic outlook. What stood out most to me was the continued focus on long-term investment and stability.
These big picture conversations matter because they eventually show up in the decisions individuals and business owners are making every day.

For many of the people I work with, the question is not just what is happening in the markets and economy, rather, "what does this actually mean for me?"

Always valuable to take a step back, listen, and connect the dots.

For a lot of folks, tax season can be stressful...the last‑minute scramble is never fun. But it doesn’t need to be this way.

Some of the most effective tax strategies aren’t “tax season” strategies at all… they’re year‑round ones. A little planning throughout the year can take a lot of pressure off tax time and help you keep more of what you earn.

Here are a few good strategies that can help you year-round.

54%

Thats Nova Scotia's Top Combined Income Tax Rate!
One of the highest in North America.
Guys, 54%...
That's A LOT of money to pay in taxes...

I figured now would be a good time to remind folks that the RRSP deadline is March 2nd ⏰️

An RRSP contribution reduces the amount of tax you pay now, plus you get to save for retirement.
At 54%, for every $1,000 in RRSP contributions made = Up to $540 in taxes saved.

Pretty solid return on investment if you ask me...

Timing matters. Strategy matters.
Having the right Advisor matters.

TFSA vs. RRSP 🤔

I probably get this question every week, and it seems to be the debate every Canadian eventually has with themselves.

This FP article does a great job showing how the “right” answer changes from Gen Z → Millennials → Gen X → Boomers.

Two Tax Advantageous Accounts.
Different tax brackets.
Different life stages.
Different outcomes.

Proof that it’s never one-size-fits-all.. it depends on your situation.

Worth the read 👇

https://tinybfs.com/t/IfWWKa