Alumni Information Series: The Basics of Investing and Insurance
As technology has made accessing parts of the financial markets easier, understanding how to navigate the different platforms and risks is important.
The Basics of Investing and Insurance will be the first of a three-part series offered through the St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) Alumni Association’s virtual Alumni Information Series. On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Chris Smith ’06 will join host, Matt Montemurro ’05 to discuss different aspects of investing and some basics of insurance.
“For alumni who are brand new to investing, this will be a great introduction on how to get started. If participants have experience as investors, they may take away new advice from these sessions,” explains Smith. “We’ll be including a question-and-answer period to address additional topics not covered in the presentation.”
Smith brings 10 years of experience working for banks, asset managers, and insurers and now owns his own wealth management business, Smith Financial Solutions. As President and Investment and Insurance Advisor, he focuses on ‘protecting your lifestyle’ through personalized financial planning, investing, and insurance. Prior to his career in investment management, Smith spent three seasons playing in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts. He also holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Applied Economics from Queen’s University.
“Helping people understand their finances is what I do every day. Financial literacy evolves over time, and you must constantly learn things as you get older because things you learned at 25 may no longer matter to you when you’ve been retired for 25 years,” shares Smith. “There are different things to know and learn at every stage and it’s my job to make sure people are comfortable and understand those things and help answer questions as they come up.”
During the first session, Smith will discuss ‘how to get started’. He will explain the types of investment accounts, how they are taxed, investments to choose from, and where to open these accounts.
“Over the years I have benefitted from the St. Mike’s community,” says Smith, who recently reconnected with the Alumni Association. “I am at a stage of my career where I am able to start giving back and I feel like it’s important to do so.”
