Your Money’s Worth

The Essential Guide to Financial Advice for Canadians

“Wise advice—custom tailored for Canadians—all investors will appreciate.”
—Charles D. Ellis, Author of Index Revolution and Winning the Loser’s Game

What will your retirement taste like—cat food or steak? Good advice can make all the difference!

Your Money’s Worth: The Essential Guide to Financial Advice for Canadians not only covers must-know concepts in the areas of investing, insurance, and retirement and estate planning, it also unveils the seemingly bewildering structure of the financial advice industry in Canada.

One of the few books written by a financial advisor who has experience working with both institutional and individual investors, Your Money’s Worth is a critical read whether you’re searching for a financial advisor, you already work with one, or you are managing your financial affairs on your own. It provides practical tools to determine whether you need financial advice, how to the right advisor to meet your unique needs, and evaluate your ongoing relationship with your advisor.

Having worked with both individual and large institutional investors throughout North America, Kassam uses real-life examples to bring all aspects of personal finance together in one digestible read, including insight and tips to:

• Assess which type of financial advisor is right for you and your family;
• Understand advisor responsibilities – and yours;
• Learn about available investment products and their unique characteristics;
• Discover investment strategies used by the professionals;
• Reduce investment risks;
• Prepare for your future with insurance and estate planning.

Your Money’s Worth is a must-read guide to getting your financial house in order—and keeping it that way.

Shamez Kassam, MBA, CFA, is a 2004 graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business in New York City, where he majored in finance and economics. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the CFA Institute. Shamez firmly believes that all investors can be successful by following key principles, managing their emotions, and avoiding big mistakes. He is passionate about improving the financial literacy of Canadians, with a focus on improving financial education in the Canadian school system.  Shamez is a financial advisor and licensed to provide investment advice in Canada and the United States. He lives in Calgary with his wife and 4 year old son.

Advance praise for Your Money's Worth:

"More than ever, consumers need to be careful about who they get financial advice from. The industry is a patchwork of designations, licenses and specialties that are often clouded by misleading titles and potentially conflicted motives. Your Money’s Worth is essential reading for those who seek financial empowerment."
—John De Goey, advisor and author of the Professional Advisor IV

“Your Money's Worth is a must read for all Canadians. It provides a clear and comprehensive guide to understanding the financial landscape in Canada. Whether you're a DIY investor or use a financial advisor, this book teaches people to become more knowledge about their financial future and ensure that they have the tools to be prepared for retirement.”
—Anil Tahiliani, CFA, private investor and former Head of Research at McLean & Partners Wealth Management Ltd

“Your Money's Worth is a book that everyone can read to immediately improve their financial literacy. Shamez Kassam has provided a ‘road map’ that all Canadians can consult to learn their options when it comes to securing their financial future and determining what financial advice they need. Anyone looking for the road to prosperity for their personal and family’s financial needs will want to find their place on the map and then consider the possible routes the author points to.”
—Hon. Kevin Sorenson, former Canadian Minister of State (Finance)

“Everyone who reads Your Money's Worth will be immediately struck by the passion of its author, Shamez Kassam. If you truly desire to understand how to master your personal finances, Your Money's Worth is an urgent must read.”
—Tom Deans Ph.D., author of The New York Times Top-Ten Books Every Family's Business and Willing Wisdom

“A wonderful guide for any Canadian considering investment or insurance product to protect their family’s financial health. Your Money’s Worth provides an easy read on what to look for in everything from an advisor to different types of investments, insurance products, and estate planning. The price of the book would be your first great investment.”
—Karim Manji, former Managing Director, Goldman Sachs.

“As a finance professor at the business schools of Harvard, Columbia and MIT my goal in teaching is always to distil complicated concepts into information that is both easy to understand and interesting to learn. My friend and former student, Shamez Kassam, has accomplished that goal in his new book on financial advisors, investing, insurance and estate planning. The more people who take the time to read this book, the more people who will be on better financial footings!”
—Matthew Rhodes-Kropf, Associate Professor of Finance, MIT Sloan School of Management

"Shamez Kassam has written a book that speaks to all of us. Your Money's Worth takes us on a journey of financial literacy. Kassam’s style is clear and concise when dealing with the financial industry, investment vehicles and insurance options. He points out that "the hallmark of a great advisor is his or her ability to ask the right questions.” Well, in Your Money's Worth Kassam gives the right answers.”
—Martin Parnell, professional speaker, author and five-times Guinness World Record Holder.

"This book is a must have and must read for every investor—young and old. It is comprehensive, with practical advice for every stage of life. It is especially important for millennials, who have received little education on managing their finances, planning for the future and saving.”
—Tania Willumsen, corporate director and past director of The Canadian Foundation for Advancement of Investor Rights (FAIR Canada) and the Association of Pension Fund Management, and a 40-year veteran in the investment industry

“As a single woman who has always had to manage my own financial affairs, I am always looking for the best possible advice. This book is such a resource. From the novice to the pro, there is something in it for everyone. Shamez has taken a complex subject and made it simple. Written in plain words with lots of resources, this is a “must read”. In fact, buy a few copies for your friends and families—you, and they, will not be disappointed.”
—Irene E. Pfeiffer, C.M. (Order of Canada)

“As both a student of, and a participant in, the Canadian financial markets, it is refreshing to see such a comprehensive look at the choices and challenges Canadians are confronted with.  Your Money’s Worth provides truly valuable insights into why advice matters.”
— Barry H. Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer, First Asset, a CI Financial Company