Every question we get asked, answered in plain English

Zenith Advisory Inc. is a financial planning firm that works with professionals, incorporated business owners and families across Canada, with a particular focus on clients who built their careers after arriving in Canada. The firm is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and meets clients in person or by video.

Zenith Advisory Inc. is at Unit 301, 39 23rd Street East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7K 0H6. Clients outside Saskatoon meet by video. The office phone is 1 (800) 647-8656.

Yes. Zenith Advisory represents several of Canada's major financial institutions rather than one, so its advisors can recommend what fits each client.

Yes. Each advisor holds the licences required in the provinces they serve. Reynolds Edokpayi is licensed in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario.

No. Zenith Advisory is a financial planning firm. A plan covers where your money goes, how to pay less tax, retirement, your children's education, your business if you have one, and your estate. Protection is one part of it, used only where the plan needs it.

Zenith Advisory does not charge clients out-of-pocket fees for planning, reviews or advice. When a financial strategy is put in place, the firm is compensated by the financial institution it is placed with. This is explained before a client decides anything.

The first call is a free 30-minute conversation about your goals, your current situation and where the biggest opportunities are. No preparation is needed and there is no obligation. It ends with clear next steps.

No. Bring your questions. If you have a recent pay stub, a mortgage statement or your corporation's last financial statements, they help, but they aren't required.

Yes. For incorporated clients the firm works alongside the accountant and lawyer so the tax plan, legal structure and financial plan fit together.

No. Many people leave the first call with a clear list of what to do and come back when they're ready. There is no obligation and no follow-up pressure.

A common starting point is 10 to 15 times your annual income, but the real number comes from adding up what your family would need: the mortgage and debts, income to replace for the years your children are dependent, education costs, and final expenses, minus what you already have in savings and group coverage. Zenith Advisory works this out with you at no cost.

Usually not on its own. Group plans typically pay one or two times your salary, end when you leave the job, and can't be increased. Most families with a mortgage and children need more, and need it to follow them between jobs.

Disability insurance replaces part of your monthly income if you can't work because of illness or injury. Critical illness insurance pays a one-time lump sum if you're diagnosed with a covered condition such as cancer, heart attack or stroke, whether or not you can still work. Many families hold both.

Yes. Permanent residents can apply right away. Many insurers also accept work-permit holders, often after a short period in Canada. Rules differ between companies, which is one reason to compare several.

No. The review and the comparison are free. If you decide to put coverage in place, the insurer pays us; you never receive a bill from Zenith Advisory.

No. Someone who starts at 40 and saves consistently for 25 years can still build a substantial retirement fund, especially if they use the right accounts in the right order and, if incorporated, use the corporation or an Individual Pension Plan. The cost of a late start is that you need to save a higher percentage of income than someone who started at 25. Zenith Advisory shows you that percentage for your own numbers.

As a rule of thumb: if your income today is higher than you expect it to be in retirement, the RRSP deduction is worth more and usually comes first. If your income is modest now or you may need the money before retirement, the TFSA often comes first. Many people use both. The 2026 TFSA limit is $7,000 per year, and unused room carries forward.

Yes. Incorporated professionals and business owners can leave money in the corporation to invest at the lower corporate rate, and can set up an Individual Pension Plan, which allows larger deductible contributions than an RRSP after about age 40. Both need to be coordinated with your accountant.

It depends on what you spend, not on a universal number. A common planning estimate is that you'll need roughly 70% of your pre-retirement income each year, with CPP and OAS covering part of it. Zenith Advisory works out your own figure from your actual expenses.

It's an arrangement where you convert part of your savings into a monthly payment that continues for as long as you live, no matter what markets do. It can be used alongside other investments to cover essential expenses. Whether it fits depends on your age, health and other income.

A Registered Education Savings Plan is an account for a child's post-secondary education. Growth inside it is not taxed while it stays in the plan. The federal government adds the Canada Education Savings Grant: 20% of what you contribute, up to $500 per child per year, to a lifetime maximum of $7,200. Lower-income families may receive extra grant money, and some provinces add their own.

$2,500 a year collects the full $500 federal grant. If you can't do that, any amount still earns the 20% match. If you've missed years, you can catch up one extra year's grant at a time by contributing $5,000 in a year.

The RESP can stay open for up to 36 years, so your child can change their mind. It covers college, trade school and apprenticeships, not only university. If it's never used, your contributions come back to you tax-free; the grant goes back to the government and the growth can usually move into your RRSP if you have room.

Yes. Anyone can contribute to a child's RESP, though the grant limits apply per child, not per contributor. Grandparents can also open their own plan for a grandchild.

Salary is deductible to the corporation, builds RRSP room and CPP, but costs CPP contributions. Dividends don't build RRSP room or CPP, but can be simpler and sometimes lower-tax depending on your province and income. Most owners end up with a mix, worked out each year with their accountant. Zenith Advisory coordinates this with the rest of your plan.

Passive investment income (interest, dividends, capital gains) inside a corporation is taxed at a high rate initially, with part refunded when you pay dividends out. Separately, if passive income exceeds $50,000 in a year, your small business deduction limit shrinks by $5 for every $1 over, disappearing entirely at $150,000. Planning around this rule is one of the main things we do for incorporated clients.

If the business would struggle to survive the death or disability of you or a partner, yes. Key-person coverage gives the company cash to recover. A funded buy-sell agreement gives the surviving owner the money to buy the deceased partner's share from their family. Both can usually be owned and paid by the corporation.

Through a combination of dividends, winding down the corporation gradually, an Individual Pension Plan, and in some cases corporately owned insurance that creates a tax-free capital dividend. The right order depends on how much is inside, your other income and your estate goals.

Yes, always. Your accountant handles the tax filing and the corporate structure; we handle the planning, protection and investments. The two have to fit together, so we talk to each other.

In this order: get a SIN and a bank account; protect anyone who depends on your income with life and disability coverage; open a TFSA (any Canadian resident 18 or over can contribute, currently $7,000 a year); then, as you earn Canadian income, use the RRSP room it creates. If you have children, open an RESP to collect the government grant. Zenith Advisory walks newcomers through this at no cost.

Permanent residents can apply right away. Many insurers also accept work-permit holders, sometimes after a short waiting period in Canada. Rules vary between insurance companies, which is why we compare several.

An RRSP gives you a tax deduction now and taxes the money when you withdraw it in retirement; your room comes from Canadian earned income. A TFSA gives no deduction, but growth and withdrawals are never taxed; everyone 18 and over gets the same room ($7,000 in 2026) regardless of income. New arrivals often have little RRSP room, so the TFSA frequently comes first.

For a super visa, yes: at least $100,000 of emergency medical coverage valid for one year from entry, from an approved insurer, and you must show proof with the application. For a regular visitor visa it's not required but strongly recommended, since visitors aren't covered by provincial health care.

No. We meet most newcomer clients by video across Canada. If you're in Saskatoon, you're welcome at our downtown office.