Our Team
Rob Abboud, B. Econ, CFP®, CIM®, PFP
I began my career in financial services in 1991, right out of university, with a great head of hair. I went straight to work at one of the big banks. After 5 soul-sucking and hair thinning years at the bank, I decided enough was enough, it was important to do what was right for the client, not just the bank. Also I wanted to create a fun and positive workplace. So in 1996, I founded Wealth Strategies, Investment and Financial Planning. One of the key tenants at Wealth Strategies was to do the opposite of my experience at the bank. So I made sure nobody at Wealth Strategies had any sales targets to hit. “Always do what is best for the client.” Another key tenant is that we treat clients as we would want to be treated and we must always be aligned with clients interests. With that in mind, everyone who works at Wealth Strategies invests in the same investments as our clients. As a pioneer in Life Goals Planning, I have been active in shaping financial and life goals plans for Canadians. I authored one of the first books on the topic, “No Regrets, A Common Sense Guide to Achieving and Affording Your Life Goals,” and have frequently appeared as a financial expert on various Canadian media platforms. I believe in striking a balance between work and life. Travel and family time are my personal passions, and though I have no plans to retire – I love what I do too much – I make time to recharge by traveling each year, especially during the summer. But don’t worry, our dedicated team at Wealth Strategies is always available to take care of your needs, even when I’m away. I primarily partner with households with investable assets exceeding $1,000,000. My USA Experience Having gone through the process of applying for a green card and learning about all the steps needed before officially becoming a nonresident of Canada, I hired legal and tax experts to walk me through the process. The experience of actually doing it taught me countless strategies to help other Canadians who will be making the move down south. There are many tax benefits of moving down south and some important steps to be taken before doing so. Being dual licensed I am able to walk you through the process and assist with managing your investments that remain in Canada and setting up and managing your new investment accounts in the US. Also my unique situation of owning a CCPC allowed me to learn about strategies to minimize or defer the departure tax requirement on my CCPC. It may seem scary at first, but it is fantastic, and the tax savings can be incredible. Feel free to contact me to learn more about how I can help.
Stephane Morghese, CFP®, CIM®
Years back my dad met with Rob for his bi-annual Wealth Strategies review meeting and came home recounting how much he loved his job helping people achieve their life goals using a holistic approach to financial planning. He also said that he could see himself working until he was 80! I remember the impact on me at the time as a young man considering his career options and wanting just that…to work at a job that I would enjoy. After some consideration, I arranged to meet up with Rob to get more perspective on what it meant exactly to be a financial planner and what may be on the road to becoming one. This led me to take the well-respected Business Administration Program at Algonquin where I had the opportunity to discover all facets of business where it became very clear to me how much of a passion I had for the world of finance, choosing it as my major after my first finance course. In conjunction with that, to gain some real-world industry experience, I started working at Alterna Savings Credit Union where I took pride in helping simplify people’s understanding of their financial needs and the options available to them including the fundamentals of registered products and government programs. Over a period of 5 years, I progressed from teller to level 1 banker, then on to level 2 where I was exposed to many areas of banking including mutual funds, mortgages, credit lines and GIC investments. Though the practical experience I gained from serving a roster of over 500 clients was invaluable, the focus of banks is ultimately on selling and not necessarily taking the time finding the best solutions for the client, which was my ultimate goal. Fast forward almost a decade after our first meeting, I enjoy my job helping clients achieve their financial and life goals as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) at Wealth Strategies. My USA Experience Having visited the USA frequently, spending time with Rob in his LA home and having learnt from his experience, I am passionate about helping clients and showing them the benefits of a US lifestyle.