Meagan Balaneski, portfolio manager and investment advisor at Aligned Capital Partners Inc. in Vermilion, Alta.Dragon Hare Studios/Supplied
A client in his 50s earns a lucrative paycheque overseas, but he’s exhausted and considering retirement. His wife is 18 years younger and wants to keep working. Like many who contemplate retiring, he’s worried about outliving his money.
That’s the client case study Meagan Balaneski, portfolio manager and investment advisor at Aligned Capital Partners Inc. in Vermilion, Alta., submitted for the FPAC 2025 Financial Planning Award.
Presented by the Financial Planning Association of Canada (FPAC) in partnership with the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners (IAFP), the award recognizes client-focused advice, innovation and technical expertise in financial planning. Ms. Balaneski is the inaugural recipient.
She says the financial plan for which she was recognized still has an impact on her. Too often, advisors falsely believe that once clients see the numbers showing they’re financially secure, they’ll be happy and their worries will disappear.
Ms. Balaneski considered three solutions for the overworked client – grind away at the job for a few more years; retire now; or find a hobby to pursue as a second career – and explored each option in depth. She wanted the client to understand what those solutions would look like from a financial and happiness point of view.
In the end, the client chose the “find your hobby” solution. He loved restoring and maintaining fancy cars, so he decided to pursue an opportunity in that field.
“He still makes a good wage – not what he was making before, but enough to meet his needs,” Ms. Balaneski says. “More importantly, he’s more driven and excited about life.”
She stresses that “financial planning isn’t just software engineered to produce outcomes. The real key was recognizing who he is as he lives through these different possible solutions.”
The award was created to showcase financial planning at its best, says Ngoc Day, financial planner and portfolio manager at Macdonald Shymko & Co. Ltd. in Vancouver. Ms. Day was on the judging panel.
“We want the public to know that financial planning is a fulsome process that moves the clients from where they are today to where they want to be 10, 20, 30 years from now,” she says.
Entries were open to financial planners who hold the certified financial planner, registered financial planner, or qualified associate financial planner designations.
Financial planners submitted a client case they felt best represented the role of financial planning. The cases and identifying details about the financial planner and clients were redacted to protect privacy and prevent judging bias.
‘A serendipitous start’
Ms. Balaneski, 39, had what she calls a “serendipitous start” in the industry. At age 20, she moved with her now husband to Fort St. John, B.C. and needed a job. Not sure what type of employment to pursue, she entered a “beautiful green building” on a whim. The digs, home of Brad Brain Financial Planning Inc., struck her fancy, and she asked Mr. Brain for a position.
It turned out he needed a new administrator.
“It ended up being a fantastic working relationship,” she says.
“Brad presented the industry well. It was not the sales pressure culture you might have from some streams of entry. It was about doing what’s right for clients and helping them find tools to implement their best selves.”
Four years later, Ms. Balaneski moved back to Alberta with visions of working for a local advisor similar to Mr. Brain. She cold-called one who didn’t need an assistant – the advisor wanted someone to buy her book of 500 clients, and quickly, due to a family situation.
Ms. Balaneski once again was in the right place at the right time. Most of the clients were seniors who were tired of changing advisors because of their advisors retiring. They appreciated a young, fresh face and access to comprehensive financial planning and estate planning strategies.
So, she went to work, racking up designations, including the registered financial planner, chartered investment manager, and trusts and estate practitioner. In 2013, she achieved the highest mark on the certified financial planner exam.
Ms. Balaneski and another advisor moved together to Aligned from Manulife Securities Investment Services Inc. in 2021. Earlier this year, they merged their books and they now manage approximately 1,000 clients, some basic accounts, and others more advanced.
She will receive her award on Sept. 24 at the IAFP Symposium in Nanaimo, B.C. The prize includes registration for the annual conference, as well as airfare and accommodation.
Globe Advisor was the media sponsor of the awards.