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1. [pdf] Daily/Guaranteed Interest Account Application - Registered/Non-Registered
2. [pdf] Shareholder Borrowing Checklist
3. Crunch the numbers with Equitable Life of Canada

    

   Whether helping your client determine net worth or reviewing to see if your client’s retirement plan is on track, Equitable Life^® is here to help with our online calculators. These number crunching tools can help you answer some of those challenging questions you get asked by your clients. From an RSP loan calculator to home budgeting to even figuring out if your client will be a future millionaire, check out our latest tools.

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   Elijah welcomed a new baby to his family and needs to reduce the amount of money he is saving for retirement. Is he still going to be able to retire at age 60 like he planned, or will he need to extend his working years until age 65?
   
   Did you know?
   Investment returns, unexpected expenses and inflation can all affect your retirement savings. Check out Equitable Life’s How Long How Long Will My Retirement Savings Last Calculator.

    

   Share calculators using your Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn account.

    

    ® denotes a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.

4. How to talk to clients about CI when they don’t want to
   Does this sound familiar? 
   
   You’re having a chat with your client about Critical Illness insurance. They suddenly interject: “Critical illness insurance isn’t for me.”
   
   “Why is that?” you ask. 
   
   “Because….
   -  Critical Illness insurance is expensive!
   -  I don’t understand what it covers exactly.
   -  I have money to cover me if I get sick, so I don’t need this.
   -  I’m healthy enough.
   -  It’s not life insurance, so I don’t need it right now. 
   -  I already have disability coverage through my work.”
   
   If you’ve heard any of these responses, and didn’t know how to respond, we can help. 
   
   
   Our Path to Success program covers all these objections and more with simple-to-follow PDFs and videos. You’ll learn conversation strategies and tips on how to navigate the sale. Most importantly, you’ll know exactly what to say the next time a client objects to Critical Illness insurance. 
   
   Want to learn more? Check out our CI Path to Success modules here!
   
   Need CE credits? Take our Path to Success program here. 
5. [pdf] Annuity Settlement Option
6. Easier group enrolment and more group benefits updates

   Make enrolment easier for your clients with online plan member enrolment (OPME)

   Enrolling new plan members can be overwhelming – for both you, your clients and their employees. It’s time-consuming to manually load new members and challenging to ensure they complete the necessary paperwork before the enrolment deadline.
   
   Our Online Plan Member Enrolment (OPME) tool is available at no extra cost for all your Equitable Life clients and offers a more secure and efficient alternative to traditional paper enrolment. Using their computer or mobile device, employees can enrol in their benefits plan in just minutes.
    
   The user-friendly tool allows plan members to easily enter all their enrolment information, including:
   • Dependent details
   • Banking information for direct deposit of claim payments
   • Details for coordination of benefits
   • Beneficiary designation 
   The online enrolment tool can be used by both new groups and existing clients enrolling new plan members. The tool reduces errors and rework that can occur due to spelling mistakes or missing information on paper forms. 
   
   The days of chasing plan members for their paper enrolment forms are gone. Once plan administrators enter a few employee details, our system automatically sends an email to each plan member, inviting them to enrol in their benefits program. And there will be no need for your clients to send reminders or follow up with employees about their benefits enrolment. It’s all done automatically. 

   Support with using OPME

   To learn more about the benefits of using OPME, check out our Online Plan Member Enrolment Flyer. We also encourage you to share more information with your clients:
   • Online Plan Member Enrolment Overview
   • Quick Reference Guide
   We also have helpful reference guides for plan members, to help them use the tool: 
   • Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
   • myFlex Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
   To learn more about accessing OPME, your clients can contact their Equitable Life Client Relationship Specialist or myFlex Benefits Team for support.
   
   Help your clients spend less time administering group benefits. Contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager to learn more about our online plan member enrolment.
    

   Coming soon: A survey to help us serve your clients better*

   We are committed to providing your clients and their plan members with industry-leading service. We’ve introduced several enhancements over the past year to make it easier to do business with us. And we’re continually looking for ways to improve.
    
   This month, we will conduct a survey of your clients to help us understand how we can better serve them. Plan administrators will receive an email with a link to the survey, which will take between five and 10 minutes to complete. 
   
   Please encourage your clients to participate. Their feedback will be confidential, and their responses will help us improve our service and ensure we’re meeting their expectations. We will also allow them to provide their name so that we can follow up with them to address any concerns they’ve identified.
    
   We know your clients’ time is valuable. So, each plan administrator who completes the survey will be entered into a random draw for a chance to win one of 3 prepaid gift cards for $200.
    

   Improved mental assessment features for FeelingBetterNow®*

   Mensante has enhanced its FeelingBetterNow® online platform to make it easier for plan members to assess the state of their mental health and talk to their health care provider about treatment options. FeelingBetterNow is part of our Equitable HealthConnector suite of wellness solutions and is available for an additional cost. It can help plan members easily identify if they are at risk for a number of common mental health issues, including depression, anxiety and substance abuse.  

   Upgrades to the platform include:

   • New features to help plan members better gauge their progress in the assessment.
   • A printable Action Plan that plan members can share with their health care provider to initiate conversations about managing their mental health challenges.
   • A new “follow-up” module to help plan members assess the care they’ve received from their health care provider and identify care gaps.
   • An Assessment Outcome Page, which allows plan members to view their diagnostic risks across mental health disorders for a more holistic picture of their health.
   To learn more about how FeelingBetterNow can help your clients’ plan members take charge of their mental health, view our overview or contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager. 
    

   Over-age dependants losing coverage?*

   Your clients’ plan members may have dependants approaching the maximum age for eligibility under their group benefits plan. If so, members should be aware of their options for dependant coverage. 

   Coverage for full-time students and dependants with disabilities

   The dependants of your clients’ plan members may be eligible to continue their coverage under the current plan if: 
   • The dependant is attending a post-secondary school full-time; or
   • The dependant is disabled. 
   In either case, the plan member can complete the Application for Coverage of Dependent Child Over Age 21 (Form #441) and submit it through our online document submission tool. The tool is available under My Resources in the plan member’s Group Benefits account at EquitableHealth.ca.  

   Coverage2go for over-age dependants

   Dependants who aren’t eligible for continued coverage under the plan can apply for Coverage2go®, a month-to-month health and dental plan for individuals losing their group coverage.**
   
   Coverage2go is affordable, reliable and allows the over-age dependants to choose the level of coverage and protection that suits their personal situation. With no medical questions required as long as they apply within 60 days of losing their coverage, your clients’ plan members can ensure that their over-age dependants have the coverage they need.
   
   Plan members can receive a quote within minutes. Please direct your clients to Coverage2go on Equitable.ca to learn more.  
    
   **Quebec residents are not eligible for Coverage2go.

   Forfeiture reports for HCSAs and TSAs on EquitableHealth.ca*

   As a reminder, your clients can access forfeiture reports for their Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and Taxable Spending Account (TSA) usage on EquitableHealth.ca.  

   HCSA summary by plan member

   HCSA summary reports provide an overview of each plan member’s account activity and balances. These reports include the total amounts allocated, the amount claimed to date, the net balance, and the amount of funds that will be forfeited based on claims paid to date. Please note that plan members’ claim submissions will remain confidential and will not be viewable by the employer on this summary.
   
   Your clients can provide each plan member with their HCSA summary, if they wish.  

   HCSA account forfeiture by plan member

   HCSA forfeiture reports detail the amount that each member will forfeit if they do not use it. The amount is based on claims that have been paid to date within the benefit year period.  

   HCSA account totals by plan member

   Your clients may wish to access the HCSA account totals reports, which reflect the information in each plan member’s HCSA summary report. For terminated employees, the Funds Available field will display as zero, regardless of the balance in the account when terminated. 
   
   At least three months before the end of the benefits period, your clients should remind their members to use their allocated HCSA and TSA amounts.
   
   If your clients need help accessing these reports, they can reach out to their Regional Office Service team for assistance.
   
   * Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
   
   
   
    
7. About
8. Administration Reference Guide for Individual Wealth
9. [pdf] EZtransact FAQ
10. EAMG Market Commentary January 2024

    
    
    Rates & Credit – Interest rates decreased sharply in Q4 as the market priced in aggressive interest rate cuts by central banks in 2024.  The prospect of lower interest rates also drove a strong risk-on tone to the market, with the risk premium on corporate bonds grinding tighter as prospects for a “soft landing” improved. The rally in interest rates resulted in the best quarter for bonds over the past 15 years, with the FTSE Canada Universe Index returning 8.3%.  Corporate bonds modestly underperformed the Universe Index with a return of 7.3%.  The lower return for corporate bonds was primarily driven by the fact that the corporate bond index is less sensitive to interest rate movements (as compared to the government index), partially offset by the risk-on tone to the market.  Within corporate bonds, lower-rated BBBs outperformed higher-rated A bonds. Industries with higher interest rate exposure such as infrastructure, energy, and communications outperformed those with less exposure (notably financials and securitization), consistent with the overall shift in the yield curve.
    
    
     
    Santa Came to Town – Moving in sync with bonds, global equities jolted higher into the end of the year with cooling inflation data and dovish comments from central bankers. The U.S. market outperformed most regions last quarter with the S&P 500 returning 11.7% in USD terms, bringing the total return in 2023 to 26.3%. The TSX added 8.1% in Q4, boosting the total annual return to 11.8%. Meanwhile, major developed economies from Europe, Australasia, and the Far East (EAFE) gained 5.0% in local currency terms over the quarter, helping the region produce a 16.8% return from the year prior. Prospects of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve saw the Loonie rally into year-end and resultantly, investors of Canadian dollar securities witnessed enhanced returns. Strong domestic U.S. economic data helped value pockets of the market outperform. That said, this was not a synchronized trend as China’s economic disappointment weighed on the performance of EAFE.
     
    
     
    U.S. Fundamentals – Our work shows that investors are shifting their focus away from operating margins and towards the ability to sustain debt levels ahead of renewing debt obligations. Corporate earnings beat modest expectations last quarter, contracting by less-than-expected on a year-over-year basis. Resilient operating margins continue to attract investors into equities. After three consecutive quarters of improving forward earnings guidance, we observed that the number of major companies expecting deteriorating financial performance grew to ~35%. We note that this is a sharp contrast relative to the optimistic run-up in equity valuations. In general, corporate pessimism has been underpinned by concerns for the health of the consumer, increasing wage pressures, and inflation.
     
    U.S. Quant Factors – While mega-cap technology stocks gave back some ground in the second half, crowding into the magnificent 7 remains noticeable with the cap weighted S&P 500 outperforming the equal weighted index by 12.5% last year. That said, value areas of the market – which underperformed through the first three quarters of the year – were top performing companies last quarter as the prospects for an economic “soft-landing” improved with U.S. inflation continuing to ease without substantial deteriorations of employment or output data. Quality-growth businesses initially outperformed as the higher-for-longer narrative continued to drive investors toward large cash-rich companies with stable margins. That said, this basket of companies gave back relative returns into quarter-end as weakness in operating margins persisted, making fundamentals appear stretched. Low volatility stocks (i.e. stocks with lower sensitivity to broad market movement and lower price volatility) rallied to start the quarter before dovish comments from central bankers improved risk-sentiment and ultimately pushed this basket lower on a relative basis. Lastly, dividend growth companies, which include businesses with a lengthy and established history of increasing dividends, underperformed the broader index as market participants punished businesses that slowed capital growth projects during the rising interest rate environment. While operating margins have declined, the basket’s strong cash flow and low debt burden may be advantageous if the market’s anticipation of impending interest rate cuts proves to be incorrect or mistimed.
     
    Canadian Fundamentals – Although Canadian companies exceeded bleak forecasts last quarter, earnings continue to contract on a year-over-year basis. Return on equity (ROE) – a gauge of how efficiently a corporation generates profits – continued to decline last quarter while corporate costs of capital remain elevated. In essence, Canadian companies are generating less value relative to their financing cost. Value creation underpins the sustainability of dividend payments, which are a unique and desirable attribute of the Canadian market. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada held its overnight interest rate unchanged with market participants forecasting a higher probability of interest rate cuts in 2024. On the expectations of easing monetary conditions, dividend yields compressed while earnings forecasts improved with analysts predicting that index aggregate earnings will grow 6% to 8% in 2024. At a sector level, the energy industry’s financial performance normalized – in line with expectations – as weakening oil demand expectations overshadowed geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, ultimately pushing crude prices ~21% lower last quarter. The industrials and financials sectors beat expectations, helping offset softer-than-expected results from the consumer staples and technology sectors.
     
    Canadian Quant Factors – The Canadian banks underperformed for most of the year as they reported increasing provisions for nonperforming loans, reflecting forecasts of worsening economic conditions. That said, expectations of interest rate cuts in 2024 helped tame recession fears and eased concerns of slowing loan growth, propelling banks higher in the fourth quarter as they appeared more stable and therefore favourable than prior estimates. The high-quality basket underperformed last quarter as improving risk sentiment in the market reduced the attractiveness of secure companies with lower earnings variability. Furthermore, high dividend payers with solid growth prospects outperformed in the fourth quarter as market participants rewarded companies that demonstrated a strong ability to support future dividends and punished high yielding businesses with less certain financial capabilities.
     
    Views From the Frontline Rates – Interest rates declined sharply in Q4 as inflation continued to trend lower, fears of excess bond supply declined, and the Federal Open Market Committee signaled that the next change to their overnight policy interest rate would likely be lower. Labour market and consumer spending data remain resilient however businesses have indicated slowing across industries, more price-sensitive consumers, rising delinquencies, and concerns about the high cost of debt.  Central banks remain committed to achieving their 2% inflation target and most acknowledge that interest rates have likely peaked.
     
    Credit – The risk premium for corporate bonds (versus government bonds) tightened materially over the quarter, with a strong risk on tone to the market as investors priced in lower interest rates in 2024 and a “soft-landing” to economic concerns.  Corporate bond supply was well received by the market.  On the balance, we do not think the current risk premium adequately compensates for downside risk, and as such, we remain cautious on   corporate bonds and have a bias towards higher-quality, shorter-dated credit where we view the risk / reward dynamic as being more favourable.
     
    Equity – In the U.S., we allocated exposure to value names which outperformed over the quarter as the macroeconomic outlook improved on the backdrop of rate cut expectations. Looking forward, we expect that margins will continue to normalize as Covid-induced pent up demand fades. While we do not forecast margins to compress at an alarming rate, we believe sticky wage and input costs will continue to pressure businesses while consumers exhibit further exhaustion. As such, we are shifting our focus toward the balance between company reinvestment in capital projects and upcoming debt refinancing requirements. In line with this view, we favour businesses with stable cash flows and decreased debt loads as we believe they present an attractive contrarian opportunity if soft-landing projections prove to be overstated. Within Canada, we remain attentive to the inverse movements of ROE relative to financing costs over 2023. With the excess between ROE and financing costs compressing, businesses’ ability to create value appears more stretched than earlier in 2023. Therefore, we continue to favour high quality companies in Canada, which is typically defined by high ROE, stable earnings variability, and low financial leverage. Geographically, the U.S. economy appears to be in healthier condition with inflation easing while employment and output data remain stable and hence, our focus will be on capital expenditures. EAFE – which is generally more economically linked to China than North America – contains a large bucket of stable, high-quality businesses that may benefit from any upside economic surprises out of China. Lastly, through the lens of a Canadian investor, the Loonie’s relative value versus other major currencies presents another resource in our investment mandate to derive excess return.

     

    Downloadable Copy

    
     
      

    Mark Warywoda, CFA VP, Public Portfolio Management	Ian Whiteside, CFA, MBA AVP, Public Portfolio Management	Johanna Shaw, CFA Director, Portfolio Management	Jin Li Director, Equity Portfolio Management
    Tyler Farrow, CFA Senior Analyst, Equity	Andrew Vermeer Senior Analyst, Credit	Elizabeth Ayodele Analyst, Credit

     
    ADVISOR USE ONLY
    
    Any statements contained herein that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements represent the portfolio manager’s best judgment as of the present date as to what may occur in the future. However, forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, and are based on the portfolio manager’s present opinions and views. For this reason, the actual outcome of the events or results predicted may differ materially from what is expressed. Furthermore, the portfolio manager’s views, opinions or assumptions may subsequently change based on previously unknown information, or for other reasons. Equitable® assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained herein. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Investments may increase or decrease in value and are invested at the risk of the investor. Investment values change frequently, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Professional advice should be sought before an investor embarks on any investment strategy.