Intelligent advice, real value, and genuine care - the client experience as part of the Inner Circle.

At Inner Circle Wealth Management, we provide truly customized financial plans, unbiased advice, and a level of personal service that banks and online platforms simply cannot match. Our goal is to deliver clarity, confidence, and peace of mind for Canadians who expect more from their financial advisor; a refreshing alternative to banks, robo-advisors, and expensive private firms.

See How We're Different

Real value means more than low fees. It means feeling understood, having a clear plan, and knowing your financial future is being looked after by someone who cares as much as you do.

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OUR PHILOSOPHY

OUR PHILOSOPHY

  • We operate as fee-based, non-commissioned advisors in partnership with Harness Investment Management, a registered Portfolio Manager with a fiduciary responsibility to act in your best interest. That means no hidden agendas and no product pushing - just honest, objective advice designed to serve you.

  • Your goals are unique and your financial plan should reflect that. We combine deep expertise with industry-leading financial planning software to create personalized strategies based on your current situation and future goals. No generic templates - only plans built specifically for you.

  • Through our relationship with Harness Investment Management, we offer access to a wide range of professionally managed portfolios, including options that are typically unavailable to average investors. You get access to a well-crafted investment strategy, diversification, and transparency, all in one place.

  • Chasing the market is a losing game, and decades of research proves it. Our approach focuses on proven strategies built to keep your financial plan on track regardless of market conditions.

  • We define high value as a commitment to keeping fees low while delivering exceptional service and advice. Our advisor is available by phone, email, text, or Zoom, including evenings and weekends. With virtual meetings and a modern, tech-enabled platform, working with us is simple - even if life takes you across the country.

  • It may not always be the most exciting, but we provide realistic, actionable advice backed by the gold standard FP Canada’s Projection Assumption Guidelines. Our recommendations are built on reasonable expectations and grounded in reality so you can have confidence in your financial plan.

BUILD YOUR WEALTH FASTER

We believe a good financial planner should help you grow your wealth rather than cost you your future in fees. At Inner Circle, we specialize in delivering fee-based, full-service financial planning services in a cost-effective manner that helps our clients succeed.

While the value of financial advice can vary depending on individual circumstances, research by Russell Investments attempts to quantify this value in a study published in 2024. They found that a good financial planner could be expected to add 3.52% in value every year on average through a combination of behavioural coaching, rebalancing & asset allocation, customized family wealth planning, and tax-efficiency amongst other factors.

OUR SERVICES

OUR SERVICES

FULL-SERVICE TOOLBOX

Access to a dedicated advisor for investments, insurance, retirement planning, estate planning, tax planning, and any other financial questions you might have. Broad knowledge, a commitment to education and relationships with specialists allows us to find the best solutions to fit your diverse needs.

  • While working with a good accountant can certainly have a positive impact on minimizing your tax bill, the level of expertise amongst accountants varies greatly and a financial planner can work with you and your accountant to uncover and implement additional tax-saving opportunities.

  • In order to ensure that your assets are properly coordinated for tax efficiency and to ensure your estate wishes are carried out, we review our clients’ wills, powers of attorney, insurance and beneficiary designations as part of their overall financial plan.

  • Whether you are in the process of saving for retirement or are already retired, we can work with you to show you what is possible, how long your funds can last, what happens to your assets through various market conditions, and run different scenarios to take the guesswork out of the equation and show you what your future may hold.

  • Whether it’s for yourself, a child, a grandchild or someone else, we can help show you the opportunities and benefits that exist to save for education expenses efficiently.

  • Although estate planning is an important part of a financial plan, it is becoming more and more common for individuals to transfer portions of their wealth to the next generation while they are still alive. This can involve the use of trusts, complicated insurance vehicles, or corporations and we can advise you on which may be the best fit for your goals and financial situation.

  • Even if set up with the best of intentions, risks such as death, disability or a critical illness have the potential to severely derail or destroy a financial plan. There are a number of risk management strategies that can be implemented to protect your family’s financial future regardless of what life throws your way.

  • One of the biggest benefits provided by a financial planner is the ability to analyze a client’s goals and financial situation to identify opportunities that would otherwise go unnoticed. These strategies can range from simple to complex and vary greatly from one case to another.

  • The inclusion of a corporation in a financial plan, whether it is an operating company or a holding company, adds a layer of complexity that requires additional consideration. If implemented efficiently, the corporation has the potential to provide significant tax savings and allow for an enhanced retirement income.

  • We utilize industry-leading technology to show clients how their financial plan is expected to perform over their lifetime under various market conditions. Our software allows us to show clients how adjustments to their plan (such as retiring earlier or earning a higher rate of return) impacts their net worth in real time.

Sample Financial Plan

OUR PROCESS

OUR PROCESS

Try before
you buy!

We feel so strongly that you will want to become a client that we have a “try before you buy” guarantee. We will happily work through steps 1-4 below and provide you with a financial plan for free. If after seeing your financial plan you do not wish to proceed and become a client, then you are welcome to walk away without incurring any costs.

However, we are confident that after seeing your custom financial plan you will recognize the value we provide and want to work with us for the long-term.

6-Step Planning Process

  • A quick 15-minute, informal phone call is all it takes to get started. We want to make sure that our company is the best place for you, address any urgent questions you may have and lay the groundwork for creating your financial plan.

  • You’ll book a time that works for your schedule to join our advisor via zoom from the comfort of your own home. We’ll take our time and really get to know you - your goals, your concerns, and your unique situation so that we can make the best possible recommendations. Afterwards, any additional information can be sent via email.

  • We will use the information obtained to analyze your current situation, develop a detailed financial plan and create a list of specific recommendations & strategies on how to effectively meet those goals.

  • Our advisor will meet with you via zoom and walk you through the financial plan & recommendations step by step, answering all your questions along the way.

  • If you feel the financial plan and recommendations are valuable (as nearly everyone does) and would like to become a client, it is at this time that we would complete the client set-up process, open your accounts, initiate any investment transfers or deposits and assist in implementing the recommendations previously provided.

  • Once implemented, we expect to connect with our clients at least once per year to complete a full review of your financial plan and investment portfolio. If there are significant changes that arise sooner or financial questions that arise, we are available to our clients anytime via email, phone/text and zoom. As a client of Inner Circle, we are here to be at your disposal to make the best possible decisions regarding your financial life.

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Coordinated Approach

We work with you, your existing advisory team, and Harness to ensure that your plan is carefully crafted and executed in a coordinated fashion.

Transparent Fees

We think it’s important for our clients to know exactly what they pay for our services - no surprises. Our fee structure is simple, composed of 4 components, calculated daily, and deducted monthly from client accounts. There are no additional charges for meetings, services or advice. Never hidden fees or account fees - that’s real transparency.

Harness Platform Fee of 0.35%
(or 0.25% on households with invested assets over $1M)

+

Inner Circle Advisory Fee of 0.95% to 1.15%, depending on total invested**

+

Sub-Advisor Fee of up to 0.50%, depending on the portfolio chosen - with many options at 0%

+

Investment MER (generally 0.20% to 0.60%), depending on the chosen investment operating costs

=

Total Annual Fee of 1.4% and up***

*Households over $250K who choose Harness’ Investment Counselling Services (ICS) service model will have a different platform fee applied.

**Inner Circle Advisory Fees are applied incrementally to household assets as follows: $0-$100K = 1.15%; $100K-$250K = 1.10%, $250K-$500K = 1.05%, $500K-$1M = 1.00%, $1M-$5M = 0.95%, $5M+ = Negotiable.

***To find your Total Annual Fee, please refer to your client documentation or contact your advisor.

WHO WE ARE

WHO WE ARE

Inner Circle Wealth Management was founded in 2019 with the goal of providing access to comprehensive financial planning services at a fraction of the cost compared to the competition. We achieve this by investing in low-fee ETF portfolios instead of traditionally expensive mutual funds and keeping our overhead low through increased technology implementation and lack of traditional brick & mortar offices across the country. This translates into many of our clients seeing a savings of 20-40% in their annual fees without sacrificing investment returns, service level, or the quality of their financial plan.

Education & Experience

Layne Oakhart, BSc, RRC®, CFP®

Owner, Financial Planner & Insurance Broker (he/him)

  • 10+ years in the financial industry

  • Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®)

  • CIFP Diploma in Financial Planning

  • Registered Retirement Consultant® (RRC®)

  • Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of British Columbia (UBC)

  • Pursuing CPA degree

  • Committed to continuing education

Dan Kent, BBA (Hons), CIM® is our dedicated Investment Counsellor and member of the Harness Investment Committee. He works with our clients to provide comprehensive wealth management advice personalized to your long-term goals and tolerance for investment risk.

Dan is a Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) and earned an Honours degree in Business Administration from the Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University.

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Biography

  • Layne has been helping clients manage and grow their wealth for over a decade. In his previous life, Layne graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and worked as a trusted community pharmacist. Although several aspects of pharmacy practice appealed to him (building relationships with patients, continuous education and solving medical problems), it was clear to him early on that this career would not be the right long-term fit. After a few years of practice and many evenings spent studying for financial courses, in 2012 Layne joined a large Canada-wide financial planning firm, began working as a financial advisor, and never looked back.

    While at the firm, he underwent a 2-year internal training program, won several awards, completed the CIFP Diploma in Financial Planning and earned his Registered Retirement Consultant (RRC®) designation. After 7 years with the firm and experience with a wide range of cases, Layne decided to establish a company which more closely reflected his investment philosophy & client-centred values. Thus in 2019 Inner Circle Wealth Management was born. After founding Inner Circle, Layne completed his Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation in 2021. In an effort to continue to provide the highest level of service to his clients, Layne has begun to pursue a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) degree to further set himself apart and assist his clients with tax preparation in the future.

Partnerships

We have established partnerships with a number of individuals & organizations to provide the absolute best for our clients when it comes to financial planning.

INVESTMENT COUNSEL

We are proudly partnered with Harness Investment Management, a modern investment counselling arm of Purpose Unlimited which amplifies our strength, stability, and expertise. Collectively, Purpose Unlimited has over $20 billion in managed and platform assets (as of August 31, 2023).

We work with Harness because they provide personalized investment advice and have a fiduciary responsibility to put your interests as an investor first. They also leverage their relationships with institutional investment managers to bring you a suite of portfolios that have a strong track record of investment success.

We believe that combining their investment management process with our deep expertise in financial and tax planning gives you the best chance of achieving your financial goals.

HARNESS INVESTMENT COUNSELLOR

Dan Kent, BBA (Hons), CIM®

Through our partnership with Harness Investment Management our clients have access to a wide range of portfolios, including those managed through Harness or sub-advised by a number of third-party investment money managers. Harness partners with leading investment managers to deliver best-in-class investment solutions to clients by seeking out broad experience and proven expertise with a compatible investment philosophy. These partnerships enable us to better meet the needs of our clients and contribute to their investment success. These investment managers include:

  • Harness Investment Management

  • Purpose Investments

  • Forstrong Global

  • Vanguard

  • Shaunessy Investment Counsel

  • BCV Asset Management

  • Lionridge Capital Management

  • Mulvihill Capital Management

  • Global View Capital Management

  • Cardinal Capital Management

  • Raintree Financial Solutions

  • Mackenzie Investments

For additional details regarding these investment managers or the investment strategies available to our clients, click here.

INSURANCE COMPANIES

We have access to life, disability, critical illness & investment products from 30+ insurers in Canada, providing ultimate flexibility for our clients and ensuring we are always able to recommend the best possible product. Our insurance partners include:

  • Canada Life

  • Manulife

  • Sun Life Financial

  • Desjardins

  • The Edge Benefits

  • Empire Life

  • Equitable Life of Canada

  • Humania Assurance

  • iA Fianncial Group

  • Ivari

  • RBC Insurance

  • Canada Protection Plan

  • SLI (Specialty Life Insurance)

  • BMO Insurance

HOW WE MEASURE UP

HOW WE MEASURE UP

Robo-Advisor

Inner Circle

Bank Advisor

Private Wealth

Fees

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Dedicated CFP® Advisor

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Custom Financial Plan

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Advanced Financial Planning Strategies

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Personalized Investment Portfolios

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Active & Passive Portfolio Options

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CIPF Coverage Available

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Convenient Virtual Meetings

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Evening & Weekend Availability

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Canadian Small Business

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HOW OUR CLIENTS FEEL

HOW OUR CLIENTS FEEL

  • Confident With Questions

    “Layne has been a great professional to deal with. We feel so much more confident with our future plans and Layne has taken all of our life's curveballs in easy strides. Layne makes sure that we fully understand each idea and is more than willing to answer our 100's of questions or look up information if it is something he is unsure about.”

    - Amy S.

  • Treated Like Family

    “Layne has been … the best financial planner I’ve had! Not only is he extremely professional, Layne is one of those people who cares for his clients as if they are his own family. He will work with you on making a financial plan that is achievable and realistic for your goals, and was even able to set up my finances to achieve goals I thought were impossible.”

    - B. M.

  • Knowledgeable & Caring

    “I absolutely recommend Layne! He is very compassionate & caring. Layne totally makes you feel comfortable and at ease. He really knows his stuff and is very patient with people who like myself know very little about how everything works.”

    - Caron N.

  • Big Impression

    “What makes the biggest impression on me with working with Layne and why I continue to enjoy working with him is because of his strong unmeasurable, intangible, ‘soft skills’ like his ability to listen, communication, and positivity. Layne is attentive and sincere and I never feel pressured or overwhelmed or as if I’m just another account number.”

    - Tiffany L.

  • Professional

    “Layne’s professionalism is unprecedented. Conversations and interactions are always lovely, he has a great sense of humour...and that’s just his personality! A wonderful person and fantastic advisor.”

    - Sarah C.

  • Feeling Better

    “I always feel better about my future after chatting with Layne!”

    - Lisa A.

Our 5-star rating, industry-leading 99% client retention rate* and glowing client reviews speak for themselves. See these and other reviews written by our clients on Google, Facebook or LinkedIn.

*Based on annual Assets Under Management (AUM) since inception.

Start feeling better about your finances: experience being part of the Inner Circle.

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