Lynda Kaufmanis,  FCSI, CFP, CSA, FMA, DFA, RDA, AICB
Financial Planner

Qualifications
Lynda has been in the financial services industry since 1989. She joined GIC Financial Services in 2000. She started her financial services career with a large trust company while going to college. Upon graduation Lynda obtained employment with one of the major Canadian banks. Lynda firmly believes in the Japanese principle of “kaizen” and continually strives to improve her financial knowledge in order to better serve her clients.

In 2008, after several years of study, Lynda obtained the coveted FCSI designation, one of the most demanding designations in the industry.  Lynda obtained her CFP in 1999. She obtained her CSA in 2004. The CSA designation held special relevance, as Lynda was helping care for her disabled mother at the time and learned first-hand what her clients in the “sandwich” generation faced. She obtained the FMA in 2005 as part of her course of study for the FCSI.

In May 2010, Lynda obtained the DFA designation through the Knowledge Bureau.The DFA designation signifies completion of advanced training in tax preparation, and tax planning.

Lynda is also a graduate of Humber College having obtained her Business Administration diploma.

Investment Philosophy
Lynda's experience at the bank has provided her with both credit and investment insight. She firmly believes in a conservative balanced approach to financial planning that is based on a client's time horizon, risk profile and objectives. In addition, it is essential present and future tax consequences of investments are taken into consideration. 

Personal
Prior to a career in Finance, Lynda managed a bookstore for one of the major booksellers in Canada. To this day, Lynda can get "lost" for hours in bookstores and is still filling shelves in her own library.  Lynda also enjoys exploring her creative side.  She enjoys scrapbooking, drawing, photography, painting, and is currently trying to learn airbrushing.  Apparently someone who is proficient in airbrushing is referred to as an "airhead". While Lynda isn't quite sure a financial planner would want that particular moniker, she is willing to risk it. 

Lynda has lived in the Aldershot area most of her life and is a graduate of Aldershot High School in Burlington. She loves the area and lives only 5 minutes from her childhood home. Lynda has one son in middle school, very gifted in art, but has no interest in finance unless it involves his allowance.

FCSI  - Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute
CFP  - Certified Financial Planner
CSA – Certified Senior Advisor
RDA – Registered Deposit Agent
FMA – Financial Management Advisor
DFA – Distinguished Financial Advisor
AICB – Associate of the Institute of Canadian Bankers