#36 — Aravind Sithamparapillai: Financial Planning Tips from a CFP® Gold Medalist

Our guest this episode is Aravind Sithamparapillai, a financial planner at Ironwood Wealth Management Group. Earlier this year, Aravind earned his CFP® designation with the highest exam score in the country, placing him at the top of the CFP® Exam President’s List, and was also selected for FP Canada’s Emerging Leader’s Award.

In this conversation, Dave and Aravind walk through what great financial planning actually looks like in practice. They discuss the “financial quarterback” model, Aravind's four-step process for investing and why assessing true risk tolerance goes far beyond a simple questionnaire. Aravind explains how biology and financial stress affect investor behaviour, why unusually high returns are unlikely to last forever and how personal preferences should factor into a well-designed plan.

The episode also dives into estate and tax planning topics that are often overlooked—from common estate planning mistakes and the risks of joint accounts to when RRSPs should be left to an estate, how taxes work at death and traps grandparents can fall into with RESPs. The conversation wraps up with a practical comparison of TFSAs vs. RRSPs, a discussion on alternative investments and Aravind’s personal story about discovering The Wealthy Barber.

Whether you’re building your first financial plan or refining an existing one, this episode is packed with clear, thoughtful insights from one of Canada’s brightest young planners. 

Show Notes

(00:00) Intro and Disclaimer

(00:55) Intro to Aravind Sithamparapillai

(04:47) ​​The Financial “Quarterback” Model

(10:32) The Four-Step Investing Process

(14:38) How Do You Assess True Risk Tolerance?

(16:47) A Financial Planner’s Role in Changing Risk Tolerance

(19:04) Biology and Financial Stress

(21:38) 20% Returns (Probably) Won’t Go On Forever

(23:30) Personal Preferences & Maximizing Return

(25:05) Common Estate Planning Mistakes

(26:50) Reasons Why RRSPs Should Be Left to the Estate

(31:47) The Risks of Using Joint Accounts to Avoid Probate

(34:44) The Benefits of Leaving a Letter of Direction with Your Will

(36:43) What Happens Tax-Wise When You Die?

(38:26) The RESP Trap for Grandparents

(45:00) TFSA vs. RRSP

(49:09) The Risks of Alternative Investments

(56:13) Aravind’s Personal Story About The Wealthy Barber

(58:45) Conclusion