Investment Planning Counsel

What Investment Planning Counsel does

Investment Planning Counsel Inc. (IPC) is a Canadian wealth management company and wholly-owned subsidiary of Canada Life, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, with 501-1,000 employees and a national footprint. The firm operates as an independent-advisor platform supporting financial advisors registered with both the MFDA and IIROC regimes (now consolidated under CIRO), serving individual investors and families across Canada with retirement income planning, wealth transfer, estate planning, and discretionary private wealth management. Its core operating subsidiaries are IPC Investment Corporation (mutual fund dealer), IPC Securities Corporation (securities dealer, available via myportfolioplus.ca), and IPC Estate Services Inc. (insurance and estate solutions, including the Financial Horizons brand).

Name

Investment Planning Counsel

Legal name

Investment Planning Counsel Inc.

Website

https://ipcc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Investment Planning Counsel is a Canada Life subsidiary that operates a national independent-advisor wealth management platform in Canada, serving individual investors and families with retirement income, wealth transfer, and private wealth services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA), Portfolio Construction & Asset Allocation Advisory (FSAEAAAC), Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Independent advisor platform
• Retirement income planning
• Estate and wealth transfer
• Private wealth management

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Asset Management and Advisory Fees: IPC generates revenue primarily through asset management and advisory fees charged to clients based on assets under administration (AUA). Financial advisors operate on their own compensation structures including tiered commissions.
2. Mutual Fund Distribution: Mutual funds are available through IPC Investment Corporation and IPC Securities Corporation, generating distribution and transaction-based revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Investment Planning Counsel is a Canadian wealth management firm that supports a national network of independent financial advisors — registered through both IPC Investment Corporation (MFDA) and IPC Securities Corporation (IIROC/CIRO) — in delivering personalized retirement income planning, estate/wealth transfer advice, and discretionary Private Wealth management to individual investors and families. Its core methodology is a six-step Personal Wealth Management Strategy that integrates portfolio management, risk management, banking, and tax planning into a single client plan, with insurance solutions offered through IPC Estate Services Inc. and Financial Horizons.

Product overview

Investment Planning Counsel (IPC) operates as a fully integrated wealth management company offering a multi-brand, multi-service platform. The core offering includes IPC Private Wealth for high-net-worth clients, IPC Investment Corporation and IPC Securities Corporation for investment and securities services, and IPC Estate Services along with Financial Horizons for insurance products. The Personal Wealth Management Strategy serves as the unified planning methodology across all services, integrating retirement income planning, wealth transfer/estate planning, and investment management. Supplementary offerings include the Turning the Page Podcast for advisor education and IPC Pinnacle for advisor support services. The December 2025 acquisition of De Thomas Wealth Management added 35 advisors and $2.8 billion in assets under administration, expanding IPC's national footprint.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IPC Private Wealth Premium wealth management service for high-net-worth clients offering tailored discretionary portfolios, dedicated portfolio managers, and integrated investment and tax strategies to grow, protect, and transition wealth.
• Personal Wealth Management Strategy Six-step disciplined planning process encompassing Dream Plan, Portfolio Management System, Risk Management Review, Banking Relationship Review, Estate Tax Planning, and Progress Review to examine all aspects of a client's financial well-being.
• Retirement Income Planning Comprehensive retirement income planning service helping clients maximize income streams through investment and risk management strategies, addressing concerns about retirement strategy and income withdrawal planning.
• Wealth Transfer Estate planning and wealth transfer services facilitating intergenerational wealth passing, including family inheritance discussions, estate directories, executor planning, and guidance for blended families.
• IPC Pinnacle Advisor Platform Platform for independent financial advisors providing portfolio management, marketing support, compliance services, and end-to-end transition support, along with business optimization and growth strategies.
• Advisor Recruitment and Succession Services Services for financial advisors including business succession planning, advisor transition support, and options for advisors looking to join or leave IPC, supported by a dedicated advisor growth team.
• Insurance Solutions (via IPC Estate Services Inc. and Financial Horizons) Insurance products and estate services offered through IPC Estate Services Inc. and Financial Horizons, including life insurance, estate planning insurance solutions, and related risk management products distributed through IPC's advisor network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients with 7-14 years of advice have 1.99x wealth accumulation vs 0x for no advice (Cirano Report)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and major.

• Natcan Trust CompanysupportingOthers · 1 July 2026Natcan Trust Company will become the trustee and issuer for registered accounts following the amalgamation of Canada Life Securities Ltd. with IPC Securities Corporation, subject to CIRO regulatory approval.
• De Thomas Wealth Management Corp.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Acquisition completed December 11, 2025 added $2.8 billion in assets under administration and 35 advisors to IPC's national footprint. The deal, announced in July 2025, enhances IPC's growth and strategic position in Canada's wealth management sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Edward Jones Canada: Edward Jones Canada operates a branch-based advisor model serving individual investors and families with personalized financial planning—directly comparable to IPC's advisor-led, relationship-driven model for mass-affluent and HNW clients across Canada.
• Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management: Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management serves Canadian HNW clients and independent advisors with discretionary portfolio management and wealth planning—overlapping with IPC's Private Wealth and advisor-platform offerings, including comparable acquisition strategies for advisor practices.
• CI Assante Wealth Management: CI Assante is a Canadian platform supporting independent financial advisors with wealth management, portfolio construction, and back-office services—directly comparable to IPC's dual MFDA/IIROC advisor platform model and its focus on advisor practice transition and succession.
• Raymond James Ltd. (Canada): Raymond James Canada supports independent advisors and advisor teams with wealth management, investment solutions, and transition support—directly competing with IPC for experienced advisors seeking a multi-affiliate platform with strong technology and compliance infrastructure.
• National Bank Independent Network (NBIN): NBIN provides custody, trade execution, technology, and compliance support to independent advisors and portfolio managers across Canada—competing head-to-head with IPC for the same advisor recruitment pipeline and offering similar practice-transition economics.
• ScotiaMcLeod (Scotiabank): ScotiaMcLeod is a Canadian full-service wealth management division within Scotiabank serving affluent and HNW clients through an advisor channel—comparable to IPC in target customer (HNW families), fee-based advisory model, and advisor recruitment and retention focus.

Broad incumbents

• RBC Wealth Management: RBC Wealth Management serves Canadian HNW and UHNW clients through full-service advisory and Phillips, Hager & North—overlapping with IPC's Private Wealth offering, though much larger in scale and integrated with a major Canadian bank.
• IG Wealth Management (IGM Financial): IG Wealth Management is one of Canada's largest wealth management firms serving mass-affluent and HNW clients through a captive advisor channel—broader than IPC in scale and product breadth, but overlapping in advisor-led financial planning and mutual fund distribution.
• TD Wealth Private Wealth: TD Wealth offers private wealth, advisory, and discretionary portfolio management across Canada—broader incumbent with comparable HNW and estate planning services to IPC Private Wealth, but anchored in a major Canadian bank's distribution network.

Emerging players

• Questwealth (Questrade): Questwealth is a digital wealth management platform offering low-fee robo and advisor-led portfolios—represents the disruptive low-cost competitor to traditional advisor-led platforms like IPC, particularly relevant in the mass-affluent segment of IPC's customer base.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/investment-planning-counsel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Investment Planning Counsel