There Are Two Ways to Invest
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains that smart investing isn’t about choosing one approach - it’s about knowing when each strategy fits.
There are two ways to invest.
You can own the whole market - cheap, efficient, no surprises.
Or you can hire a manager who tries to beat it.
Here's what I've learned after 20 years working with the people who actually build these portfolios.
Both have a place.
The smart move isn't choosing one over the other - it's knowing when to use each one.
That's the foundation of how I build every single portfolio.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
The Cost of Advice
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains why the real cost is rarely good advice - it’s the financial mistakes that happen without the right guidance.
People worry about the cost of working with a financial advisor.
I get it.
But here's what I've seen over 20 years.
The cost of good advice is almost never the problem.
The cost of bad advice, or no advice, that's what actually hurts people.
A missed RRSP transfer. A tax hit that didn't have to happen. Keeping a house that you couldn't actually afford.
The right advice at the right moment pays for itself many times over.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
A Lump Sum Settlement
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains why the first 90 days after a lump sum settlement should focus on safety, clarity, and avoiding rushed decisions.
You just received a lump sum settlement.
Maybe the biggest amount of money you've ever had in your hands at once.
Whatever you do right now, don’t rush. Even worse, leave it sitting in a checking account
While you figure it out.
There's a middle ground, a safe, temporary holding place while we build a proper plan around your situation.
That's exactly what the first 90 days should look like.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
Going Through a Separation or Divorce
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor works with individuals navigating separation, divorce, and financial transition, helping them gain clarity and move forward with confidence.
I work with people going through one of the hardest chapters of their lives.
Separation. Divorce. Starting over financially.
Some of my clients haven't looked at their finances in years, their partner handled everything.
Some are high earners who suddenly realize they have no idea what they actually own.
Some just need someone to sit with them and help them think it through.
Whoever you are, if you're navigating this, you don't have to figure it out alone.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
Protecting the Kids
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains why protecting your children during separation starts with protecting your own financial stability.
When you're going through a separation, what's the first thing you want to protect?
For most of us, the answer is immediate: the kids.
But here's what I see too often.
We make financial sacrifices that feel right in the moment:
giving up assets, taking on debt, keeping the house we can't carry,
because it feels like protecting our children.
It isn't.
A financially stable parent is the best thing you can give your kids right now.
If you're navigating this, reach out.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
What’s your Retirement Number?
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains that a retirement number alone is just a guess - what matters is building a plan around your actual life and goals.
Do you have a retirement number in your head, a figure you're working toward?
Most of us do. A million. Two million, maybe five million. It's a number we read somewhere or heard from a friend.
Here's the problem. A number without a plan is just a guess. It doesn't account for when we retire, how we spend, what healthcare costs, or how long we actually live.
The goal isn't to hit a number. It's to build a plan that tells us whether that number is right for our life.
Not our friend's life.
If you're not sure, that's exactly where we start.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
What I do?
July 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains that wealth advice is about more than money - it’s about clarity, confidence, and guidance through life’s transitions.
People ask me what I do.
I tell them I'm a wealth advisor.
And they say — oh, so you manage money?
Yes. But it's much more than that.
Because what I've learned after 20 years in this industry is that money is almost never just about money.
It's about peace of mind.
Clarity about where you are and where you're going.
The confidence to make decisions, even when life gets complicated.
Whether you're going through a major transition: a divorce, a business sale, a retirement,
or you've simply built something worth protecting and you want to make sure you're doing it right,
that's the conversation I'm here for.
How do I work? I start with you. I ask questions. I listen. And then we figure it out together. it's a process.
The best time to have this conversation was yesterday.
The second best time is right now.
Call me. Text me. Email me.
I'm easy to reach and I respond personally.
And just so you know, there is no pressure, no commitment, and complete privacy.
The door is open, whenever you're ready.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
The Market is at an All-Time High
June 18, 2026
Ilan Zor explains why all-time highs aren’t the real risk - staying on the sidelines without a plan is.
A client called me last Thursday, and I could tell right away she was a bit nervous. She goes, "Ilan, I keep hearing the market is at an all-time high, and I have money I want to invest, but I'm scared. Should I just wait?"
Frankly, I love when clients ask me this because the answer is not what most people expect. So I sent her a chart, one I use all the time. It's called the big picture.
CIBC publishes it every year. It tracks the market all the way back to nineteen thirty-five. That red line at the top is US stocks. Now listen to this, one thousand dollars invested back in nineteen thirty-five, do you know what it's worth today? Twenty-four million eight hundred thousand dollars.
And on that same chart, we've had fifteen recessions, World War Two, the dotcom crash, two 2008, COVID, and many more. Now, yes, the line drops from time to time, sometimes even hard, but every single time it comes back and keeps going. Now, here is the part that gets people.
Look at Canadian stocks, the gray line. Every single ten-year rolling period since nineteen thirty-five, positive, and every single twenty-year rolling period, positive. Not most of the time, every time. Even the worst twenty-year stretch, a hundred dollars became two hundred and thirty-six dollars, and that's through wars, recessions, crashes, all of it. So you see, an all-time high is not a red flag. It never was.
The real risk isn't investing at an all-time high market. The real risk is sitting on the sidelines so long that you miss the whole thing. Now, I want to be clear. That doesn't mean you throw everything into stocks tomorrow because the people who came through the crashes fine versus the ones who didn't, the difference wasn't timing. It was having a portfolio that matched their life, their own timeline.
All right, back to my client's story. So I walked her through the chart. We talked about her goals, her timeline, and what she's actually trying to build. By the end of the call, she wasn't nervous anymore because she had a plan. That's the job. Turn noise into clarity. If you're sitting on money and asking yourself the same question she was, let's talk.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
The Family Home
June 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains why the family home is often the most difficult financial decision in a separation and why clarity must come before emotion.
[Ilan Zor, in his office, facing the camera]
The family home is the hardest financial decision in a separation.
And it's where I see the most mistakes.
The question isn't whether keeping it feels right.
It's whether you can actually carry it, mortgage, maintenance, property tax, on one income.
Long term.
Get the numbers clear before you get attached to the outcome.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
Why I Help
June 17, 2026
Ilan Zor shares why he focuses on separation and divorce: personal experience showed him the need for financial guidance with empathy.
[Ilan Zor, in his office, facing the camera]
People ask me why I focus on separation and divorce.
I've been through it myself.
I'm a financial professional. I had the training, the tools, the knowledge.
I still found it incredibly hard.
What I didn't have was someone in my corner who understood both sides - the financial complexity and the human weight of what I was going through.
That's exactly what I try to be for my clients.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
What to Expect in the First Time We Meet
June 17, 2026
Ilan Zor explains what a first conversation looks like during divorce: a simple, no-pressure discussion focused on clarity, options, and next steps.
A lot of people hesitate before reaching out to an advisor when they're going through a divorce.
I understand that completely.
So let me tell you exactly what happens when we talk for the first time.
You talk. I listen. I ask questions.
No forms. No financial statements. No commitment.
You leave with a clearer picture of where you stand and what your options are.
That's it.
Whenever you're ready - I'm easy to find.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
Shaped by Experience, Guided By Empathy
June 17, 2026
Ilan Zor shares how his own separation reshaped his approach, combining financial expertise with a deeper understanding of what clients truly need.
I've been a financial professional for over 20 years.
But the experience that shaped me most wasn't a course or a credential.
I went through a separation myself.
I had the knowledge. I still found it hard.
That experience changed how I work with people.
I don't just look at the numbers - I look at the whole picture. Where you are, where you want to go, and what actually matters to you.
That's what I show up to do every single day.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth]
[Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc.
If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor]
The Biggest Financial Mistake
June 01, 2026
Ilan Zor explains why the biggest financial mistakes after separation often happen when decisions are rushed before clarity is in place.
The biggest financial mistakes after separation happen in the first 90 days.
Not because people aren't capable.
Because decisions get rushed before the picture is clear.
The house. The investments. The settlement.
Most of those decisions? They can wait.
Get clear first. Decide second.
That one shift changes everything.
[End Slide]
[CIBC Private Wealth Wood Gundy]
[Ilan Zor, MBA, Wealth Advisor]
[Disclaimers]
[CIBC Private Wealth consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries through CIBC Private Banking; CIBC Private Investment Counsel, a division of CIBC Asset Management Inc. (“CAM”); CIBC Trust Corporation; and CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. (“WMI”). CIBC Private Banking provides solutions from CIBC Investor Services Inc. (“ISI”), CAM and credit products. CIBC Private Wealth services are available to qualified individuals. Insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services Inc. In Quebec, insurance services are only available through CIBC Wood Gundy Financial Services (Quebec) Inc. The CIBC logo and “CIBC Private Wealth” are trademarks of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor.]