Darren Devine, CFP®, CLU®
Financial Planner, Sun Life
President of Devine and Associates Financial Services Inc.
War, oil prices, market swings—there’s a lot in the headlines right now.
But before you react, the real question is this: has anything in your plan actually changed?
Hello, and welcome to Money Monday, where we help simplify your financial journey. I’m Darren Devine, Financial Planner with Sun Life and President of Devine & Associates. For over 20 years, I’ve been helping families across Ontario plan with confidence, protect what matters most and stay grounded through market ups and downs.
Lately, there’s been no shortage of unsettling headlines.
Conflict in the Middle East, rising oil prices, and market volatility can make it feel like you should be doing something right away with your money.
And when the news feels heavy, that’s a very human reaction.
But this is exactly when it helps to pause and come back to the bigger picture.
Uncertainty is not new to investing.
Markets have always had to move through wars, inflation, elections, recessions, and global shocks. The headlines may change, but the need for a thoughtful plan does not.
For retirees and those approaching retirement, perspective matters.
Yes, periods like this can create short-term volatility.
But short-term volatility does not automatically mean your long-term plan is broken.
When markets get choppy, many people feel pressure to act fast.
To sell. To move to cash. To stop investing. To wait until things “feel better.”
But before making any major change, it helps to ask three simple questions:
- Have my goals changed?
- Has my timeline changed?
- Has my need for this money changed?
If the answer is no, then your strategy may not need a dramatic change either.
One of the biggest mistakes investors make during uncertain times is confusing discomfort with danger.
Discomfort is normal.
It’s seeing the markets move and feeling uneasy.
Danger is making a rushed decision that pulls you away from a plan built around your life, your retirement, and your long-term goals.
A strong financial plan should already account for uncertainty.
It should include room for volatility, inflation, and unexpected events—because that’s how real life works.
This is also where diversification and proper planning matter.
The goal isn’t to predict every headline.
The goal is to build a strategy that can help you stay grounded when headlines get loud.
And just as importantly, this is a time to focus on what you can control:
- your spending
- your withdrawal strategy
- your risk level
- your timeline
- and whether your investments still match your needs
Because while we can’t control global events, we can control how we respond to them.
If the last little while has left you feeling anxious, that doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong.
It means you care, and it means you want to protect what you’ve worked hard for.
That’s where having a trusted planner can help.
Not to make emotional decisions, but to review the plan, stress test it, and make sure it still fits the life you want to live.
So if you’ve been watching the news and wondering what this means for your retirement, your investments, or your next step, let’s talk.
Uncertain markets call for calm decisions, not panicked ones.
Thanks for tuning into Money Monday. Don’t forget to like and comment for more episodes filled with tips to help make your financial journey a breeze. Until next time, I'm Darren Devine, and you can always talk to us today at DevineAndAssociates.ca!
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