Manulife Financial is one of the most dynamic and progressive financial services companies in the world. Incorporated in 1887, Manulife has grown from an insurance company to a global financial services organization serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Manulife is the largest life insurance company in Canada and one of the top five in the world.
Through our vast network of employees and independent financial advisors, Manulife offers a wide range of financial protection products and wealth management services. Whatever your stage in life or your financial priorities, Manulife has an insurance, investment or banking solution to meet your needs.
When you insure your family against the unexpected or invest your money for the future, you need a financial services company that is financially secure and able to keep its promises, possibly many years from now. As one of North America’s most successful life insurance companies and a global leader, Manulife has the strength, stability and experience to be there for you not only today but years from now as well.

Financial Strength – Manulife is among the most profitable life insurance companies in North America. It was the first Canadian life insurer to top $1.5 billion in earnings in 2003. By the end of 2006 earnings had reached almost $4 billion. Manulife’s consistently strong financial performance has earned us top marks from the independent credit rating agencies that evaluate the financial stability and capacity of life and health insurance companies to meet their obligations to policyholders and creditors.
Manulife Financial’s rated insurance subsidiaries have been assigned Standard and Poor’s AAA rating for financial strength, their best possible rating. Manulife is the only insurance company in Canada to hold this distinction. Manulife’s rated insurance subsidiaries are also the only ones in Canada to hold Moody’s Aa1 rating. These top ratings mean that, in the opinion of these independent rating agencies, Manulife’s ability to honour its commitments to its policyholders is extremely strong.

Products and Services
The basis of your relationship with Berkshire is focused on your relationship with your Berkshire Advisor. We’re proud of our Berkshire Advisors and the fact that they work hard to develop long-term, prudent, objective financial plans based on their clients’ individual needs and goals.
We recognize the need for flexible solutions as each client relationship is unique and needs to be priced and structured accordingly.

Berkshire Self-Directed Plans
A Berkshire Self-Directed Plan gives you the flexibility to move between various investment options and portfolio mixes to take advantage of changing personal conditions.
There are a number of Self-Directed Plans available at Berkshire to meet your needs, including: Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), Group Retirement Savings Plans (GRSPs), Locked-In Retirement Accounts (LIRAs), Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs), Locked-In Income Funds (LIFs) and Locked-In Retirement Income Funds (LRIFs).

Berkshire Group Retirement Savings Plans
A Berkshire Group Retirement Savings Plan, sponsored by an employer, allows its employees to make regular contributions to an RRSP deducted, pre-tax, through automatic payroll deduction and forwarded directly to the investment company on the employees’ behalf. As the Berkshire Group RRSP is self-directed, it provides you with the opportunity to hold a number of different investments from different financial institutions. This diversification allows you greater risk management and the ability to build a portfolio that meets your investment goals more completely.
With a Berkshire Group RRSP, your plan is registered in your name. This means that if you change employers, your money remains in your name and under your control.
Using a Berkshire Self-Directed Plan to hold all of your registered investments will allow you to pay one annual administration fee, regardless of the number of plans held. This will allow you to simplify the management of your investments, providing you with the information and support you need to make timely, well-informed decisions.

Telephone and Online Banking
Berkshire clients are able to send funds electronically to their accounts if they are set-up for electronic banking services with one of the major banks. This service is the same as paying a bill either by telephone or through the Internet.

Some of the advantages of this service include:

* Convenience
* A reduction in the number of cheques sent through the mail
* Nominee clients may park their cash in their account until they have time to make an appointment to meet with their Berkshire Advisor, which is extremely advantageous during RRSP season.
* A reduction in NSF cheques. (Note: These payments may be returned; however, it is much less likely as the bank will usually prevent you from processing the payment if there are insufficient funds in your bank account).

Online Client Account Access
Berkshire clients can access their Berkshire accounts online at any time, in real time, 24 hours a day. Take a tour of our Client Zone to see how easy it is.

Berkshire Capital Markets Group
Berkshire’s Capital Markets Group provides a full range of financial advisory services to established companies within the Canadian capital markets. We work closely with our clients to develop effective financing strategies tailored to the requirements of the marketplace, and our experienced team of professionals combines its broad range of skills to deliver maximum benefit.
Services provided by the Capital Markets Group include:

* advice on private placements of equity and debt capital;
* advice on initial public offerings and secondary offerings;
* merger & acquisition advisory services; and
* fairness opinions and formal valuations.

We constantly seek growing companies that have experienced management who exhibit a high level of integrity and a strong personal commitment to their business. We look for companies that have a demonstrated sustainable competitive advantage supported by a coherent and actionable business plan with clear strategic objectives. Above all, we look to establish and build a long-term Client/Advisor relationship based on mutual trust and a commitment to put our clients’ interests first.
The Berkshire Masters Private Account Program
The Masters Private Account Program is a discretionary service for the high net worth individual. The program offers an exclusive roster of “buy and hold” investment managers selected based on their long-term investing approach, superior performance and commitment to tax efficiency. This service provides a means for clients to have world-class managers construct private accounts holding individual securites (i.e. stocks and bonds) on their behalf. Contact a Berkshire Advisor to learn more about the benefits of this comprehensive program.

The Berkshire Freedom Program
The Berkshire Freedom Program  provides you with choices in structuring your relationship with your Berkshire Advisor. Within this program, you pay a fee for the advice and relationship, and the costs of your trades or other services are reduced or eliminated.
The Berkshire Freedom Program is designed to allow you to partner with your Berkshire Advisor, to enable you to take advantage of the benefits of a fee-based financial plan, while maintaining control over the decision-making process. No matter where you are in your investment life cycle, the Berkshire Freedom Program represents an excellent opportunity for building, managing and preserving assets. Equally important, it is flexible enough to expand in response to your changing circumstances.
The program emphasizes the establishment of goals and objectives with your Berkshire Advisor, and the adoption of a financial map through the financial planning process. The Berkshire Freedom Program recognizes that a financial solution is more about who you are than the level of trading activity you pursue, and serves to emphasize the value of the relationship you have with your Berkshire Advisor.

Contact :
Head Office Mailing Address:
1375 Kerns Road
Burlington, Ontario
L7R 4X8
For details : Berkshire Group