Who We Are A firm is only as strong as its team.

That is why we take great pride in the quality of our people. Our team is committed to serving the long-term financial success of our clients. They also have the years of experience, work ethic, and commitment to get the job done.

Our Story ‘Special Needs Planning by Spectrum Financial’ was founded by Karen Roy and this is her story:

Yes, Karen is a financial person, but she is also a mother that has walked in your footsteps and truly gets it.

In his younger years, Karen’s eldest son Andrew was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome and Autism.

On most days, Karen found herself extremely stressed and overwhelmed; a single parent, working full-time and managing a household filled with explosive behaviors, doctor’s appointments, drug trials, therapies, and sibling rivalry at its finest.

Falling into bed most evenings in tears from the days’ challenges, she would lay awake troubled by her fears for the future of her family.

What will happen when I am no longer here or have the capacity to assist? How will Andrew be able to live financially if he cannot work? Are there resources to help our family? Who will manage these? How can I be fair to my younger son Tyler as well?

One would think that being a Certified Financial Planner would make this journey fairly easy ~ it was anything but! Government programs and services are incredibly complicated, and most professionals are not educated in the unique needs & challenges of those living with a disability.

Karen is passionate about sharing this acquired knowledge and her personal experiences with other families to help guide them through this maze of complexity. “I need to make this easier for families that do not have the time or energy to embark on this path themselves, but desperately need to put the strategies and solutions in place to provide peace of mind for tomorrow”.

Your Spectrum Financial Strategies Team MEET OUR DEDICATED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM

Karen Roy

Karen started her career with National Life in downtown Toronto but when her first child was born, visions of purchasing an affordable home led her to Barrie. After a short attempt at commuting, she found Richard McCaw, an advisor at the local North American Life office, who was in need of clerical support. She started as his assistant in October of 1991 and was thrilled to begin working closely with such wonderful families. So different from a Head Office background.

Learning the ropes and mentoring under a veteran in the industry led Karen to realize that this was where she was meant to make her mark. Karen purchased and incorporated Spectrum Financial Strategies in January of 2011.

Karen is committed to ongoing professional development in the financial services industry and proudly holds the Certified Financial Planner and Elder Planning Counselor designations and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute.

Karen has been a long standing and contributing member of Advocis, the Financial Advisors Association of Canada, and has supported and been on the executive of many local associations, such as LiveUp2, the Tourette Syndrome Association and Autism.

Karen enjoys spending time with her family, traveling with partner Dave, a challenging jig saw puzzle and her latest attempts at Paddleboarding.

Janet Farrell

Janet is our Senior Administrative Assistant responsible for managing all aspects of a clients file. Janet joined our Spectrum Team in May of 2000 and with her long tenure comes a wealth of experience in all areas of our business. She takes great pride in ensuring the families we work with are serviced to the highest standards. Janet is the strength behind the scenes that keeps our systems running smoothly.

Janet is renowned for her baking and enjoys spending quality time with her two daughters and her puppy Jaxx.

Cathy Bricker

Cathy is our newest administrative assistant, just joining the team in June of 2023. Cathy comes to us with strong administrative experience in the Financial Planning field – both in Canada, and the US. Cathy is enjoying getting to know our clients and loves the family atmosphere at Spectrum.

Cathy is a proud mom of 2 grown sons, and Gam Gam to her grandson, Watson. When she is not out trying new restaurants or visiting with friends, she is home with her two felines Boo and Buster.

Words from Clients & Community We pride ourselves in the exceptional work we do for our client families

I met Karen several years ago and am so grateful for her services. She is knowledgeable about all things in special needs financing which made the process of understanding next steps so easy. Her team is incredibly organized, punctual and responsive. But the real reason to connect with Karen as a financial advisor for your special needs family is because she is compassionate, kind and she leads with her heart. She understands first hand the struggles that many families face in getting services and finding their way through the web of paperwork and applications. She made everything easy for me and also my autistic adult son. When he has a financial problem she takes his phone calls and helps him personally. Karen is a gem and a support your want in your back pocket for those hard conversations about money, supports for you child now and planning for when you are gone. Karen gets it, she listens, she responds and I guarantee you will feel secure knowing she is taking care of the finances.

We initially met Karen during one of her Special Needs seminars back in 2016, as we have an autistic adult son. We've dealt with her (plus the staff at Spectrum Financial Services) ever since, not only having Karen set up & manage an RDSP for our son but opening RRSP accounts (as well as life insurance policies) for ourselves. We've exposed our younger son to our conversations & brought him along to meetings and he, too, has now set up investments through the office! Karen's detailed knowledge, calm demeanor and continued patience with us truly speak to the type of person she is. Our questions (sometimes the same ones again & again!) are answered in a timely manner, there is no judgment about our situation and thus we feel very comfortable speaking with Karen about private financial matters. We would highly recommend Karen's expertise in all things financial (and in particular, Special Needs planning); attend one of her seminars and you'll come to know Karen the way we do; not just a financial planner but also a friend!

I have sent numerous clients to Karen Roy over the years who were in need of special planning and weren't being properly served elsewhere. She is a compassionate intellect and everyone I have referred has told me they are very pleased to be working with her. She goes above and beyond for her clients, many of whom did not know what they did not know and were overjoyed by the opportunities she was able to provide to them. I am happy to have her on my roster as one of my preferred referrals.

My husband and I have had the pleasure of working with Karen Roy for several years. Karen has a wealth of knowledge regarding a special needs child. She understands that the special needs family dynamics can be quite different than other families, as are our financial requirements. Karen has helped us plan for our future and for the needs of our developmentally delayed son. In particular, her understanding of the Registered Disability Saving Plan (RDSP) was most helpful. We had spoken to other financial advisors/bankers over the years who were not as knowledgeable as she is. Karen truly cares about her clients. She does regular check ins, sends out a regular newsletter and is there when you call with a question. We can rest easy knowing our financial needs are being met and we are setting our son up for a stronger financial future. I feel truly blessed for having her in our lives.

In working with Karen, I have found her to go above and beyond my highest expectations. Her knowledge with regard to people with special needs, the tax benefits available to them and how to look after their future is 2nd to none. She is also really nice!