Counsel Announces Enhancements to Tiered Pricing Program

TORONTO, March 30, 2020 /CNW/ - Counsel Portfolio Services Inc. ("Counsel") today announced changes to its tiered pricing program that will go into effect April 1, 2020. The changes will benefit unitholders who consolidate their wealth in Counsel's investment solutions.

Tiered pricing added to Series A/B/T

Counsel is extending its management fee reduction program to include Series A, B and T units of the Counsel Funds, in addition to Series F and I units, which were already eligible for management fee reductions. As a result, all series* offered under the Counsel Funds' prospectus will now qualify for management fee reductions based on account asset levels as set out below. Management fee reductions increase based on a tiered schedule as asset thresholds increase.

For Series A, B, T, F, FT, and Private Wealth I, these reductions are paid in the form of quarterly distributions. Assets can also be householded for family members by request to increase the benefits of fee reductions.

Lowering thresholds and deepening discounts

Counsel is lowering the initial threshold for management fee reductions to $150,000. Previously, reductions were applied to eligible assets* above $250,000. Additionally, Counsel is increasing the discount for investors with combined assets above $1 million and providing additional reductions at $2 million and $7.5 million in eligible accounts. The revised schedule of fee reductions is as follows:

Total Holdings in Eligible Accounts	Management Fee Reduction on Investments Eligible for Fee Reductions
the first $150,000 (i.e., value from $0 - $150,000)	NIL
the next $350,000 (i.e., value from $150,001 - $500,000)	0.05%
the next $500,000 (i.e., value from $500,001 - $1,000,000)	0.10%
the next $1 million (i.e., value from $1,000,001 - $2,000,000)	0.40%
the next $5.5 million (i.e., value from $2,000,001 - $7,500,000)	0.45%
the remaining value (i.e., value over $7,500,000)	0.50%

"Investors will benefit from tiered pricing regardless of which series they're invested in, allowing them greater flexibility to determine how their portfolios are invested," said Kevin Hurlburt, Counsel's Executive Vice President, Products and Services. "By lowering our initial threshold to $150,000, a larger group of investors will now benefit from lower costs. And for higher-net-worth families, Counsel Portfolios are now even more cost-competitive."

*Subject to certain restrictions as detailed in Counsel’s Simplified Prospectus.

About Counsel Portfolio Services Inc.

Counsel is a subsidiary of Investment Planning Counsel Inc. ("IPC Inc."). With $4.7 billion in assets under management as at February 29, 2020, Counsel provides comprehensive, objective portfolio solutions utilizing the strength and expertise of third-party portfolio managers. Counsel, through IPC Inc., is a member of the IGM Financial Inc. (TSX: IGM) group of companies. IGM Financial is one of Canada's premier financial services companies.

SOURCE Investment Planning Counsel Inc.

Elyse Carney , Proof Inc., Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]