Allan Norman, Financial Advisor and Wealth Planner

Meet Allan Norman

Allan Norman, CFP, CIM, is a Certified Financial Planner and founding partner of Atlantis Financial Inc., where he offers flat-fee financial planning. He also serves as an associate portfolio manager with a fiduciary duty at Aligned Capital Partners Inc. (ACPI). As a regular columnist for MoneySense and a contributor to the Financial Post, Norman stays current on industry developments and continually looks for ways to simplify complex financial topics for his clients and readers.

Norman began his career in 1995. After two years as a life insurance agent and two years working at a bank, he founded Atlantis Financial Inc. Over time he developed a three-step, interactive approach to financial planning that starts with life planning, moves to detailed financial planning, and ends with tailored advice on taxes, investments, and insurance.

He believes an interactive, collaborative approach produces better outcomes than the traditional model of collecting client data, preparing a plan in isolation, and then delivering it as a finished product. When clients are involved throughout the planning process, the plan is more realistic, better understood, and more likely to be followed.

Outside the office, Norman enjoys ping-pong, sailing and skiing. He likes to travel — sometimes flying to Miami for a break — and spends quality time traveling with his children. His wife’s mild brain injury prevents her from traveling far, which has influenced how and where the family spends time together.

If you’re curious about experiencing financial planning firsthand, Norman offers a complimentary Zoom consultation. In about an hour he will learn your goals and financial picture and you’ll both be able to decide if his approach is a good fit.

Why did you become a planner?

For Norman, financial planning is fundamentally about helping people achieve what they want from life. He finds satisfaction in guiding clients toward clearly defined goals and seeing the tangible results of that work. His path to financial planning began after an earlier career in land-use planning during the late 1980s. As market conditions changed, he transitioned into finance—sparked in part by an early interest in investing.

What is your approach to financial planning?

Norman’s process is evidence-driven and pragmatic. He focuses on the practical reality that everyone has a finite time to enjoy their money, so the central question becomes: how do you use your resources to live the life you want? He combines objective data with a client’s personal priorities to develop plans that are both realistic and actionable.

What is your proudest achievement as a financial planner?

One of his greatest achievements is sustaining long-term relationships with clients—some that span three decades. Norman values seeing clients travel, retire on schedule, successfully sell businesses, support their children, and generally live the lives they planned for. He also takes pride in contributing to public financial literacy through his writing for MoneySense and the Financial Post.

What is a client success story you can share?

Norman once worked with a prospective client who feared she didn’t have enough money to retire. After reviewing her finances, he demonstrated she had sufficient resources. She retired but remained anxious about spending. The real breakthrough came when she impulsively took a last-minute vacation; that confidence to spend on meaningful experiences marked a clear shift in her relationship with money.

What would you do if money were no object?

Norman enjoys his work and the clients he helps, so he would likely continue doing meaningful work while taking more time to travel with family. He particularly remembers sailing in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey on a 1956 Oyster and would happily do that again—along with spending more extended time in places like Miami and other family-friendly destinations.

What is the best money advice you ever received?

Norman recalls guidance from the book Uncommon Cents: Benjamin Franklin Secrets to Achieving Personal Financial Success about structuring one’s banking to limit unnecessary spending and ensure funds are available for the things that matter. He’s also learned from observing clients who delayed important experiences despite having sufficient means, underscoring the importance of balancing saving and living.

What is the worst money advice you ever received?

He doesn’t point to a single piece of bad advice, but reflects that being overly frugal can be a mistake if it causes missed experiences with family. With hindsight, Norman recognizes the value of striking a balance between saving for security and spending on meaningful life moments.

Contact Allan Norman

• 📍 Barrie, Ont.
• 🔗 Atlantis Financial Inc.
• ☎️ (705) 408-0140

• linkedin.com/allannorman/