By Surbhi Bhatia
Diwali, known as the festival of lights, has a vibrant tradition of activities centered around wealth, such as investing in gold or jewelry or buying things for your home.
Many worship Goddess Lakshmi, invoking her blessings to bring money and prosperity. Despite a cultural connection between women and money, many South Asian women shy away from financial education, viewing it as a man’s domain.
This Diwali, Jeet Dhillon, Senior Portfolio Manager at TD Wealth, encourages South Asian families—especially women—to think about their own financial literacy to take control of their future, at least where money is concerned. Financial literacy, she says, is the ability to understand how money works—how it is earned, managed and spent.
As a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder and a member of the CFA Institute and the Toronto CFA Society, Jeet’s financial journey has been personal and professional. Born in India and raised in Alberta, she learned the value of financial discipline early in life. Her father sacrificed his white-collar job in India and moved to Canada in hopes of a better future for his children. Though her mother lacked formal education, she managed finances well and planned for their future. Her family’s conversations about money shaped her understanding of finances at a young age. Her strong affinity towards mathematics naturally led her to pursue finance as a career.
Jeet graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Simon Fraser University. Soon after graduating, she began working at TD where her ability to understand customers and clients’ needs allowed her to empower, educate and help the community. This led to swift promotions within the bank. Working for individual clients and big companies, she drew upon the vast resources at TD to provide her clients with the highest level of service and support in attaining their objectives.
Through her 25 years of working with customers and clients, she recognized the gender gap within the community regarding financial knowledge. As a result, Jeet has pioneered and led several initiatives geared toward advocating for and empowering women in the South Asian community throughout her career.
“As the baby boomer generation ages, there is a wealth transfer coming1 and women may acquire significant wealth in the coming years,” she says. “Lacking the financial knowledge to navigate inheritance, taxes, investing and saving can create uncertainty. Thus, financial literacy will be even more crucial for women. As multitaskers, we think very holistically about the well-being of our families, which makes us naturally equipped to take care of finances.”
Jeet emphasizes the importance of women learning to handle wealth efficiently to ensure they’re not left vulnerable or anxious in times of uncertainty. TD Wealth has long been committed to supporting women through community outreach or offering financial advice tailored to their needs.
Diwali is a time to invest and declutter. Jeet encourages families and women to restructure their finances, too. “We live in a time when technology has made spending money easier. Previously, managing finances required more effort—writing cheques and manually tracking spending. But today, with the ease of digital payments, it’s all too simple to spend with a tap.”
“It is essential to have financial conversations with your family,” Jeet explains. “It’s vital to building an accurate picture of your financial life, empowering family members to feel in control of their money and creating holistic plans for their future.”
Jeet understands that investing, especially in a time of inflation, can be challenging.
“Even setting aside a small amount each month makes a difference. It builds confidence in your ability to manage your finances.”
Her approach goes beyond the usual advice to save more and spend less. Jeet advocates for a broader conversation on personal finance, focusing on investing, insurance and retirement planning. Check out TD.com/wealth to get connected an advisor either in person or remotely and start making a plan for your financial future.
1https://www.investopedia.com/finacial-advisor/women-and-great-wealth-transfer/
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