Desjardins Financial Security is launching Helios, its new Guaranteed Investment Fund Contract, on October 29.

Helios offers an a la carte approach to retirement planning that allows investors to design their own guarantees based on events in their lives, and to protect their capital. One of these solutions is the Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit (GMWB).

DFS says the GMWB option is attractive to clients who wish to take advantage of market returns during the active part of their retirement years while benefiting from a predictable and guaranteed income.

The GMWB option can be added to the client’s portfolio at any time, when it is needed the most, and pay the client an income of up to 7%, the highest on the market for a maximum of flexibility.

“Today’s investors want to maximize their investment dollars and at the same time protect their assets against market fluctuations,” says Claude Paré, senior director, product development and marketing, individual savings, at DFS.

With the a la carte formula of Helios, an investor can choose between three different capital security guarantees that offer protection at maturity and death of up to 100% of the capital over a 10-year period. It includes 31 investment funds diversified across all asset classes.