9 Ways to Destroy Wealth
Taking the time and effort to manage your money better is certain to pay dividends in the future. By following the rules of careful money management, it is possible to cut out wasteful outgoings and increase savings, which can mean being $1,000s better off each year. Any of these extra savings can be put aside […]
Traveling in Retirement
One of the top retirement goals for many is travel. As many as 1.5 million so called “snowbirds” travel to the Southern United States during the winter. With summer just around the corner, thoughts turn to travel within our borders, too. The Canada Safety Council states that a few simple precautions can help ensure a […]
Investing Like the Rich Do
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” George Foreman. With RRSP season upon us, it might be useful to see how the wealthy invest their funds for some indication as to how they differ from average Canadians. As Baron Rothschild famously stated, “The time to buy is when there’s blood […]
Strategies to Enhance Your RRSPs
Since their introduction in 1957 as an incentive to save for retirement, Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) have evolved into the most popular savings vehicles in Canada. All too often, though, RRSP decisions are made in a panic to meet a deadline, with little or no planning or understanding of the effects of our actions. […]
The Client Interview
There is often a sense of nervousness when you go to your first meeting with a new financial planner or advisor. How should you approach the meeting? What and how much should you tell them? What results do you expect from the meeting and from any future interactions? Generally speaking, there are two approaches […]
The Quick Start RRSP
Maureen, age 20, figures she can save $400 each month; or she can keep frittering it away at the mall. She lives with her parents and they think she should save it. Dad says, “Put it into an RRSP and get a tax break as well.” Her friends think RRSPs are for old fogies and […]
China’s Global Impact
The August correction in the Chinese stock market led to a lot of “how terrible” news coverage and speculation as to whether or not this signaled the end of the China growth story and how it would impact the US and global economies. Calmer voices were more resolute in the midst of the chaos, […]
Group Insurance Will Look After Me, Won’t It?
Sally has been working for the same company for over twenty years. About a year ago, she was given a new group benefits booklet because her employer had switched insurance companies. Like most people, she put it aside and intended to read it when she “had the time.” Sally was just diagnosed with terminal cancer […]
Anatomy of a Market Correction
The origin of the recent stock market correction started earlier in the spring of this year. During the month of April, the Canadian, U.S. and many other global stock markets achieved new record highs. Instead of celebrating such a numerical milestone, many media commentators started wringing their hands in worry and expressing their fears […]
What Will Be Sacrificed
Many believe that if they need long term care, either in their home or in a facility, that the cost will be covered by provincial health care or other government agencies. While there are certain programs available, a significant portion of these costs are the responsibility of the patient. Ted and Martha had been […]
The Big Squeeze!
“Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state lives at the expense of everyone.” – Frederic Bastiat By the time that you read this article, it is very likely that the Federal elections will soon be over. When all the back slapping, hand wringing and hyper-analysis is […]
How Should I Insure My Mortgage?
Ron and Susan are arranging a mortgage and the banker asks if they’d like to include life insurance to pay it off on death. Sounds like a good idea, so they decide to take it. After filling out and signing a few more forms, they have it. Or would your family be better off […]
Life Insurance Tax Rules Changing
Starting in January 2017, the allowable cash value build up under tax rules in life insurance policies will change. The federal government introduced changes in December 2014 that are designed to modernize life insurance exempt testing rules as they have discovered that people are living longer and that their insurance policies will pay out later. […]
Inheritance: The Solution to Your Financial Struggles?
If you are sitting neck deep in debt, living beyond your means, and still calm and collected about your own financial well-being, then chances are, you are one of the many millions of people expecting an inheritance at some point in the future. Like other inheritance recipients, perhaps you are expecting your personal balance sheet […]
Top Retirement Tips
Convert RRSPs to income – Roger and Sarah, retired for several years, have delayed taking income from their RRSPs so they could enjoy the tax deferred growth as long as possible. They must start an income from their RRSPs before the end of the year they turn age 71. Review investment portfolio – Joanne […]
Financial Plans and Marriage Breakdown
Statistics show that about half of marriages end in divorce. Ed and Liz are ending theirs and are concerned about changes that will have to be made to their financial and estate plans. Some considerations, also in common-law relationships, are: Life Insurance – The first thing that needs to be done is review beneficiary […]
Retirement: The Promised Land or Crushing Boredom?
For years, you have been anticipating that last day at work. When it finally arrives, will it live up to your expectations? Retirement looks different in everyone’s imagination. For some, it means never wearing a tie again – for any reason. For others, it means traveling the world in designer clothes while attending fancy […]
World Reserve Currency Regime
Canadians, like many nationalities, have a home bias when it comes to investing. The majority, if not all of their investments, such as RRSPs, real estate, mutual funds, segregated funds and businesses, are in Canada and are tied to its future economic growth. These Canadian investments could see reduced returns in the future, however, […]
Millennial Money Mistakes
Investors who start saving at a young age automatically have one of the most powerful assets on their side: Time. To get ahead financially, young adults should beware of some of the most common pitfalls discussed below that can all too easily sabotage a financial success strategy. Not Taking Saving Seriously At the dawn […]
Redefining Retirement
Retirement used to mean a gold watch, a pension and spending time on hobbies or new pastimes. For some this may still be true, but times have changed and there are new realities that will affect how retirement will look in the future. The largest segment of the population in Canada today, the “Baby […]
Pay Down Debt or Retire in Comfort?
Increasingly consumers in major Canadian cities such as Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver or Toronto, are faced with a dilemma of how to best manage their cash flow in the face of record mortgage and consumer debt. A February poll by CIBC asked Canadians whether, if they had extra funds they would contribute to an RRSP […]
Tax Avoidance Strategy: Pension-Splitting
One out of every three workers is covered by a registered pension plan (RPP). That’s over 6 million people. Like all hard-working Canadians, they are looking forward to a satisfying retirement. Nothing helps create a pleasant experience in your golden years like a steady stream of income every month. What if you found out […]
Evolution of an Investor
Sometimes during social events or other gatherings a person will approach someone in the financial services business with an opening question: “I hear you do investments. What kind of returns can I expect?”. The type of questions asked by individuals are usually a good indication of their investing experience. Newer (younger) investors are often […]
Living Longer & Retiring Faster
Over the last one hundred years, every new generation of Canadians has enjoyed the benefit of a longer life expectancy. With dramatic improvements in health care, the human life span has never been longer. Additionally, some have set their sights on early retirement. The combination of living longer and retiring earlier creates a serious cash […]
Is Probate Right for Your Estate?
Estate planning can be an overwhelming process. Whether it is your own estate or you are the executor for someone else, the checklist can seem never-ending. A financial advisor can help make sure your checklist is complete before you start checking the boxes. One of those items on the checklist is probate, the legal […]
The Either / Or Financial Decision
When it comes to making financial decisions most people focus on eitheror scenarios; that is making a tactical decision that may or may not reflect a larger financial strategy or wealth accumulation context. We often see these types of isolated, one-off decision choices in media articles that pose dilemmas such as: Is it better […]
Thinking Like the Rich
There are some things that the rich do and the way they think that makes them different from you and me. These habits contribute to their ability to build and maintain long-lasting wealth and financial independence across several generations. The first lesson is that they tend to live below their means in terms of […]
Naming Beneficiaries for Your RSPs
Most people list tax elimination or minimization as a top priority in their estate plans. For most, Registered Savings Plans (RSPs), which includes RRSPs and RRIFs, are one of their most significant assets. Most RSP accounts hold investment funds or securities that are very liquid, often accessible within a few days. Unlike most other […]
QE Continues
Quantitative Easing, otherwise referred to in the media as ‘QE’, refers to governments printing money out of thin air in order to stimulate economic growth. The US ended their program of QE in late 2014. The impression this left with many people was that the need for economic stimulus ended. This also goes hand […]
Insurance for Young Adults
As they take the big step of moving out of their parents’ home and into their first apartment or other living quarters, the last thing on a young person’s mind is insurance. Yet, this is an area of great importance as they also begin their journey on the road to financial wealth and health. […]
