October 14th, 2021
Time for an RESP Checkup?
Set it and forget it. That’s an easy trap to fall into after opening a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). Simply choose your investments, make regular contributions – being sure to trigger the maximum annual Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) – and watch your investments grow…
October 7th, 2021
Retirement and the “Where” Factor
Have you thought about where you’ll enjoy your retirement? Hundreds of thousands of Canadian retirees believe the best place to spend winter is in the U.S. Sun Belt and other warm destinations. Many purchase vacation properties in Canada where they stay for long stretches throughout the year…
October 1st, 2021
How to Make Tax-Smart RESP Withdrawals
When it’s time to withdraw funds from a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), tax planning may be involved. It’s all because an RESP is composed of two pools of money, one taxable and one non-taxable – and you choose the pool for each withdrawal…
September 20th, 2021
Why Financial Life Should Involve Both Spouses
If you’re like most couples, each spouse ends up assuming responsibility for certain roles. Usually, that’s all well and good – but not when it comes to financial life. Here are several reasons why you’re better off when both spouses are involved in wealth management…
September 2nd, 2021
What Should I Do with My Inheritance?
If you've come into an inheritance, chances are likely that a loved one has passed. This will most likely be a difficult time for you, so it's important to refrain from making any rash decisions (for example, booking a month long vacation). Instead, it's suggested that you consider your long term goals, and put a heavy focus on securing your financial future…
August 26th, 2021
Will You Need Life and Health Insurance in Retirement?
During your working years, many types of insurance are usually considered to be necessary. For example, life insurance protects your family’s financial security and disability insurance protects your income. In retirement, life and health insurance is to a large extent optional, but may still be regarded as essential to many retirees…
August 12th, 2021
Prepare Your Executor
Unless you prepare properly, your executor could end up feeling more like a detective. Where are receipts for the final tax return? Where’s the life insurance policy? What, there’s an old bank account from 20 years ago? The job of the executor is involved enough without having to search for information and documents that could’ve been placed at their fingertips…
August 4th, 2021
Do You Have Assets That Can’t Be Divided?
A vacation property owner has always intended to hand down the property to her two children. However, she’s planning her estate and faces a challenge. Her adult daughter regularly vacations at the lakeside property, but her son lives three provinces away and is no longer interested in the property. The equal split no longer works…
July 20th, 2021
New Ways to Procure Clients: How Methods Have Adapted to Change
In the past, we would have had four or five in-person meetings, in order to build trust with new clients; but after COVID-19, it has become more of a challenge for people to connect with us “face-to-face”…
June 30th, 2021
Investing in the Home Stretch
For most people, investing changes as retirement approaches. The number one concern is usually wealth protection. If markets suffer a severe downturn just before your planned retirement, you want to know your nest egg will remain intact and you’ll still retire on time…