One night in ancient times three horsemen were riding across a desert. As they crossed a dry bed, out of the darkness a voice called, “Halt!” and they obeyed. The voice then told them to dismount, pick up a handful of pebbles, put the pebbles in their pockets and remount. Continue reading
Category Archives: Blog
Ins and outs of mortgage insurance
If you have bought a home and are arranging a mortgage with a bank, you will probably be asked if you would like life insurance to pay off your mortgage in the event of your death.
Providing insurance to cover your debts when you die is sound financial planning. But should you purchase the bank’s plan or an individual policy? Continue reading
Retirement, Traveling and Living Abroad
Finally getting the opportunity to do some traveling is often at the top of people’s lists when asked about their retirement plans.
It is important, though, to think about what exactly your travel plans are and how those plans will affect your time and financial situation. For some people, travel means visiting exotic locations around the world, for others it is spending an extended time in a southern location such as Florida during the Canadian winters. Continue reading
Estate Planning for the Family Cottage
The summer is near and many of us will be leaving the city life to enjoy our favourite “home away from home”, our family cottage. For many these properties represent the second largest financial investment we will make. There is, however, an important difference between this property and your primary residence! On the last death of either you and your spouse, there will likely be a significant tax liability. Continue reading
Changes to the Canada Pension Plan
Today, Canadians are healthier, better educated and living longer. For some this means their retired years can equal their working years and funding retirement is becoming more difficult. As a result, more are working later in life. To adapt to the changing economic, labour market and demographic trends, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) will evolve to provide equity and flexibility to older workers. Continue reading
Key Considerations for Your Estate Plan
Whether your estate is of large or modest value, an estate plan should be part of your total financial strategy. In its essence, estate planning addresses the establishment or the continuation of a tradition, one that involves the building, preserving and transferring of assets in a tax-efficient manner. Continue reading
