News, Articles, & Events

According to Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians living alone has reached a record high. In fact, the one-person household is the most common household type. Financial life is different for singles compared to families or couples without children. Here are some of the ways singles can plan for those differences. CREATING A SAFETY NET Spouses in a couple have … Read More

There’s a myth that surfaces every once in a while. It suggests a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) isn’t worthwhile because of the tax on eventual withdrawals. The myth is based on comparing RRSPs and non-registered accounts only by the taxation of withdrawals. All RRSP or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) withdrawals are taxed as income at your marginal tax … Read More

If you haven’t accounted for your digital property in your will or another document, you’re not alone. This is often overlooked when planning an estate. Digital property can be broadly categorized as either personal or financial. Personal assets can include social media accounts, photo and video collections, blogs and personal websites. Digital financial property may include bank and investment accounts, … Read More

The first things that come to mind when you think of estate planning might be your will, beneficiaries and executor or estate administrator. However, another key element is planning for the tax liability on your estate’s assets. The tax liability could be significant. Take the example of an estate that includes $300,000 in a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), $100,000 … Read More

Giving a financial gift to a grandchild can be tremendously satisfying, knowing you’re helping to make a difference in a loved one’s life. The first step is choosing when to make a gift. You can make financial gifts to grandchildren while you’re living or upon your passing. If you give now, you’re able to experience how you’re helping out. Also, … Read More

Unused funds could remain in an RESP if the child doesn’t pursue or complete post-secondary education or if they graduate without needing all of the funds. If that’s the situation, you have several choices. Support another child. If you have one or more other children under 21, the remaining funds can help cover their education costs, either through a family … Read More

Withdrawals from a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) are different than those from other registered plans. With an RESP, some withdrawals are taxable, while others are not. This means you need to do some tax planning when you withdraw funds. YOUR RESP HAS TWO POOLS An RESP account consists of two pools of funds. One pool is exclusively your original … Read More

You may think you’ll never fall victim to phishing attacks, but new technologies are making online and phone scams more dangerous. Also, other family members could be at risk. Phishing is the umbrella term for scams that fraudsters attempt through your computer or devices. Smishing, or SMS phishing, refers to text message scams. Vishing is voice phishing—scam attempts over the … Read More

The Canadian Securities Administrators, an umbrella organization of provincial and territorial securities regulators, introduced a measure two years ago to help protect investors’ financial interests. Investors could give their advisor the name of a “trusted contact person.” MEETING A NEED An advisor can contact this individual if the advisor believes the investor may be losing their ability to make sound … Read More

Across the country, a vacation property may be known as a cottage, cabin, chalet or camp. One thing they all share is a looming tax liability. When a vacation property is sold or transferred, the owner must pay tax on the capital gain. If an individual purchased a vacation property for $300,000 and sold it for $800,000, they would realize … Read More