Getting Serious About Savings & Investing
We are now well into 2015 and your New Year’s Resolution to do a better job of managing your money are already being forgotten. As the late Sir John Templeton famously stated, the best time to invest is when you have money! The challenge for many people, with many middle-class people just struggling to make […]
Your Retirement Income May Be at Risk
Ted and Martha had about $600,000 in their RRIFs generating the minimum monthly income of almost $4,000 before taxes. Then disaster struck. Ted developed a cognitive impairment. Martha was able to look after him at home for a little over a year, but eventually had to place him in an extended care facility. Depending on […]
Stretching Your Retirement Income
In this, the final installment of the series, Financial Strategies Simplified, we take a look at how to stretch your retirement income no matter how modest the starting balance. There is a common misconception amongst clients that the day they retire their approach to investing and managing their RRSPs etc. has to change. But the […]
Get More From Your RRSP
The so-called RRSP Season is on its way. TV, newspapers and magazines will soon be full of advertising to get you to make your last-minute RRSP deposits. And then RRSPs and retirement planning are often forgotten until the next deadline. But a little advance planning will get you more from your RRSP. Start early. It’s […]
How to Tell When a Senior Needs Help With Finances
As we age, it becomes more likely that we may lose track of our finances. It could be because of physical reasons (failing eyesight, shaky hands, etc.), mental reasons (memory loss, cognitive impairment, etc.), or a little of both. It is common for someone not to seek help because of pride or fear of losing […]
Predicting the Future
Human nature includes the desire to predict and or anticipate both the immediate and longer term future. The reason for doing so is often to eliminate or reduce the fear or anxiety about the unknown. Human beings detest uncertainty and will do almost anything to reduce this uncertainty. In ancient times people made special offers […]
Basics For a Wise Financial Strategy
Before a sky scraper can reach for the clouds, it needs a very strong foundation. Once the building is complete, the foundation is virtually unseen. The same goes for our financial strategies. Following are the basics of a strong financial foundation: Budget – Governments and businesses use budgets to properly allocate resources. It’s known as […]
Year-End Tax Planning Ideas
The following are some ideas for individuals and business owners to reduce income taxes as 2014 draws to a close. Individuals should consider doing their RRSP contributions before the RRSP rush in the first 60 days of 2015. You can get better values by buying today than when all the last minute procrastinators rush to […]
The Three ECs of Life Insurance
Life insurance is initially purchased for any of a number of reasons. As time goes by, many people question why they are still carrying their policies as the original purpose no longer applies. Here are the three uses of life insurance: Estate Creation – When Ralph and Alice bought their first life insurance policies, they […]
Financial Strategies for the ‘University Years’
Many parents wrestle with the dilemma of how much financial support to provide their children attending post-secondary programs. The costs today are much greater than what the parents paid for similar schooling some thirty or more years ago. Tuition costs alone have risen at least tenfold since the 1970’s for a basic humanities degree, never […]