Paying down debt, building savings, emergency benefits This year has been particularly challenging for new graduates of post-secondary schools. Because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the last semester for most students was likely done online, as were exams and other...
Coping with withdrawal risks and benefiting from RRIF rule changes The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many retirement plans into disarray. The collapse of the stock market in March, volatility in bond prices, the crash of energy markets, and the shutdown...
Robyn Thompson is featured in BNN’s “The Open” with host John Erlichman, discussing how retirement planning is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and what retirees (and those ready to retire) can do to protect their nest-egg and secure their income streams into the...
Federal government’s CERB program up and running Effective April 6, the federal government’s Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provides eligible employed and self-employed Canadians whose employment has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic a defined amount...
Robyn Thompson is featured in The Globe and Mail’s “Financial Facelift” series by Diane Maley. At 53, with his house paid off and more than $1 million in savings, Randy was cruising to a comfortable retirement. But his plans were turned upside down when he was...
Yes, you can spruce up your personal finances for 2020 The beginning of the New Year is often a time to turn a new financial leaf: make a budget; pay down debt; save more. That’s all commendable, but these good intentions are mostly forgotten by, say, mid-February....
How to put your money on a leash A kind of money madness seizes people at this time of year. The expectation of ever-larger-better-bigger-pricier gifts is aided and abetted by retailers offering deals, promotions, and sales on all manner of shiny baubles and...
Robyn Thompson is featured in The Globe and Mail’s “Financial Facelift” series by Diane Maley. This time, high earners Toby and Cheryl wonder how to achieve their goals of a luxury lifestyle now while providing for their kids’ education and targeting an early...
Three basic RRSP maturity options Unlike a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) does not last forever. In fact, it has a specific date by which you must collapse the plan and choose one of three main options for what to do...
Robyn Thompson is featured in The Globe and Mail’s “Financial Facelift” series by Diane Maley. This time, Ruth, a retired teacher, is worried that her existing savings and reduced income won’t be enough to provide for her kids’ university education or support her...
What’s in it, who can see it, and why it’s important We often hear financial experts advising people to check their “credit score.” It’s a good idea to do that every year. That will give you an idea of what kind of risk lenders think you are. It can also signal if...
You’re in charge – make the most of it! After the ceremonies and speeches and mortarboard tossing, fresh new grads from colleges and universities have to leave their structured and sheltered life and start fending for themselves in the real world, many perhaps for...