How to know if you’re the target of a fraud attempt March is fraud prevention month, and it’s a great time to remind readers that the financial sea is full of sharks, circling the naïve and unprepared, and ready to take you for every cent you’ve got. The bad guys...
Decide what you really, really want Around this time of year, many people are beset by doubts and anxieties about their financial situation – especially after the no-holds-barred holiday spending season. But don’t despair – there’s a way to bring order to your...
Robyn Thompson is regularly featured in The Toronto Star’s “Money Makeover” series by Deanne Gage. This month, Money Makeover takes a look at Angela and Roy, two primary school teachers who earn high incomes but are clueless about investments. They need to save for...
How to control spending and cut credit card balances November is Financial Literacy Month in Canada. And this year’s theme is “Take charge of your finances: It pays to know.” That little slogan was never more true than when dealing with personal debt, especially...
How RESPs pay out for post-secondary expenses If you have kids going off to college or university this fall, you’ll be tapping into any savings you’ve made through a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). But those payments aren’t treated like a bank account....
Read Robyn’s advice on how to stop being broke Young singles are a special breed. Definitely independent, confident in their ability to fend for themselves. And with a career underway, they’re thinking about growing that nest-egg for their retirement years. But how...
Robyn Thompson is regularly featured in The Toronto Star’s “Money Makeover” series by Deanne Gage. This month, Money Makeover takes a look at Justine and Gary, a couple with two young children, well-paying jobs, and who are living well within their means. The...
Make paying down your student loan a priority If you just graduated from university or college, you may or may not have a job in your field of study. What you probably do have is a pretty hefty student loan debt load. Many students wonder how they’re going to pay...
Sorting out “successor survivor” vs. “designated beneficiary” When you open a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), you’ll likely be asked whether you wish to specify something called a “successor holder” or whether you want to designate a beneficiary. If you’re not...
How to avoid getting conned, scammed, bilked, and defrauded online Do-it-yourself investors may have run across investing websites that promise huge returns if you trade something called “binary options.” They make it seem like a pretty easy way to make a quick...
Take stock of your entire financial situation 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. A better...
You must act by Dec. 31! If you turned 71 this year, and you still have an RRSP, you have until Dec. 31 this year to convert it into another type of tax-sheltered plan. If you don’t, the Canada Revenue Agency can take away up to half of whatever is in your RRSP....