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...
Robyn Thompson is featured in The Globe and Mail’s “Financial Facelift” series by Diane Maley. Mark and Meredith are well positioned financially with robust cash flow, and want to retire, but they still have mortgages on rental properties. Should they pay off the...
These plans will help you create tax-free dollars If your New Year’s financial resolutions have already evaporated, despite your best intentions, you might try just one more: create tax-free dollars. There’s no special magic involved here. Nor is there any...
How to cope with higher education’s sticker shock There’s no two ways around it: The cost of a post-secondary education is high. For some, it’s a real challenge to make ends meet while attending college or university. In fact, students can expect to pay a total of...
Tax-free investments and withdrawals It’s tax-filing season for most Canadians, and naturally, the advice and tips you get right now involve maximizing your immediate tax savings by making sure you take all the credits, deductions, and amounts you’re entitled to....
Let’s say you’ve accumulated a nest egg of $1 million at age 65, through pension plans, perhaps a significant RRSP, TFSA contributions, some inheritances, and possibly some money left over from downsizing your home. You’re ready to retire, and you have to decide...
Reach that magic number even if you start at 40 It’s sometimes said that you need at least a $1 million retirement fund to maintain the kind of lifestyle you want after age 65. But starting at, say, age 40, can that even be done? The good news is that it is...
A (very) short post-graduate course in personal finance Here’s a commencement speech you won’t hear at most graduation ceremonies: As a new grad, the most important lesson you’ll have to learn after leaving school is to live within your means and not spend more...
Pay no tax on investments or withdrawals The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) confirmed that the annual contribution limit for Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA) will remain unchanged at $5,500 for 2018, bringing total contribution room available since the introduction of...
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...
Beat the taxman with a Tax-Free Savings Account! Yes, you can beat the taxman! In fact, you have the legal right to arrange your financial affairs within the law to pay the least amount of taxes possible. Make sure you exercise that right. This is legitimate tax...
The good news is it’s not an either-or decision Many investors are torn between contributing to an RRSP and putting funds into a TFSA. Is one plan better than the other? In fact, both vehicles are excellent tax shelters, but each serves a different purpose. Here’s...