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The GIC Laddering Strategy: Reach for Returns with Safety Jun 20th
When you save for retirement through investing, you have two main goals: to grow your money but also to protect what you put in from being wiped out.
So, for most people, it makes sense to put a portion of their money into fixed-income products that keep their principal safe and provide a steady s.... More »
Condo maintenance fees: How much is too much? Jun 29th
Condos are a popular choice for many first-time homebuyers owing to their lower price point and access to amenities such as gyms and pools. But as well as a mortgage, condo owners are responsible for monthly maintenance fees that support operating costs for the building, among other aspects, and it&.... More »
The best Air Miles credit cards in Canada for 2024 Jul 10th
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Best Air Miles credit cards in Canada for 2024
With new partners and more ways to earn and redeem than before, Air Miles may be on its way up. These cards are the best the loyalty program has to offer.
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.... More »
The best credit cards in Canada for 2024 Aug 8th
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The best credit cards in Canada for 2024
Whether you’re looking for rewards, low fees or valuable perks like travel insurance or airport lounge access, we can help.
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By Keph Sen.... More »
Prospective home buyers feel the heat over new mortgage rules, but all hope is not lost, industry leaders say Jul 10th
Mortgage default insurance is mandatory on down payments between five and 19.99 per cent, and as of July 1 it will be even harder to qualify through the national housing agency. But don’t panic just yet..... More »
An annuity that pays off —if you live long enough
– moneysense.ca
(By Khongtham /Shutterstock.com)The “tontine” is a centuries old idea that seems poised for revival in time to prevent the tsunami of retiring Canadian baby boomers from outliving their money. Finance professor and author Moshe Milevsky thinks a new form of longevity insurance proposed this week by the CD Howe Institute is “a great idea.”
One of the problems of the decline of Defined Benefit pension plans in the private sector is that the alternatives do not provide the same sort of “mortality credits” that DB plans provide: in effect, those who die early subsidize those with longer lifetimes. RRSPs and TFSAs also lack this feature.
MORE: How to retire at 55 with $586,000
Add in extended longevity and chronically low interest rates and the proverbial warning about seniors eating cat food is again becoming current. About the only place DB plans are thriving is in the public sector, so it’s ironic that the public sector is being asked to come to the rescue of the next generation of impoverished seniors…
Can I cancel my mortgage life insurance? It’s too costly
– moneysense.ca
Q: My daughter and her husband did not earn enough, so my wife and I decided that we would help them by putting her name on the mortgage for the purchase of a new-build condo in Hamilton, Ontario. We opted to go with RBC and the mortgage was approved at a rate of 2.65%. In order to get the mortgage, however, my wife, who is currently 64-years-old, my daughter and I had to agree to purchase mortgage life insurance. We pay around $315 per month each, for a total monthly payment of $945. This is in addition to the monthly mortgage payment of $1,485. My question is whether or not this mortgage life insurance is mandatory or can I cancel it?
—Masood K.
A: Masood, first, let me congratulate you and your family. Getting into the housing market can be tough for younger adults and it’s nice to know that you were willing to help your daughter and her husband out. Plus, Hamilton, Ontario is a growing city and it appears poised for growth over the next decade.
Now, in relation to your question if the mortgage life insurance is mandatory…
Federal deficit through first eight months of fiscal year totals $9.1 billion
– canadianbusiness.com
OTTAWA _ The federal government’s deficit for the first eight months of the current fiscal year was smaller than a year earlier as revenue growth outpaced increases in spending.
According to the latest fiscal monitor, Ottawa rang up a deficit of $9.1 billion for the period from April to November, compared with a shortfall of $12.7 billion in the same months of the previous fiscal year.
The monthly report says revenues were up $8.8 billion, or 4.8 per cent, as an increase in tax revenues was partially offset by a decrease in employment insurance premium revenues.
Program spending increased up $5.8 billion, or 3.2 per cent, reflecting increases in major transfers to persons and other levels of government and direct program expenses.
Public debt charges were down $500 million, or 3.0 per cent, largely due to a lower average effective interest rate.
The government’s fall economic update projected a spending shortfall of $18.4 billion for the financial year ending March 31, down from the $25…
According to the latest fiscal monitor, Ottawa rang up a deficit of $9.1 billion for the period from April to November, compared with a shortfall of $12.7 billion in the same months of the previous fiscal year.
The monthly report says revenues were up $8.8 billion, or 4.8 per cent, as an increase in tax revenues was partially offset by a decrease in employment insurance premium revenues.
Program spending increased up $5.8 billion, or 3.2 per cent, reflecting increases in major transfers to persons and other levels of government and direct program expenses.
Public debt charges were down $500 million, or 3.0 per cent, largely due to a lower average effective interest rate.
The government’s fall economic update projected a spending shortfall of $18.4 billion for the financial year ending March 31, down from the $25…
