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TFSA contribution room calculator Jan 11th
Find out your current tax-free savings account (TFSA) contribution limit by using this calculator.
TFSA is a bit of a misnomer. While you can use it for straightforward savings, think of it more accurately as an investment holding account to store things like exchange-traded funds .... More »
Is a vacation home a good investment? + MORE Sep 21st
The benefits of owning a vacation property are obvious. A cottage, cabin, condo or trailer a short drive from your home can provide a quick weekend recharge. A property down south can serve as a regular vacation destination or a winter home for a snowbird.
Sometimes, emotions are the motivat.... More »
How to qualify for EI benefits in retirement in Canada Feb 21st
Ask MoneySense
I’m a 75-year-old male, working part-time and contributing to EI every two weeks; and have for 10 years.
I do have CPP and OAS income.
Do I qualify to collect EI benefits for a period of time if I retire this year? I’ve paid contributions for 10 years and now plan to ret.... More »
How GreenShield+ Will Revolutionize Canada’s Health Care and Benefits Experience Apr 14th
Imagine it’s a Monday morning and you’ve woken up with a fever and a pounding headache. Instead of waiting in line at a nearby walk-in clinic, you reach for your phone, open an app and connect with a doctor in a matter of minutes. Do you require medication? Imagine receiving a prescription in re.... More »
Fire insurance claims: When to tell your home insurance provider + MORE Sep 12th
“You don’t have to file a home insurance claim if you have a house fire,” is not something you would expect to hear from insurance experts. But in the wake of the increasing fire-related fatality numbers from the Ontario Fire Marshal, we couldn’t help but ask.
First, the numbers. Between Jan.... More »
Feds propose changes to spread mortgage risks
– moneysense.ca
OTTAWA – The federal government formally launched consultations Friday to explore potential changes that would shift some of the financial risk tied to insured mortgages from the shoulders of taxpayers to lenders, such as the banks.Under Canada’s current system, lenders are able to transfer virtually all of the risk from insured mortgages to insurers, which are indirectly backstopped by taxpayers, the government said.
The Finance Department has been examining the possibility of making such a change for a couple of years and it’s now seeking more input.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced the consultations into so-called “lender risk sharing” earlier this month as part of a package of changes related to Canada’s housing market.
.cbR{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:100%;margin:1em 0;border:1px solid #bbb;padding:.5em}@media (min-width:480px){.cbR{width:250px;margin:0 0 1em 1em;float:right}}Mortgage insurance changes will impact buyers and banks
The consultations are designed to help Ottawa determine whether having lenders absorb a modest chunk of loan losses on insured-mortgage defaults would help shore up stability in the system…
How to cut your auto insurance costs
– moneysense.ca
In 2013, the Liberal government of Ontario made a promise to bring down car insurance rates. The good news is that premiums in general have come down about 8.5% since then. Still, that doesn’t mean that average car insurance premiums are necessarily low. Earlier this month, Kanetix.ca released research showing that Brampton is the most expensive Ontario city in which to insure a car, with Vaughan coming in as a close second. In fact, 10 of the Top 11 areas where insurance premiums are highest were in the Greater Toronto Area. Brampton had an average insurance premium rate of $2,392 a year for a single, 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record while Vaughn came in at $2,018. (The average Ontario car insurance premium is $1,348). The lowest rates? Sudbury ($1,221), Barrie ($1,366) and Peterborough ($1,054).But MoneySense wanted to know why certain areas charged more for auto insurance. So we talked to Kanetix.ca vice-president Janine White. White says that there are a lot of things that go into determining an area’s car insurance premium but it all comes down to the average claims costs of the area…
Do we really need a will right now?
– moneysense.ca
In our April 2016 issue of MoneySense, we introduced you to Shannon Jarrett, 37, and her partner Marcin Duran, 34. They’re trying to track their money, come up with shared goals and cash in bad habits. Throughout the year we’ll be giving them a financial challenge every month to help them get her finances in tip top shape. Make sure to follow along! Their last challenge had them reading Stop Over-Thinking Your Money!: The Five Simple Rules of Financial Success, by Preet Banerjee..cbR{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:100%;margin:1em 0;border:1px solid #bbb;padding:.5em}@media (min-width:480px){.cbR{width:250px;margin:0 0 1em 1em;float:right}}Can one phone call help us get out of debt?
What Shannon had to say
After reading Stop Over-Thinking Your Money!, by Preet Banerjee, a couple of key things came to mind: First, that I really need to look into our life insurance coverage. How much life insurance do we have through work and what does that cover? Is that enough? My thinking is that if our house is paid off (which we aim to do as quickly as possible) then we’ll be okay…
