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You have to sell a cemetery plot—will you owe capital gains tax? + MORE May 21st
Ask MoneySense
I am the executor of an estate that includes an empty cemetery plot. Is this plot subject to a capital gains tax when I sell it for the estate beneficiaries?
—Brian
Taxes on the sale of a cemetery plot
As real estate prices have risen and as vacant land for cemeteries in b.... More »
Why everyone feels like they’re in the middle class + MORE Jun 17th
Aerial view over the Montreal suburb and middle class homes. (FOTOimage/Getty Images)
Most Canadians think of themselves as middle class. In fact, the term is so elastic that politicians know they have just about everybody’s ear when they talk about “middle class” goals and aspirations. W.... More »
Making sense of the markets this week: September 28 Sep 27th
Each week, Cut the Crap Investing founder Dale Roberts shares financial headlines and offers context for Canadian investors.
Is beating the market a thing of the past?
There are many reasons why it gets harder and harder to beat the market. Even for the likes of Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett.... More »
Cameron in Parliament for 1st time since offshore funds row + MORE Apr 11th
LONDON – British Prime Minister David Cameron, under pressure over his admission of a past investment in an offshore fund, is about to face lawmakers for the first time since the Panama Papers scandal shed light on the tax-haven tactics of the rich and famous.
Opposition leaders say they will .... More »
“Get to know and minimize the investing fees you pay”: Michael McCullough, MoneySense contributing editor + MORE Oct 30th
Financial writer and editor Michael McCullough has made a career of helping Canadians understand a wide range of money topics, from real estate to alternative investments. In addition to being a MoneySense contributor and contributing editor, Michael writes for The Globe and Mail and BCBusiness, and.... More »
TransCanada Corp , Canada’s second-largest pipeline company saw its profit decline despite higher earnings from its Keystone systems.
Banking group Standard Chartered is slashing 15,000 jobs worldwide and plans to raise $5.1 billion US from shareholders through a rights issue as part of a major restructuring to shore up its financial position.
Personality plays a key role when investing: BCSC
– moneysense.ca
When it comes to choosing investments, personality may have more to do with it than advisors and their clients realize. In fact, a study by the BCSC finds that an investor’s personality plays a key role, particularly when he works with an advisor.
The study asks Canadians whether they knew their investment goals, were confident their investments were suitable, understood the investments in their portfolio, and were confident when making investment decisions. The study measures the current state of how investors feel about these issues, giving respondents a score between 0 and 100.
The study also looks at Canadian investors’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours to understand how they differ when they work with an advisor and when they do not. In all cases, those who know, feel, and do the right things report attitudes that give them a higher index rating.
One key finding reveals that while Canadians in general—investors and non-investors alike—index at 62 on the 100-point scale…
The study asks Canadians whether they knew their investment goals, were confident their investments were suitable, understood the investments in their portfolio, and were confident when making investment decisions. The study measures the current state of how investors feel about these issues, giving respondents a score between 0 and 100.
The study also looks at Canadian investors’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours to understand how they differ when they work with an advisor and when they do not. In all cases, those who know, feel, and do the right things report attitudes that give them a higher index rating.
One key finding reveals that while Canadians in general—investors and non-investors alike—index at 62 on the 100-point scale…
Shell defends BG deal in time of low oil prices, promises $1 billion in savings
– canadianbusiness.com
LONDON – Royal Dutch Shell outlined Tuesday its strategy for making its merger with BG profitable in a world with falling oil prices, revealing another $1 billion in cost savings from the deal.
Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden said cost savings for the deal are now expected to be $2 billion, bringing total synergies to $3.5 billion in 2018. Examples include savings on corporate costs such as real estate.
“The $1 billion increase is in operating cost synergies and has arisen from both de-risking our original assumptions but also from identifying further opportunities,” he told reporters on a conference call. “Plans also call for $1.5 billion of synergies for the combined exploration portfolio in 2018.”
Shell agreed to buy British rival BG Group for 47 billion pounds ($69.7 billion) in April, in a deal widely seen as an effort by the energy company to adapt to lower prices. The deal will boost Shell’s oil and gas reserves by 25 per cent and give it a bigger presence in the fast-growing liquefied natural gas market…
Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden said cost savings for the deal are now expected to be $2 billion, bringing total synergies to $3.5 billion in 2018. Examples include savings on corporate costs such as real estate.
“The $1 billion increase is in operating cost synergies and has arisen from both de-risking our original assumptions but also from identifying further opportunities,” he told reporters on a conference call. “Plans also call for $1.5 billion of synergies for the combined exploration portfolio in 2018.”
Shell agreed to buy British rival BG Group for 47 billion pounds ($69.7 billion) in April, in a deal widely seen as an effort by the energy company to adapt to lower prices. The deal will boost Shell’s oil and gas reserves by 25 per cent and give it a bigger presence in the fast-growing liquefied natural gas market…
Build a portfolio to leave a legacy
– moneysense.ca
Niilo Khartikaine, the 90-year-old electrical technician and retired president of the Princess Auto chain of stores, has a plan. Last month, he set aside $60,000 in an investment account with the aim of growing it to $500,000 in 30 years so that his legacy—the family cottage on the Winnipeg River—can be rebuilt by his grandchildren, from scratch. “I bought the cottage 27 years ago and it was my retirement project,” says Niilo, who wants a low-cost, tax-efficient portfolio. “I don’t want to pay high MERs and I want the portfolio to be simple to manage so my adult kids can keep it on track over the long term.”
Certified investment advisor Shannon Dalziel of PWL Capital in Toronto says that in order for Niilo’s investment of $60,000 to grow to $500,000 in 30 years, he needs an average annual rate of return of between 7.3% and 9.1% before taxes and fees. “To achieve that amount of growth, an all-equity portfolio could be the one to go with if his children can handle the volatility…
