How to go about securing the best Retirement Plan in Canada.
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Online “finfluencers” grow up + MORE Jul 4th
If you’re someone near or at retirement, has a column like the one you’re now reading ever “finfluenced” any of your financial decisions? Increasingly, many Canadian investors are turning to a new generation of voices online, a trend that regulators are starting to watch more closely.
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Avoiding future interest is one way to look at your return on investment May 12th
Q. I’m 47 years old and, after suffering a personal injury, have just been awarded a medical pension of $400 per month. The money is indexed annually and payable for life. I can opt for a cash-out and receive $120,000 upfront, but I’m unsure which is the smarter option.
My mortgage renews in 202.... More »
“What type of content am I reading?” + MORE Nov 23rd
You can always tell by how an article is labelled what type of content you’re reading. The label appears not only on the article itself, but anywhere it appears on the website.
No label. If the only label you see is a topic tag, such as Investing or Retirement, that means you’re reading a purely.... More »
Timing the withdrawal of RRSP savings to minimize your tax hit + MORE Sep 14th
Q. I’ve been fully retired since 2018, and living only on government pension (QPP, OAS and GIS). I have some RRSP and TFSA investments, and would like some help with determining when I should start withdrawing funds—and whether I will need to pay tax. I’ll be turning 71 in December 202.... More »
Why Canada must simplify the tax code + MORE Feb 24th
Aaron Wudrick is the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation.
Are you paying all the tax you’re legally required to pay—and if not, is that okay?
That’s the question at the heart of the controversy over offshore tax havens, whereby mostly wealthy individuals structure their fi.... More »
What to do with your raise
– moneysense.ca
My husband just got a promotion that comes with a $20,000 bump in salary. What should we do with the extra money: Pay the mortgage quicker? Save it in RRSPs and TFSAs? Take a family vacation? Or maybe it should go towards our upcoming $3,000-a- month daycare bill.
—Jennifer, Vancouver
Congratulations! But before you start making elaborate plans, realize that $20,000 added to a $100,000 salary will amount to only an extra $1,000 per month after taxes. And that’s what counts—what you get to keep after taxes.
Start by looking at your financial goals and creating a time line, along with a realistic amount needed, to reach each goal. If your spending plan doesn’t include funding for more immediate expenses, such as the entire $36,000 annual daycare bill, then this extra money will have to be used for that. Or if you’ve been accumulating debt and paying higher rates of interest on credit cards, then a strategy to pay down that debt is an excellent idea. Only when you are able to meet your current expenses and have paid down debt should you consider adding to retirement savings…
