Not sure how to make a savings plan? Read on…
Latest News
Summer energy savings: How to stay cool without cranking the AC Jul 23rd
When the mercury begins to rise, Jeffrey Siegel sinks into a routine. Windows facing the east are covered in the morning before those in the west are shrouded in the afternoon, his fan gets switched on, more of his cooking moves to the barbecue, and a clothesline is brought out whenever there is la.... More »
2023 tax credits, due dates and when you can file: Your 2023 income tax return guide + MORE Mar 19th
You’ll want to bookmark the MoneySense guide for 2023 personal income taxes. We will be updating it frequently, as information becomes available and deadlines approach. Plus, we get answers from the experts you won’t find anywhere else, thanks to our Ask MoneySense and Ask A Planner columns.&nbs.... More »
Making sense of the markets this week: September 6, 2021 + MORE Sep 5th
Each week, Cut the Crap Investing founder Dale Roberts shares financial headlines and offers context for Canadian investors.
The rich get richer as rates go lower
We know that lower rates set by central banks help to stimulate economic growth by providing cheap money. On the flipsi.... More »
Best fixed-income ETFs for Canadian investors 2026 + MORE Apr 29th
With the downturn in stock markets in 2026, many investors are grudgingly coming around to the realization that they need exposure to other asset classes in their portfolios. And the most readily available is bonds, which have the advantage, historically, of being negatively correlated to stocks. Th.... More »
Climbing Debt, Diminishing Savings Highlighted in CBC Documentary + MORE Mar 8th
When it comes to debt management, many Canadians are struggling to keep up, with their housing situation being a source of stress. That was one of the key takeaways from the latest episode of CBC Television’s The Stats of Life, which focused on Canadian statistics surrounding savings (or lack.... More »
Quebec to announce personal income tax cuts in next week’s economic update
– canadianbusiness.com
Quebec will announce personal income tax cuts next week as well as changes to its welfare system, Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said Wednesday.
Details of the reductions and the changes to social benefits will be made public in an economic update to be released Tuesday.
In a video posted to Facebook, Leitao said Quebecers in the “middle tax brackets” will benefit from cuts.
“It won’t be for the richest,” Leitao said in the video alongside Premier Philippe Couillard. “But Quebecers in the middle-income tax brackets will receive very concretely a reduction in the taxes they pay.”
Quebec tabled its third consecutive balanced budget last spring, which included a modest $55 tax cut for the 2017 tax year.
Opposition parties ridiculed the government at the time for what was described as a meagre offering and a pathetic attempt to give back crumbs to Quebecers who suffered from Liberal budget cuts in the early part of their mandate.
Leitao said the economic update will also include good news for Quebecers who do not pay any income taxes and who receive welfare and other government benefits…
Details of the reductions and the changes to social benefits will be made public in an economic update to be released Tuesday.
In a video posted to Facebook, Leitao said Quebecers in the “middle tax brackets” will benefit from cuts.
“It won’t be for the richest,” Leitao said in the video alongside Premier Philippe Couillard. “But Quebecers in the middle-income tax brackets will receive very concretely a reduction in the taxes they pay.”
Quebec tabled its third consecutive balanced budget last spring, which included a modest $55 tax cut for the 2017 tax year.
Opposition parties ridiculed the government at the time for what was described as a meagre offering and a pathetic attempt to give back crumbs to Quebecers who suffered from Liberal budget cuts in the early part of their mandate.
Leitao said the economic update will also include good news for Quebecers who do not pay any income taxes and who receive welfare and other government benefits…
How, when and why to save using RESPs
– moneysense.ca
Presented by Assante Wealth Management
Never say no to offers of free money from the government. That’s my motto, or at least one of them. And as far as free money goes, Ottawa’s Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is among the most lucrative offers currently available to Canadians with kids.
You have to put some of your own money into an RESP of course, but for every $2,500 you contribute in a year, you will receive a 20% Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), which means a $500 freebie each year you maximize contributions (within specified limits). As with the RRSP, investment income inside an RESP grows tax-free, although it generates no tax refund apart from the grant.
While there’s no limit on how much you can put into an RESP each year (there is a lifetime maximum contribution amount of $50,000 per child mind you); you’ll only receive the grant on the first $2,500 in contributions per year, or if you carry over unused contribution year from the year before, up to the first $5,000 in contributions…
I lost my home in a fire. Can I tap my LIRA to cover costs?
– moneysense.ca
Q: My house was burnt in the Fort McMurray fire. I am now unemployed and my husband and I are struggling to make the mortgage payments on top of our rent payment. Our savings are now drained as well as money received from insurance—the town house was part of a condo and is being rebuilt.
We have a significant amount locked up in a LIRA and it seems ridiculous for our mortgage to go to foreclosure (as it will be soon enough) before we have a chance to sell it and get our money out when it’s finally rebuilt next year. Are there any LIRA loopholes for people who lost their homes in these fires? Can we take money out of the LIRA to help us out financially now?
—Karen
A: Karen, the Fort McMurray fire is a disaster in many ways. There was huge property damage, displacement, disruption of infrastructure, and disruption of employment. The biggest strain has to be the pace at which all of this gets solved. How do you get by financially when you have continuous living expenses while employment opportunities are suddenly limited?
I’m so sorry this has happened to you, Karen…
