Matthew and Nicole, both 35, are eager to start a family next year. They’re financially comfortable, with a combined gross income averaging $240,000—but there’s a twist. Matthew’s income fluctuates based on bonuses and sales revenue, leaving them with somewhat unpredictable income. On top of that,...
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Jonathan Clements, author, founder and editor of the HumbleDollar blog, and former personal finance columnist at the Wall Street Journal, recently wrote of his diagnosis with metastasized lung cancer. He is not alone, of course. I’m sure that almost all of us can name a...
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Introduction Concrete financial milestones can serve as checkpoints on your path to financial stability. From paying off student loans to leaving a financial legacy for the next generation or a charity, each milestone represents a significant achievement along your financial journey. In this blog post, I...
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Meet John and Jane Jane and John are a couple in their early thirties. They own a townhouse in a suburb outside of Toronto. Although the commute is a bit of a burden, their jobs as an architect and software developer, respectively, allow them to work...
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In light of the recent story by CBC’s Marketplace (video, article) about the pressures bank employees face to meet sales targets, Canadians must become more vigilant when navigating financial products and services. I offer the following suggestions to help you protect your interests and ensure...
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Introducing Ruth and James Ruth and James, born and raised in a smaller community in southwestern Ontario, went to work directly out of high school. They plan to make 2024 their last full year of work as they will turn 65 in 2025. Married at age...
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It is no secret that a significant part of the Canadian population is finding it exceedingly difficult to make ends meet. Debt is extremely high per household, primarily as a consequence of large mortgages and more recently, high interest rates. While inflation is slowly diminishing,...
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For years, I was an avid subscriber to the old print version of MoneySense magazine. Like many other print periodicals, however, it went exclusively online several years ago. One of the most fascinating articles I read during the print era was The All-Canadian Wealth Test,...
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Last week, in my 224th blog post, I introduced Gregory (Greg) and Olivia, a young married couple who had bought a house in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). They considered two common ways to reduce the interest they would pay over the life of their...
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The Current Situation A young married couple, Gregory and Olivia, live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). They bought a home two years ago for $1 million. With a 20% down payment, they borrowed $800,000 to enable the house purchase. The terms of the mortgage are as...
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