Affordable housing is a huge issue in household finance these days. Prices have increased to ridiculous levels. Governments are under pressure to address this situation, even though they are being pulled in two directions. On one hand, the real estate industry is a major part...
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In my student days, I remember an ethics professor saying something to the effect of, “That which is not prohibited is permitted.” Of course, one pithy sentence does not exactly provide the full range of nuance that was elaborated on over the semesters that I...
Read MoreIn years gone by, many people sought a job that would provide the proverbial “gold-plated” pension plan, by which was meant a defined benefit pension, what one might refer to as a “true” pension. That is, once you retired, you would get guaranteed, possibly inflation-protected,...
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As sure as the snow will inevitably melt away in the spring, so will a portion of our income as it is paid to the Canada Revenue Agency. Many employed people will have overpaid their income taxes in the course of the year and are...
Read MoreIt’s “RRSP season” and once again there is a scramble among a substantial proportion of Canadians to put a 2021 contribution together by the March 1, 2022 deadline. If the cash is not available, the classic option has been to get an RRSP loan from...
Read MoreYou are a Canadian who has just returned to Canada after working for many years in the United States. In that time, you have accumulated assets in a 401(k), a traditional IRA, and a Roth IRA. In addition, you have children who were born in...
Read MoreI have sometimes heard it said, “There’s no point in earning extra income; it’s just going to be taxed away.” Oddly enough, no one seems to turn away a raise. Graduated vs. Flat Tax Canada has a graduated income tax regime. This means that the more you...
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As I wrote on my website, one of the major reasons I began to work in financial planning is because I saw multiple DIY portfolios that were not founded on any rational approach to investment planning. Many seemed to view investing as a variation on...
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You have been diligently saving for your retirement in your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). However, after surveying your finances, needs, and opportunities, you decide that you need to withdraw some money from your RRSP. The RRSP is, as the name indicates, a savings plan. You...
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After a working career of three or four decades or more, you hope you have put away an adequate amount of money in your employer pension plan and/or your RRSP so that you can live an adequate lifestyle in retirement. You are concerned, however. Living...
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