This is the second of four blog posts I intend to write on the election platforms of the national parties that had seats in the House of Commons at dissolution. I exclude the Bloc Quebecois because they do not appoint candidates outside of Quebec. Last...
Read MoreWhat is Longevity Risk? “Nothing is more difficult than retirement income planning.” I have heard or read variations of that phrase multiple times in the last few years. Why is it so difficult? After all, people are retiring every day in Canada. Hasn’t this been figured...
Read MoreAfter years of working at minimum wage retail jobs without benefits, Donald, age 59, is wondering what his strategy should be for retirement. He knows that he can begin taking the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) as early as next year, when he turns 60, but...
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You are careful with your money. You have made it a general rule to avoid debt – except for the mortgage on your home – in order to force yourself to live within your means. Well, you do use a credit card, but you have...
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Year-end lists are ubiquitous but that does not mean they are not useful. If you think you need to do something about your finances before the end of the year but aren’t sure what, maybe something on this list will be of help. Contribute to Your...
Read MoreIt is the nature of my profession that I read a lot about personal financial matters. One of the most difficult of such matters has to do with retirement. Financial economists will say that retirement planning is difficult because there are so many variables, or...
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An Introduction to Retirement Planning – Part 2 “It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.” – Danish proverb Imagine you and your spouse are 35 years old. You hope to retire at 65. There is an almost 25 percent chance that one of you...
Read MoreAn Introduction to Tax Planning – Part 1 Financial Planning and Taxation As much as we might like to deny it, taxation is an integral part of financial planning. Indeed, taxation can often be a Canadian household’s biggest single expense. Think about all the areas in life...
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An Introduction to Insurance and Risk Management – Part 8.2 In my last post, I wrote about Assuris, a body that insures you against the insolvency of a life insurance company. This post has to do with insuring against the insolvency of banks and credit unions. CANADA...
Read MoreAn Introduction to Insurance and Risk Management – Part 3 My Personal Story When I was 25 years old, a couple of months into marriage, I went to see my doctor for a routine physical exam. One thing led to another until I was referred to a...
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