An inheritance is traditionally a gift transferred to a child or grandchild after a person died. You don’t necessarily have to wait until you have passed to share some of your estate with your loved o …
I always advise women of two things, first take care of your personal finances throughout your years ‘as if you had to’. And second, save regularly regardless of your financial he …
Dave and Colleen both retired early simultaneously from very high-stress careers and moved to the Gulf Islands. Through years of hard work, they have a good government pension and decent RRSP savings. …
If your child is about to start college or university, he or she will be adjusting to a new independence. Part of this phase of life involves learning how to manage money on a daily and monthly basis. …
The merging of two financial lives into one can create havoc on even the strongest of relationships and especially if money talks were never tackled beforehand. Ideally, financial discussi …
Canadian divorce rates for most age groups are on the decline with the exception of Baby Boomers (people born between 1946-1964). People over the age of 50 are calling it quits at a higher rate than y …
Life insurance may be something on your list of things you think you could cut from your budget soon after you retire. If you think of this financial product as something that only has value during yo …
Retirement is supposed to be the Golden Years. We work hard and sock away a portion of our earnings for years so that we can relax and enjoy the fruits of our labours. Since Canadians are enjoy …
Do you remember the good old days when spending our tax refund as soon as we received it wasn’t such a big deal? The job market was stable, house values seemed to be on a never-ending climb and …
No one wants to dwell on a topic like their own demise, but it is one that needs to be discussed as part of your overall financial plan. How do you want your assets divided when you pass on? It’s a co …
Ideally, the road to a secure retirement starts the day you and your spouse exchange wedding vows. However, for most people, retirement is not at the top of the list when they embark on married …
If most people had their choice, they would prefer to retire before age 65 or while they can enjoy their free time. Unfortunately, not a lot of them are preparing financially for it. If your goal is e …
Last time we talked about the five questions you should be asking when talking to financial advisors to determine their ability to manage your family’s financial affairs. Now that …
How do you choose the right person to guide you in financial matters? Since the person you choose will be privy to some very personal information, you need to ask the right questions before you start …
The start of a New Year is the time to make resolutions to get organized and generally do things better. This year the weather patterns are unusual due to the influence of El Niño. Some parts of the c …
Do you want to improve your financial health in 2016? Start by ensuring these three essentials are in place. Tips to Help you Improve your Financial Health 1. Make sure your Will is up to date. …
As the last days of 2015 wind down and we look forward to spending time with friends and family over the Holiday Season, our thoughts may not necessarily be focused on financial planning. The truth is …
One option you can consider to free up some much-needed cash to fund a comfortable retirement is to sell your house. This can make good financial sense on paper, but the decision is not as simple as s …
If you are like a number of Canadians who are either at or close to retirement age, a significant portion of your net worth is tied to your home. For many of us, owning our own home is a symbol of suc …
If you are at or close to the age where you are planning to retire, you may be concerned about whether you will be able to generate enough income to give you the lifestyle you want. Being aware of the …
With the Holiday Season starting, we should be taking a careful look at our budget so that we can plan our shopping for gifts and other expenses responsibly. We’ve all heard so much about debt that it …
Retirement is not just something that applies to seniors. It may not be a priority for people aged 18-34, it is not too early for them to be thinking about it for their future. People in this age grou …
When you think about end-of-life issues, what kinds of things come to mind right away? Most of us have specific ideas about the kinds of treatment we do and do not want. You may feel very strongly abo …
One of the things that we would find hardest to give up is our independence, and that may be why the idea of signing a power of attorney is so difficult for many people. There are times when having a …
How do you picture your retirement? If you are like most people, your focus is on having time to spend on activities you enjoy and the people you care for the most. The last thing on your mind is how …
Having a will and a final plan in place is recommended as soon as we enter into adulthood. If we don’t take care of it then, we should make some decisions when a major life event has occurred such as …
If it seems that there is constant negative press about Generation Y and its ability to survive in today’s economy, you’re right. It’s a lot tougher out today for young people to make it financially. …
Lifestyle planning in retirement may be a bit easier when there is only one of you. It’s very simple to create a bucket list for exactly what you’d like to do during retirement. There are no arguments …
When children are grown up, parents provide food, shelter, and the resources they need to grow up to be responsible adults. We assume that our children will grow up, leave the nest and strike out on t …
It’s your second marriage or you married late in life. Keeping your finances separate seemed the sensible thing to do. The basic costs such as the mortgage, utilities, taxes and insurances were split …
Modern families are finding it more difficult to afford to pay for daily living expenses, much less extras. They can no longer rely on company pension plans to fund retirement, and must make smart mon …
Even though we have become more open about many subjects, the topic of money is one that many of us find difficult to discuss, even when our children have grown up. You should introduce your adult chi …
Are you planning to remarry? Saying, “I do” for the second can be a complicated venture when you are merging households. The longer you and your Intended have lived, the more opportunities each of you …
When you think about retirement, it’s only natural to focus on having the time to focus on things that give you pleasure after many years of hard work. If you are currently enjoying good health (and l …
Nobody takes pleasure in suddenly becoming unemployed. Just the ‘prospect’ alone can be very overwhelming and stressful. Often the worry or anxiety comes from feeling you have no control over the situ …
Losing a spouse is considered the most stressful life event that someone can experience. You are not only grieving for the loss of your partner, but you must also come to terms with the fact that your …
