Estate Planning for Blended Families

Blended families – where two people get married but have children from previous relationships – are becoming more common. On top of the day-to-day challenges of blending a family, new spouses also have to figure out how to plan their estates, so everyone is properly taken care of. We cover all of the following a blended family must consider while estate planning: • Sharing the Family Home • Make the Most of a Registered Retirement Savings Plan • How to Share Non-Registered Investments and Other Assets • Why It's Important to Select a Good Trustee • The Advantages of Life Insurance for Blended Family Planning

Getting Ready for Money Emergencies

Facing unexpected financial emergencies? An emergency fund acts as your financial safety net, ensuring peace of mind without dipping into savings or incurring debt. Start small, build steadily.

Stay Ahead in 2024: A Comprehensive Checklist for Federal Tax Updates

Explore the upcoming 2024 Canadian tax changes affecting investors, business owners, and high-net-worth individuals. From capital gains adjustments to new incentives, stay informed with our comprehensive checklist.

2024 Federal Budget Highlights

On April 16, 2024, Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, presented the federal budget. While there are no changes to federal personal or corporate tax rates, the budget introduces: • An increase in the portion of capital gains subject to tax, rising from 50% to 66.67%, starting June 25, 2024. However, individual gains up to $250,000 annually will retain the 50% rate. • The lifetime exemption limit for capital gains has been raised to $1.25 million. Additionally, a new one-third inclusion rate is set for up to $2 million in capital gains for entrepreneurs. • The budget confirms the alternative minimum tax changes planned for January 1, 2024 but lessens their impact on charitable contributions. • This year's budget emphasizes making housing more affordable. It provides incentives for building rental properties specifically designed for long-term tenants. • Introduces new support measures to aid people buying their first homes. • Costs for specific patents and tech equipment and software can now be written off immediately. • Canada carbon rebate for small business

TFSA vs RRSP – 2024

When looking to save money in a tax-efficient manner, Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA) and Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP) can offer significant tax benefits. The main difference between the two is that TFSAs are ideal for short-term goals, such as saving for a down payment on a house or a vacation, as its growth is entirely tax-free, while RRSPs are more suitable for long-term goals such as retirement. When comparing deposit differences, TFSAs have a limit of $7,000 for the current year, while RRSPs have a limit of 18% of your pre-tax income from the previous year, with a maximum limit of $31,560. In terms of withdrawals, TFSAs have no conversion requirements and withdrawals are tax-free, while RRSPs must be converted to a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) at age 71 and withdrawals are taxed as income.

Investing as a Business Owner 2023

Many business owners have built up earnings in their corporation and are looking for tax efficient ways to pull the earnings out to achieve their personal and business financial goals. We outline the factors to consider when investing as a corporation.

Registered Education Savings Plan

Benefits of opening an Registered Education Savings Plan

Do you have enough for retirement?

Many of us dream of the day that we can retire and have the time to ourselves that we have dreamed of for so many years. But, to have a genuinely contented and relaxing retirement, you need to ensure that you have the means to afford it. So, now's the best time to consider the three critical stages of retirement planning. 1) Accumulation 2) Pre-retirement 3) Retirement

The Five Steps to Investment Planning

An investment advisor can help you figure out what the right investment choices are for you. The five steps to investment planning are: • Meeting your investment advisor • Determining your goals and expectations • Developing your investment plan • Implementing your investment plan • Monitoring the plan The sooner you start planning for retirement, the sooner you can get there! An investment advisor can help you get there quicker.

2022 Federal Budget Highlights

On April 7, 2022, the Federal Government released their 2022 budget. Our article contains highlights of the various financial measures in this budget, divided into these sections: • Housing • Alternative minimum tax • Dental care • Small businesses • Tradespeople • Canada Growth Fund • Climate • Bank and insurer taxes