Most people have a false sense of security by believing that they will not be victims of a critical illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke; and if they are, that the healthcare system will look after them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Ralph and Mary have accumulated a nice estate, a good portion of it in cash. They want to leave it all to their children when they die, but they also want to do something for them today. Being part of the Savings Generation, they are reluctant to give large sums to their kids today, as they are part of the Spending Generation. Ralph and Mary also want to treat their children as fairly as possible.

When someone dies, their estate falls into three basic categories:

A new baby in the family brings many hopes, dreams and expectations. This can often include thoughts about how their lives can be better than that of their parents. And that often includes hopes about careers and the education that goes with them. It is also the time to start planning how to finance the education needed to fulfill those hopes and dreams.

Insurance surrounds each of us every day: When you get in your car, when you come home to your residence, and while you work. Insurance is always in the background discreetly doing its job. Most of us, however, do not think about it much or realize the very important function that all types of insurance provide. In fact, the role of insurance is so important that it is the focal point of a wise financial strategy.

As John nears retirement, he is becoming concerned about covering his future living costs with income from only interest-bearing investments. Along with many other investors globally who have poured trillions of dollars into government bonds over the past decade, John wants to feel safe and have his money guaranteed. But the price of safety in a low interest rate world is higher than you may realize.

As with many retirement savers, it took two major stock market events (Global Financial Crisis, Global Pandemic) to convince Adam and Sonya that trying to 'time the market' or pick specific sectors was a costly exercise in futility. But, with the value of their RRSPs nearly halved in the 2009 Financial Crisis, they also recognized that they could not afford to avoid equities if they were going to have any chance of meeting their retirement goals.

History tells us about half of marriages in Canada end in divorce. Andrew and Sara are about to end theirs and are concerned about the changes that will have to be made to their financial and estate plans. Some financial and estate issues they need to consider are:

By far one of the most crucial financial strategy steps is accurately estimating retirement expenses. Correctly accounting for retirement living expenses is critical to ensuring that retirees do not outlive their money. For those already retired, there are usually few good options for creating new income sources later in life.

Getting retirement spending projections correct is both an art and a science. To deal effectively in planning for future retirement needs, a financial professional can help determine the best course of action.

In the last article Sue had a capital shortfall of $400,000 in order to support her desired retirement lifestyle. This amount will vary for each individual and will be larger or smaller depending upon your income, age and ability to save money as a percentage of your earned income.

There are things you need to live a healthy life, like a place to live and food to eat. There are also things that you'd like, such as a warm vacation or new ski boots. It's possible to have it all, but not all at once. If you can't afford to pay your bills for necessities like rent/mortgage, groceries, and utilities, you're not ready to soak up the sun on a sandy beach.