Joint ownership is used by millions for various reasons. When problems arise, they are usually unintentional and it can be too late to remedy them. For example:
Jane wants to avoid probate with as much of her estate as possible. She also wants her daughter, Sally, to have easy access to her cash at death to take care of last expenses. Jane thinks...she can do this by naming Sally on her bank accounts jointly.
On the surface, this looks like a quick and easy way to accomplish what she wants. It's what lies below the surface that can sink her financial ship.
Standard financial and tax planning advice for the past several decades for business owners has included the use of incorporation to both insulate Canadians from business risk and liability and for asset building and income cash flow planning.
We've all heard that life has two certainties - death and taxes. You need to know the two often coincide. While Canada does not have an official death, estate or inheritance tax, there are some postponed taxes that become payable on death. There are other obligations that need to be taken into account as well. Without proper planning, an estate may have to face large and unexpected cash shortages. Consider:
The recent increases in the Bank of Canada and Federal Reserve prime rate in the past few months signal the end of historically low interest rates. According to a Bank of England study released in early 2016, current low interest rates are the lowest in 5000 years of recorded history*!
Media reports in July pointed to a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) report that warns the debt service ratio (the percentage of gross income needed to cover debt repayment costs) will move up by 3.5% by 2021 to 16.3% from the average of 12.9% seen between 1990 and 2017.
Being such a new program, many Canadians do not fully understand the long-term power of the TFSA tax savings opportunities. It is much more than just an opportunity for saving — it can be a powerful and incredibly effective tool for an overall investment strategy. Here are some ways that you can use the TFSA for your long-term benefit and financial empowerment.
It is always a difficult transition when people move from being the ones taking care of their family to the position where their family takes care of them. This is especially true when it comes to finances.
Because these changes usually happen very gradually, many adult children do not immediately recognize the need their parents may have for additional help with managing their finances. In many cases, aging parents simply don’t feel comfortable asking children or other family members for help.
The wedding and honeymoon are over and you're settling in to your new life. You've accomplished many goals together over the past year with compromises being made over wedding plans, honeymoon destination, and a million and one other details. As you settle in for a long and fruitful life together, it's an ideal time to discuss your financial goals and map out an effective tax strategy that supports it.
Create an Investment Strategy for Your Tax Savings
As Joe Farnsworth* from Toronto discovered, published return percentages do not necessarily tell the whole story of an investment portfolio performance. Joe retired 9 years ago from the Toronto Police Service from which he collects a serviceable pension each month.
A minor fire storm of gossip and criticism hit the Toronto talk radio airwaves in early June as preparations for the Canada 150th birthday celebrations were fully underway!
The Province of Ontario, as part of the Ontario 150 tour, gave away a large grant funding (free money) with a portion going towards the rental of a large yellow duck. Reputedly the world's largest yellow duck, the six-story giant inflatable waterfowl was showcased at the Redpath Waterfront Festival from July 1st – 3rd in Toronto.
