My last article shared the story of a divorced gentleman, Gaeten, who named his common law partner Mirielle, joint beneficiary of his Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) along with his daughter, Marie. I covered off the problem Mirielle would have trying to maintain the tax sheltered status of her share of Gaeten’s account which would pass to her on Gaeten’s death. What if Gaeten named her as a successor holder (subrogated policyholder in Quebec)?1
Who speaks for you when you can’t speak for yourself? Who handles your stuff when you can’t? What do they need to know? What are they supposed to do with them? How can you make it easier for the people who act for you under a power of attorney or will? Let’s focus on a growing area, digital assets and access.
Gaeten and Mirielle are a middle aged couple who met through friends. They have been together for almost five years. Gaeten is divorced with one adult child. Mirielle, a widow, has two children of her own. The couple do want to take care of each other should either one predecease the other. They both wish to have at least some of their own investments pass on to their respective children.
I’ve written a number of articles on cash flow management: the issues with it, the domino effects of debt and savings, and ideas on how you can get a better grip on your finances. I’ve created a list of resources you can use to work through your own particular circumstances or offer to your clients as an aid to working through their financial cash flow management situations.
Summer is upon us, which means spending longer days in the sun and enjoying your cottage with your family and friends. This is also the time that you may start thinking about the future of your cottage and your plans to pass it down your family. If you have decided to bequeath your vacation property to your children in your will, you may know that there could be substantial capital gains taxes due. Where does the money come from? Let’s consider some alternatives.
In my last article, I wrote about the benefits of a buy and hold strategy where an investor stayed in the market through the ups and downs of a particular investment.
A common piece of advice for investors is that long term success doesn’t hinge on timing the market. It’s time in the market that may make the bigger difference.
Did you know that financial abuse is the most common form of elder abuse in Canada?1 In this segment of Life & Money Matters video, Peter shares some of the signs of elder financial abuse and how to safeguard against it.
As Millenials graduate and seek employment, many parents still feel the burden of financially providing for their children. Studies found that more than four in ten Canadians say their top source of stress is money1. Specifically, nearly half of Canadian parents admit that supporting their adult children is causing them emotional and financial stress2.
People can go to great lengths to avoid probate costs, sometimes making them turn a blind eye to much bigger costs that can be created by passing assets outside of the estate. Let's take a look at a recent case concerning an elderly gentleman and his son.
