--- title: Empire Life Blog Empire Life Blog | Peter Wouters description: "
Directeur, Planification fiscale et successorale et planification de la retraite, Gestion de patrimoine
Placements Empire Vie
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You may cancel your subscription to the newsletter at any time by clicking on [unsubscribe](http://www.fastandfull.ca/hs/manage-preferences/unsubscribe-simple) or, by contacting The Empire Life Insurance Company or, Empire Life Investments Inc. **The Empire Life Insurance Company** 259 King Street East, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3A8, Canada Toll Free: 1 800 561-1268 Email: insurance@empire.ca or investment@empire.ca **Empire Life Investments Inc.** c/o 259 King Street East, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3A8, Canada Toll-free telephone: 1 855 823-6883 Email: mutualfund@empire.ca Close [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Empire-Life-Insurance-142465432433812/) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/empire-life-investments) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/empirelifeins) Subscribe [EN](https://www.empire.ca/blog) | [FR](https://empire.ca/fr/blogue) [![Empire Life | Empire Life Investments](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Logo/Combined%20Blog%20Images/combined-logo.png)](https://www.empire.ca/blog) # Insurance, Investments and Group Benefits ## Navigate life with confidenceTM - Insurance - [Insurance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/insurance) - [Helpful Tips](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/helpful-tips) - [Customer Service](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/customer-service) - Investments - [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments) - [Investment Views](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investment-views) - [Off the Cuff](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/off-the-cuff) - [Group Benefits(1)](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/group-benefits) - [Personal Finance (1)](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) ## Peter Wouters Directeur, Planification fiscale et successorale et planification de la retraite, Gestion de patrimoine Placements Empire Vie ### Recent Posts ## [Financial tips for your younger self](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/financial-tips-for-your-younger-self) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![Financial tips for your younger self](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/Resized-FinancialTipsForMyYoungerSelf-GettyImages-810526950-414749-edited-353886-edited.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/financial-tips-for-your-younger-self) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Feb 9, 2024, 3:52:00 PM Updated February 2024 Do you ever wish you could talk to your younger self about lessons you've learned, more than a few of them the hard way? There are the mishaps you could have avoided, the errors in judgement you could have missed and the regrets you wouldn't hold. How much better would you feel now if you could turn the clock back? And that includes the extra money you would have to fund the better lifestyle you could look forward to in the decades ahead. Let's consider some financial tips. [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/financial-tips-for-your-younger-self) ## [5 tips for financial success in later life](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/5-tips-for-financial-success-in-later-life) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![5 tips for financial success in later life](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/INV_5-tips-for-financial-success%20-%20blog/5TipsForFinancialSuccess_GettyImages-172584919-resized.jpg?width=639&quality=high)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/5-tips-for-financial-success-in-later-life) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Jan 18, 2024, 8:43:00 AM Updated January 2024 The things you need to do to build your finances which can support your wants and goals are simple. Sometimes doing them isn't so simple. For most people, this becomes a matter of choice. Practice makes it easier. Here are some tips to build lifestyle success for your future you. [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/5-tips-for-financial-success-in-later-life) ## [TFSA and spouse as joint beneficiary](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tfsa-and-spouse-as-joint-beneficiary) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![TFSA and spouse as joint beneficiary](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/TFSA-and-spouse-as-joint-beneficiary-GettyImages-643324708.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tfsa-and-spouse-as-joint-beneficiary) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Jan 12, 2024, 7:37:00 AM Updated January 2024 Gaeten and Mirielle are a middle aged couple who met through friends. They have been together for almost 5 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 should either one predecease the other. They both wish to have at least some of their own investments pass on to their respective children. [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tfsa-and-spouse-as-joint-beneficiary) ## [Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) and successor holder](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tax-free-savings-account-tfsa-and-successor-holder) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) and successor holder](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/TFSA-and-successor-holder-GettyImages-643325288-318738-edited.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tax-free-savings-account-tfsa-and-successor-holder) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Jan 12, 2024, 7:30:00 AM Updated January 2024 My [last article](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tfsa-and-spouse-as-joint-beneficiary) 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  [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/tax-free-savings-account-tfsa-and-successor-holder) ## [Five basics about managing money](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/five-basics-about-managing-money) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![Five basics about managing money](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/5-basics-about-managing-money-GettyImages-512740730.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/five-basics-about-managing-money) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Jan 10, 2024, 9:12:00 AM Updated January 2024 A disturbing number of aging Canadians today aren’t saving or aren’t saving enough for retirement.1 They are seeking financial freedom. That’s not freedom from money. It’s the kind of freedom they feel when they can do what they want to do and when they want to do it. Yet we all know that how we manage, invest and spend our money can have a huge impact on our life and our lifestyle. [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/five-basics-about-managing-money) ## [Market timing and missing the worst performance days](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/market-timing-and-missing-the-worst-performance-months) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![Market timing and missing the worst performance days](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/Staying-Invested-V2-513943136-806698-edited.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/market-timing-and-missing-the-worst-performance-months) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Jan 16, 2023, 4:45:00 PM [In my last article](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/staying-invested-in-the-market), 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.  [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/market-timing-and-missing-the-worst-performance-months) ## [Staying invested in the market](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/staying-invested-in-the-market) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![Staying invested in the market](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/Staying%20Invested-526716250-564473-edited-243661-edited.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/staying-invested-in-the-market) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Jan 16, 2023, 4:35:00 PM 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. [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/staying-invested-in-the-market) ## [Incorporating Inflation into Financial Planning](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/incorporating-inflation-into-financial-planning) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![Incorporating Inflation into Financial Planning](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Investment_Marketing/INV_Incorp%20Inflation%20Blog%20Images/1081150-IncorporatingInflation-Blog-EN-2022-09-(HR).jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/incorporating-inflation-into-financial-planning) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Sep 20, 2022, 5:00:37 PM [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/incorporating-inflation-into-financial-planning) ## [RRIFs and changing beneficiaries to annuitants](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/rrifs-and-changing-beneficiaries-to-annuitants) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![RRIFs and changing beneficiaries to annuitants](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/Blog-10Retirement%20Myths7_GettyImages-898373044.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/rrifs-and-changing-beneficiaries-to-annuitants) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Dec 10, 2020, 10:00:00 AM Bill and Rosalind are friends of Sam and Christine, whom you met in this article. They live in Halifax. Bill died of a stroke just before his 70th birthday. He had named his common law partner, Rosalind, as beneficiary of his Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) via his will, which he had set up earlier in the year.  [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/rrifs-and-changing-beneficiaries-to-annuitants) ## [RRIFs and successor annuitant benefits](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/rrifs-and-successor-annuitant-benefits) [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments), [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [![RRIFs and successor annuitant benefits](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/INV-Blog-images/Blog-RRIFsandSuccessorAnnuitants-GettyImages-518185468.jpg)](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/rrifs-and-successor-annuitant-benefits) By [Peter Wouters](https://www.empire.ca/blog/author/peter-wouters) Dec 3, 2020, 11:59:40 AM Sam and Christine live in Moncton, New Brunswick. Sam is celebrating his 71st birthday this year. He has held on to his Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), optimizing the tax sheltered benefits of doing so. He named his wife Christine as beneficiary of that plan. Sam wants to convert his RRSP to a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF).  [Read More](https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/rrifs-and-successor-annuitant-benefits) ![Get a quote and apply for life insurance](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Logo/Combined%20Blog%20Images/GetAQuote-BlogButton-couple-EN.jpg) [BUY NOW](https://www.empire.ca/insurance/buy-life-insurance) ![Retirement Savings Tool](https://blog.empirelife.ca/hubfs/Blog_images/RST-Blog-EN.jpg) [Get Started](https://www.empire.ca/retirement-and-savings-tool) ### POPULAR POSTS ### CATEGORIES - [Insurance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/insurance) - [Investments](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/investments) - [Group Benefits](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/group-benefits) - [Personal Finance](https://www.empire.ca/blog/topic/personal-finance) [Disclaimer](https://info.fastandfull.ca/disclaimer) [Legal](https://info.fastandfull.ca/legal) [Privacy Policy](https://info.fastandfull.ca/privacy-policy) [Accessibility](https://info.fastandfull.ca/accessibility) [Consumer Information](https://info.fastandfull.ca/consumer-information) [Contact Us](https://info.fastandfull.ca/contact) [Third-Party Tools and Sites](https://info.fastandfull.ca/third-party) [Confidentiality](https://info.fastandfull.ca/confidentiality) [Unsubscribe](https://info.fastandfull.ca/hs/manage-preferences/unsubscribe-simple) **CONTACT US** The Empire Life Insurance Company 259 King St. E. 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