Articles
Why Canada should eliminate minimum RRIF withdrawals entirely
An industry colleague and I were talking the other day about registered retirement income funds (I know, we aren’t the most exciting people) and he suggested the government should just remove RRIF minimum withdrawals entirely. The comment was like a lightning bolt to me. It is such a straightforward thought and, in my mind, makes…
Read MoreFINANCIAL FACELIFT: Rosy projection for long European vacation, then retirement in B.C. hides ‘substantial risk’
Below you will find a real life case study of a couple who are looking for financial advice on how best to arrange their financial affairs. Their names and details have been changed to protect their identity. The Globe and Mail often seeks the advice of our VP, Wealth Advisor, Matthew Ardrey, to review and…
Read MoreThis borrow-to-invest strategy can build you wealth with someone else’s money
“Borrowing to invest” can be a scary phrase. There have been many inappropriate cases where it doesn’t end well. Yet for all of the naysayers, I am pretty sure that you are currently doing it or have done it before. If you have ever had a mortgage or debt on a home equity line of…
Read MoreWhat Happened to the Preferred Shares Market?
The stock market suffered a big market drop in the Fall / early Winter, but has since had a substantial recovery. Bonds posted solid returns this past year. Preferred shares have had a very different experience. They declined last year, had a modest recovery and have sold off again in the past few months, leaving…
Read MoreThe Spousal RRSP – Does it still have a place in Retirement Planning?
One of the more frequent questions I get from clients regarding their retirement planning is, with the pension income splitting legislation, are spousal RRSPs worthwhile anymore? The answer is yes, in several situations. Before I outline the planning situations that are useful for spousal RRSPs, first a little primer on what they are and how…
Read MoreFinancial Post columnist (Rechtshaffen) shows how many Canadians can afford Retirement Homes
A financial expert and Financial Post columnist compares the costs of senior housing options including home care, long-term care and a retirement home. A newspaper columnist recently contacted Amica to research an article on the cost of private retirement living. This wasn’t any reporter: it was Ted Rechtshaffen, a personal finance columnist for the Financial…
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