Posts by Jason Heath
How to Choose a Retirement Financial Planner in Canada
Choosing a financial planner for retirement can be harder than it should be. A bank employee, investment adviser, insurance agent, and advice-only financial planner may all discuss retirement, but the services they provide and how they are paid can vary significantly. The right choice depends on what you need. Some people want someone to manage…
Read MoreCan I Keep My Investment Advisor and Work With a Financial Planner?
Clients often ask whether they need to move their investments to work with a financial planner. The short answer is no. If you work with an advice-only financial planner, you can generally keep your existing investment advisor. The planner focuses on financial planning while your advisor continues managing the investments. Many of our clients have…
Read MoreHow Many Advice-Only Financial Planners Are There in Canada?
I have been an advice-only financial planner for more than 20 years. When I started providing fee-only financial planning in 2002, very few people in Canada were doing it. More than two decades later, there are still surprisingly few. So, how many true advice-only financial planners are there in Canada? And how many could there…
Read More2024 tax-filing extensions: What you need to know
The article “2024 tax-filing extensions: What you need to know” was originally published in MoneySense on April 14, 2025. Photo by wayhomestudio on Freepik. There are several personal, trust and corporate income-tax-filing extensions for Canadians this year. Which ones apply to you Canadian personal T1 tax returns are generally due by April 30. There are a…
Read MoreJason Heath: What the federal election platforms could mean for your pocketbook
The article “Jason Heath: What the federal election platforms could mean for your pocketbook” was originally published in the Financial Post on April 14, 2025. Photo by TravelScape on Freepik. For this election, perhaps more than any other in recent memory, finances are top of mind for many Canadian voters The personal finance proposals from…
Read MoreHow often should you update your financial plan?
The article “How often should you update your financial plan?” was originally published in Financial Post November 22, 2024, by Jason Heath. Photo by mindandi on Freepik A plan is never final. Family and financial contexts evolve, and tax rules, markets and interest rates fluctuate. Financial planning is a process that includes retirement, tax, investment, insurance,…
Read More5 reasons why TFSAs aren’t always the best fit for everyone
The article “5 reasons why TFSAs aren’t always the best fit for everyone” was originally published in Financial Post June 10, 2024, by Jason Heath. Photo by by Anthony Rosenberg from Getty Images Signature. Jason Heath: They could end up costing you if you have debt or RRSP contribution room Tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) are…
Read MoreWhy your retirement may be different than you expected
The article “Why your retirement may be different than you expected” was originally published in Financial Post May 6, 2024, by Jason Heath. Photo by Marcus Aurelius from Pexels. Jason Heath: There is no surefire formula for planning for retirement, so expect the unexpected Most discussions around retirement focus on how much money you need to save…
Read MoreHow much is capital gains tax in Canada?—and other reader questions answered
The article “How much is capital gains tax in Canada?—and other reader questions answered” was originally published in MoneySense on May 6, 2024. Photo by designer491 from Getty Images. Last month’s federal budget introduced changes to capital gains tax in Canada. This has raised many questions about who is impacted and what they should do.…
Read MoreShould you max out your RRSP before converting it to a RRIF?
The article “Should you max out your RRSP before converting it to a RRIF?” was originally published in MoneySense on April 29, 2024. Photo by designer491 from Getty Images. Here’s what to consider before converting an RRSP to a RRIF. Ask MoneySense My husband and I retired last September. We have moved into a condo…
Read MoreShould I delay my CPP if I’m not contributing to it?
The article “Should I delay my CPP if I’m not contributing to it?” was originally published in MoneySense on April 22, 2024. Photo by TonyIaniro from Getty Images. You can still benefit from deferring Canada Pension Plan payments with less than maximum contributions. Ask MoneySense Do all the advice articles about waiting to take…
Read MoreAre Home Renovations Tax Deductible In Canada?
The article “Are home renovations tax deductible in Canada?” was originally published in MoneySense on September 12, 2023, REPOSTED April 12, 2024. Photo by nortonrsx from Getty Images. Doing home renovations? Find out if there are any tax incentives that Canadians are able to claim. “We are upgrading our electrical and removing an oil furnace…
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