Posts by Jason Heath

The Benefits And Flexibility Of Family RESPs

The article “The Benefits And Flexibility Of Family RESPs” was originally published on MoneySense on April 25, 2018. Grants and growth can be allocated amongst any beneficiaries of the plan Q: Can you write an article on how family RESPs work once the oldest children start to take money out of the plan while for the…

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Why Incorporation Isn’t Always A Magical Tax Fix

The article “Why Incorporation Isn’t Always A Magical Tax Fix” was originally published on MoneySense on April 18, 2018. Sandie’s wife has a small business she plans to run for the next few years. Is she better off incorporating her business or not?   Q: My wife and I are looking to retire in about five…

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Should We Take Dad’s Money Now To Avoid Probate?

The article “Should We Take Dad’s Money Now To Avoid Probate?” was originally published on MoneySense on April 10, 2018. Hold your horses! It’s not your money just yet… Q: My mom just passed away. Everything went to my dad. My sister and I are trying to decide if we should move the bulk of my…

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Avoiding Tax And Probate When Passing Down A Rental Property

The article “Avoiding Tax And Probate When Passing Down A Rental Property” was originally published on MoneySense on April 3, 2018. Putting a child on the title of a rental house could be like playing a game of whack-a-mole Q: My husband and I would like to put my son on title of a rental house.…

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Timing CPP And OAS With Workplace Pensions

The article “Timing CPP And OAS With Workplace Pensions” was originally published on MoneySense on March 28, 2018. Even if you expect a ‘bridge’ payment from your DB pension, deferring CPP makes sense Q: My husband is retired military and will turn 60 this year. He’s been told by his military buddies that he should apply…

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Cutting Down Capital Gains Tax On Real Estate Sales

The article “Cutting Down Capital Gains Tax On Real Estate Sales” was originally published on MoneySense on March 20, 2018. Defer RRSP contributions to mitigate taxes Q: Is there any real estate investment I could invest my capital gains in, without being robbed of paying 50% capital gains tax? I understand there is an exception for…

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When To Watch Out For OAS Clawbacks

The article “When To Watch Out For OAS Clawbacks” was originally published on MoneySense on March 14, 2018. Working in retirement? Beware clawbacks. Q: I have been trying to find out how much extra income a person can earn without having to report the income while drawing OAS and CPP. I have tried looking this up…

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RRSP Top-Ups In Retirement Could Cost You

The article “RRSP Top-Ups In Retirement Could Cost You” was originally published on MoneySense on March 7, 2018.   Remember: It’s not worth saving $5,000 of tax today to pay $10,000 of tax tomorrow Q: I retired in May 2009 and was under the impression that I could no longer contribute to an RRSP. I just…

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When Income Drops, Should We Tap The RRSP And Feed The TFSA?

The article “When Income Drops, Should We Tap The RRSP And Feed The TFSA?” was originally published on MoneySense on February 27, 2018. If one partner is home with the kids, it sometimes makes sense to withdraw from an RRSP I’ve been contributing to a spousal RRSP while my wife stays at home with our…

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Giving Money To Your Grandchildren

The article “Giving Money To Your Grandchildren” was originally published on MoneySense on February 20, 2018. Consider a formal trust, among other options Q: A senior couple would like to transfer shares in individual companies to five different grandchildren. All are under ten years old. Some are held through an advisor and some with a discount…

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How Safe Are My Retirement Savings If The Bank Fails?

The article “How Safe Are My Retirement Savings If The Bank Fails?” was originally published on MoneySense on February 19, 2018. What to do to make sure your savings are protected Q: I am considering retiring early (at 55) and based on advice from my financial planner, I can rather easily do so, primarily based on…

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