The article "Should You Buy Real Estate Through A Corporation?" was originally published on MoneySense on September 25, 2020. It can make sense to purchase rental or vacation properties through a corporation, but often it's simpler—and less risky from a tax...

The article "What Does A Fee-Only Financial Planner Do, Exactly?" was originally published on MoneySense on September 15, 2020. And if they don't sell any financial products, how do fee-only planners get paid? Q. How do you make money, Jason, if you don’t sell any...

The article "What A Stock Split Means For Your Portfolio And Tax Situation" was originally published on MoneySense on September 8, 2020. After recent stock splits for big names like Apple and Tesla, investors may be wondering: What are the tax and investment...

The article "Could Selling A Vacation Property Affect Government Pensions?" was originally published on MoneySense on September 1, 2020. Colleen wants to sell her trailer but is worried about the impact on her CPP, OAS and GIS benefits. Q. I was wondering what would...

The article "Should You Buy A Vacation Property?" was originally published on MoneySense on August 24, 2020. A cottage or other vacation property can provide a great way to unwind and spend time with family. But what are some of the financial implications? The...

The article "Is A Personal Injury Settlement Taxable, And Can It Impact OAS or GIS Benefits?" was originally published on MoneySense on August 17, 2020. After receiving a personal injury settlement, J is looking for advice on how it might be taxed, and whether it will...

The article "Severance, Pensions and Unemployment at 65: Should You Apply For A Pension If You Get Laid Off?" was originally published on MoneySense on August 11, 2020. If you got laid off and are trying to maximize your termination package, pension income and EI...

The article "The Best Ways To Help Kids Financially" was originally published on MoneySense on August 6, 2020. You don’t have to be rich to give children a good start in life. Here are six strategies to use with kids of any age. As a father of three and a financial...

The article "Which Savings Plans Should A 37-Year-Old With A Military Disability Income Contribute To, And When?" was originally published on MoneySense on July 28, 2020. Jason and his wife have registered disability savings plans, and want to know how to prioritize...

The article "The Cost Of Socially Responsible Investing" was originally published on MoneySense on July 22, 2020. Are there enough options available for Canadians who want to invest according to their values - and do you have to compromise on performance or fees to be...

The article "Understanding The 1994 Capital Gains Tax Election" was originally published on MoneySense on July 15, 2020. John was not aware of the $100,000 capital gains exemption that applied until 1994 and wants to know if he can use it to reduce the tax payable on...

The article "Planning For Retirement With Little Or No Savings To Draw On" was originally published on MoneySense on July 9, 2020. Financial planning advice is often catered to wealthier Canadians. What can retirement look like for those without healthy RRSPs or other...

The article "Triggering Losses By Transferring Investments To A TFSA" was originally published on MoneySense on July 2, 2020. Stavros is worried that contributing an investment in kind to his TFSA will trigger the “superficial loss rule.”   Q. I just transferred...

The article "What To Consider When Naming Investment Account Beneficiaries" was originally published on MoneySense on July 24, 2020. Whom you name as your account beneficiary—and whether you name one—can have tax and estate implications. Here’s what you need to know....

The article "RESP Advice For Canadian Citizens Living In The U.S." was originally published on MoneySense on June 16, 2020. Sohail has become a non-resident of Canada, but still has a RESP account he is contributing to each month. He wants to know how to maximize his...

The article "Borrowing Money To Invest" was originally published on MoneySense on June 10, 2020. Should you open a margin account with your broker, or opt for an RRSP loan? And what are the potential tax benefits and risks?   There are different ways to borrow to...

The article "Does A Spouse’s Real Estate Ownership Cancel Out First-Time Homebuyer Qualifications" was originally published on MoneySense on June 4, 2020. Meredith’s husband purchased a condo before they got married. She’s never lived in it, and wonders if she can...

The article "What’s Involved In Moving Investments From A High-fee Advisor To A DIY Setup?" was originally published on MoneySense on May 27, 2020. Brett is concerned about the fees on his mutual funds and wonders if a fee-for-service advisor can help him and his wife...

The article "Should You Update Your Financial Plan Given Recent Volatility?" was originally published on MoneySense on May 22, 2020. Investors need to expect volatility and plan for it—not only in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, but always. It’s also important to...

The article "The Pros And Cons of a Dividend Reinvestment Plan" was originally published on MoneySense on May 20, 2020. You may decide that it’s better to receive dividend distributions in cash, especially if you plan to use them for TFSA contributions, or to help...

The article "How To Protect Personal Assets If Your Business Fails" was originally published on MoneySense on May 6, 2020.   With COVID-19 protective measures crushing her already struggling business, Annette fears losing her home if she's unable to repay...

The article "10 Podcasts To Amp Up Your Investing And Financial Confidence" was originally published on MoneySense on May 3, 2020. These Canadian resources make it easy to bone up on a wide range of money concerns.   Q. I’m 30 years old and would like to learn...

The article “Records Of My Stock Purchase Have Disappeared. What Now?” was originally published on MoneySense on April 22, 2020. Tonya bought shares of a small company, which she sold at a loss. She’d like to use that loss to offset some capital gains, but neither the...

The article "Should You Consider Using Joint Accounts To Avoid Probate?" was originally posted on MoneySense on April 16, 2020. Would listing Laurel as her aging mother’s joint account holder simplify management of her mother’s affairs if she is no longer able to do...

The article "The Basics of Starting Your Own Business" was originally published on MoneySense on April 8, 2020. Looking to earn some money through self-employment or a side hustle? Here’s what to know about the setup and tax implications before you get started. With...

The article "What Should Retirees Do With Their Investments Amid COVID-19?" was originally published on MoneySense on March 23, 2020. With North American stock markets down more than 30% from their recent highs, Canadians who are retired or close to retirement are...

The article "What You Need To Know About Filing Your 2019 Tax Return" was originally published on MoneySense on March 4, 2020.   Here is a quick primer on claims to take advantage of, the filing deadlines for employees and self-employed taxpayers, what to watch...

The article "Planning For The (potential) Costs Of Long-Term Care" was originally published on MoneySense on February 10, 2020. Insuring against a potential expense that could range from nothing to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and could happen at any time during...

The article "Do You Have Too Many Shares In One Company?" was originally published on MoneySense on February 7, 2020. Anyone who has a single stock that makes up more than 5% to 10% of their investment portfolio should be considering if they are overexposed and how to...

The article "Should You Buy Health Insurance In Retirement?" was originally published on MoneySense on January 29, 2020. Most people have health insurance coverage during their working years, but their employer picks up at least some of the cost. For retirees, the...

The article "Is An RRSP Loan A Good Idea?" was originally published on MoneySense on January 22, 2020. Depending on which tax bracket you’re in and whether you have other debt, you might be better off simply directing what you would put towards loan repayments into...

The article "How To Make Sense Of Contradictory Investment Advice" was originally published on MoneySense on January 10, 2020. Nat’s looking for help deciding which strategy truly is best: buy and hold for the long term, or sell off “losers” before they hurt your...

The article "How Does Income From A Rental Property Create RRSP Contribution Room?" was originally published on MoneySense on January 6, 2020. And, perhaps more importantly, should Jerry, who’s retired, claim RRSP deductions or the capital cost allowance, to reduce...

The article "Planning For An Inheritance" was originally published on MoneySense on December 10, 2019. Nearly half of Canadians expect to receive an inheritance. But while it’s important to consider those potential funds in your own retirement planning, counting on...

The Article "How To Recover Financially From Divorce" was originally published on MoneySense on December 4, 2019. Top tips: Try to avoid any hasty decisions regarding real estate, and take the time to ensure you have the amount and type of insurance coverage you need....

The article "Should You Borrow To Pay Expenses On An Investment Property?" was originally published on MoneySense on November 15, 2019. Garry, who’s retired, needs additional cash to cover the cost of maintaining a property he rents out. Should he consider taking out...

The article "Understanding Your Company Pension Plan" was originally published on MoneySense on November 6, 2019. While the specifics can vary quite widely from plan to plan, a good place to start is with the basic differences between “defined benefit” and “defined...