The article "Maximizing Spousal RRSP Contributions In Your 70s" was originally published on MoneySense on March 22, 2021. Don wants to know exactly when is the cutoff for contributions in his wife’s case, and when to convert the savings to a registered retirement...

The article "Should You Always Split Your Pension Income?" was originally published on MoneySense on March 15, 2021. Narayan wants to know the best ways to save income tax, given the disparity between his income and his wife’s. Q. Is it always advantageous to use...

The article "How To Invest Down Payment Funds While Timing The Real Estate Market" was originally published on MoneySense on March 8, 2021. Liz sold her home in anticipation of becoming an empty nester, but prices keep rising while she rents and waits to buy again....

The article "Tax Implications Of Building A Laneway Suite" was originally published on MoneySense on March 1, 2021. Any time a homeowner becomes a landlord, there may be GST/HST and income tax owing—and the amounts can be quite large. Q. I read your “capital gains on...

The article "You May Be Able To Claim These Commonly Overlooked Medical Expenses On Your Tax Return" was originally published on MoneySense on February 23, 2021. Several medical expenses are eligible for a tax credit. Here are a few Canadians should consider at tax...

The article "How Do Mortgage Brokers Get Paid?" was originally published on MoneySense on February 27, 2021. Adil is about to close on a home purchase and is surprised that his mortgage broker is asking for a cash payment for the broker fee before the funds are...

The article "Financial Planning In Your 70s" was originally published on MoneySense on February 9, 2021. Be mindful of these money concerns, even after retirement. When most people think about financial planning, they think about saving and investing for retirement....

The article "When Are Tax-Deferred And Tax-Free Accounts Actually Taxable?" was originally published on MoneySense on February 2, 2021. A new investor, Tawheeda is looking for clarification on the tax payable on U.S. and Canadian stocks in her RRSP and TFSA. Q. I saw...

The article "What To Consider If You Still Have RRSP Contribution Room" was originally published on MoneySense on January 25, 2021. With just weeks left before the contribution deadline, a Certified Financial Planner rounds up key facts and common RRSP myths....

The article "Capital Gains On Subdivided Land" was originally published on MoneySense on January 18, 2021. Devon was lucky enough to buy a lot that he was able to subdivide, sell some of the land and build a house on the rest. Does he owe tax? Q. Our primary residence...

The article "Financial Priorities For The New Year" was originally published on MoneySense on January 11, 2021. January is a good time to review your investments, tax and debt management planning. Here’s how to get started. The new year is often a time for resolutions...

The article "Can Life Insurance Be Used As A Fixed Income Investment?" was originally published on MoneySense on December 21, 2020. Emerging from a serious health scare, Dana wonders if she can use her life insurance to replace the bonds in her investment portfolio....

The article "Halal Investing in Canada" was originally published on MoneySense on December 18, 2020. Investing can be challenging for Muslims, as solutions that are both Shariah-compliant and effective at helping achieve long-term financial goals are limited. Canadian...

The article "Ways To “Unlock” Retirement Savings In A LIRA" was originally published on MoneySense on December 7, 2020. Keith wants to know what to do with his DPSP now that it has been transferred to a locked-in retirement account. Q. When I retired at age 63, the...

The article "Unique Ideas For Your Last Will and Testament" was originally published on MoneySense on November 30, 2020. A straightforward will can work well for many people but, for some, there are clauses to consider that might better convey your wishes. When you...

The article "Managing Tax In A “Tenancy In Common” Situation" was originally published on MoneySense on November 24th, 2020. Claudia wants to minimize the tax payable when selling her share of a cottage to the co-owner. Q. I am a co-owner of a cottage in Ontario. The...

The article "Financial Literacy For Seniors" was originally published on MoneySense on November 16, 2020. If one spouse makes most or all the financial decisions, the uninvolved spouse can be left vulnerable. That's one reason seniors, their family and their advisors...

The article "Calculating Expected Returns On The Sale Of Real Estate" was originally published on Moneysense on November 10, 2020. Yan is selling his home and wants to know how to price it to ensure he turns a profit. Q. How do I calculate the capital gain on real...

The article "Should You Set Up A Personal Real Estate Corporation (PREC)?" was originally published on MoneySense on November 2, 2020. Ontario recently joined several other provinces by allowing the establishment of personal real estate corporations. What are they,...

The article "How Does Assisted Dying Impact Survivor Pensions?" was originally published on MoneySense on October 26, 2020. Content warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying and suicide, which may be upsetting to some readers. We have turned off...

The article "Potential Tax Changes Due To COVID-19" was originally published on MoneySense on October 20, 2020. The pandemic has led to a significant amount of spending by the federal and provincial governments. How will the country pay for it all? Speculation is...

The article "Should You Sell Your Home To Your Kids?" was originally published on MoneySense on October 13, 2020. Graham is considering a creative strategy to access his home equity with the help of his grown children. The end goal: to build a vacation property for...

The article "Separation and Divorce: How Do We Split Up Our Investments?" was originally published on MoneySense on October 8, 2020. When a relationship breaks down, there are tax implications arising from the division of investment assets. The end of a relationship...

The article "Should You Hold Your Mortgage Inside Your RRSP?" was originally published on MoneySense on September 29, 2020. Yvonne wants to know how she can use her RRSP to reduce the mortgage on her current home, or to help with the purchase of a second property....