The article “RESP guide: Making the shift from saving for your child’s post-secondary education, to funding it” was originally published on MoneySense on July 12, 2021.  Photo by Zen Chung from Pexels. Parents may spend years contributing to Registered Education Savings Plans for their kids, but only realize when it’s…

The article “Are you entitled to anything when your ex-spouse dies?” was originally published on MoneySense on July 5, 2021.  Photo by Teona Swift from Pexels. Ginette wonders if she can claim survivor benefits although she and her late former husband were no longer together. Q. My ex-husband died a month…

The article “What happens to real estate when a spouse dies and property isn’t held jointly?” was originally published on MoneySense on June 30, 2021.  Photo by Elina Fairytale from Pexels. Barb’s mother is living in a house that was owned by her deceased father, and remains in the name…

The article “A guide to spousal RRSPs for married and common-law partners” was originally published on MoneySense on June 21, 2021.  Photo created by gpointstudio – www.freepik.com. There are benefits, but also potential pitfalls, to beware of when considering contributions to your spouse or partner’s registered retirement savings plan. A…

The article “What tenants need to know about buying out their rental” was originally published on MoneySense on June 14, 2021.  Photo by cottonbro from Pexels. Douglas is considering buying the property he rents from his landlord. There are considerations and opportunities for everyone involved. Q. I live in an apartment…

The article “Tax planning for Canadians who invest in the U.S.” was originally published on MoneySense on June 10, 2021.  Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels. There are good reasons for Canadians to invest in the U.S., including portfolio diversification. Just keep these tax-planning and compliance requirements in mind. It’s…

The article “When does it make sense to sell real estate in a larger city and buy in a smaller one?“ was originally published on MoneySense on May 31, 2021.  Photo by Shelagh Murphy from Pexels. If Alison’s annual rent exceeds 5% of the cost to buy a comparable home,…

The article “Estate planning changes in Ontario“ was originally published on MoneySense on May 25, 2021.  Photo created by pressfoto – www.freepik.com.   Estate planning changes in Ontario Virtual signing and remote witnessing are now permanent options for clients and lawyers creating wills and powers of attorney in Ontario. Here’s…

The article “IVF and adoption costs in Canada” was originally published on MoneySense on May 17, 2021.  Photo by Justin Groep on Unsplash.   Having kids can be expensive for every family—but for Canadians with fertility issues, there are added financial and non-financial costs.  Often, this column answers questions about…

The article “Selling your house? Here’s where to invest the proceeds” was originally published on MoneySense on May 14, 2021. What to do with the proceeds of a house sale, RRSPs and TFSAs? Invest. Here’s how robo-advisors might work. Q: My wife and I recently sold our house here in the…

The article “How to stop debt or pension payments after someone has died” was originally published on MoneySense on May 10, 2021. Jarnail’s son passed away recently, yet his student loan payments continue to be withdrawn. What should his next steps be? The difficult reality of losing a loved one…

Paul and his wife have a non-registered investment account and want to make sure they are reporting the income correctly on their tax returns. Q. My wife and I sold our home two years ago that was in both our names and we opened up a non-registered account in both our…