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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The article “How To Start Investing Late In Life” was originally published on MoneySense on February 11, 2018. It’s never too late to start playing catch-up Q: I am a late bloomer. I finally have an empty nest, but I had low income employment and always lived with my nose 1…

The article “Financial Planning And Mental Illness” was originally published on MoneySense on February 7, 2018. Advice for a reader who’s been unable to save due to her chronic mental illness Q: I am 43 with no children or spouse. I have a mental illness that is chronic and has prevented…