Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs)

A registered education savings plan (RESP) is a contract between an individual (the subscriber) and a person or organization (the promoter).

Under the contract, the subscriber names one or more beneficiaries (the future student(s)) and agrees to make contributions for them, and the promoter agrees to pay educational assistance payments (EAPs) to the beneficiaries.

There are two different types of RESP available: family plans and specified plans.

For more information, please contact me.

Source: Canada Revenue Agency

Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)

The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) allows Canadians, age 18 and over, to set money aside tax-free throughout their lifetime. Each calendar year, you can contribute up to the TFSA dollar limit for the year, plus any unused TFSA contribution room from the previous year, and the amount you withdrew the year before.

The annual TFSA dollar limit for 2017 is $5,500.*

All income earned and withdrawals from a TFSA are generally tax-free. Plus, having a TFSA does not impact federal benefits and credits. It's a great way to save for short and long-term goals.

To learn all the facts, please contact me.

* For more information, please visit Canada Revenue Agency's TFSA website.

Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)

Two tax-efficient programs that encourage saving for the future.

From a wealth-accumulation perspective, both an RRSP and a TFSA uphold the general idea that the more money you can set aside, the more you’ll have to invest and potentially grow your savings.

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Having Crucial Conversations

Estate planning is done to prepare families for the financial circumstances when a loved one passes away. Read more.

Executor’s Handbook

When you become an Executor you are really becoming a legal Trustee with all the rights and responsibilities that come with that position. This handbook provides you with a solid overview of estate settlement and will hopefully provide you with some useful information and tools to expedite your responsibilities in a timely and competent fashion. Read more.

 

What is a mutual fund?

A mutual fund is an arrangement under which shares or units are sold to raise capital.

Investors purchase units if the mutual fund is a trust or purchase shares if the fund is a corporation. When you invest in a mutual fund, your money is pooled with the money of other investors and invested on your behalf by the fund manager. Mutual fund trusts and corporations are also known as flow-through entities.

For tax purposes, a flow-through entity treats the taxable income earned inside the entity as if you held the investments directly, instead of through the fund. The income that is distributed, or flowed out to you, keeps its identity. For example, dividend income remains dividend income, and capital gains remain capital gains when they are flowed out (or distributed) to investors.

For more information, please contact me.

Source: Canada Revenue Agency

Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)

An RRSP is a retirement savings plan that you establish, that is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency, and to which you or your spouse or common-law partner contribute. Deductible RRSP contributions can be used to reduce your tax.

Any income you earn in the RRSP is usually exempt from tax as long as the funds remain in the plan; you generally have to pay tax when you receive payments from the plan.

To learn all the facts, please contact us.

Will Planning Checklist

There are many decisions you will have to make when you draft a Will. If not thoroughly considered, some of these decisions can have unintended consequences.

Here is a checklist of some of the issues that should be discussed before you make your Will:

Estate Planning

If you have accumulated assets during your lifetime, you likely will want to ensure that wealth transitions cost effectively. Read more.

CPP Income Planning Guide

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is a mandatory contributory retirement plan that provides you with an inflation-indexed retirement pension, generally beginning at age 65. Read more.

What is an Annuity?

An annuity is a plan that makes payments to you on a regular basis. It might be a general annuity, a payment from a registered retirement income fund (RRIF), or a variable pension payment. These payments are part of your total income and are reported on your tax return.

To learn all the facts, please contact me.

Source: Canada Revenue Agency