Canada Needs a Financial Plan

According to a July 23 publication by the Fraser Institute, we are getting poorer here in Canada and the prospects for economic growth are looking grim.  This should be of concern to every Canadian concerned about their “real income” – that’s their purchasing power – and by extension - their ability to fund consumption now and for important family milestones in the future:  retirements, education and homeownership.  It’s grim, but there are practical suggestions for a turn around plan. Here’s a synopsis of the report.   

The height of tax season is drawing close. Make a great decision and commit to your off-season education plan now. Train your staff for next year too. Making sure you mark early registration deadlines will save you money. Ask for group discounts when 2 or more enrol  Here are the key deadline dates:

Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Chris Bockstael, of OneLife Wealth Management Inc, graduated with an MFA™ – Retirement and Succession Services Specialist designation, based on recommendations from colleagues who indicated that Knowledge Bureau courses were particularly pertinent to financial planning.

With a little under two weeks until the April 30 filing deadline for individuals, tax filing season is in full swing. However, there is another upcoming date to think about: the June 17 filing deadline for proprietors. If there is a balance due, it’s best for all taxpayers to file and pay by April 30 in order to avoid interest costs.

Canadians pay a lot of tax! In fact, tax is the single greatest lifetime expense: an average two-income earning family could pay in excess of $1 million over their lifetime. While meeting with clients to file their 2018 taxes, it’s a great strategy to discuss the tax exempt income sources. Planning to earn more of them will help with cash flow and paying less tax next season.

Three more provinces have released their provincial budgets throughout March and April. Neither New Brunswick’s released on March 19, nor Saskatchewan’s on March 20, included significant tax changes. However, Ontario’s new Conservative government released its highly-anticipated first budget on April 11; and it includes some tax changes that residents of the province will be happy with. Here’s the round-up:

Get ready for the last minute T1 filing rush! According to the CRA, just over 10.6 million tax returns were filed as of April 1; against a total of over 30 million in the last tax season. While electronic filing is the preferred choice for filing again, the average refund has decreased.