Generations Building Wealth Differently

Can Canadians build wealth in the current economic environment? Over the longer term?  After taxes?  These are important questions anytime but particularly at election time.  The traditional way to build wealth for Canadians families has been to buy a home, pay it off and even leverage the equity to borrow money to invest in the financial markets.  These wealth building exercises occur over a lifetime.  But today, new generations are building wealth differently.

Great news! New data from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey, released on February 26, shows that poverty levels are on the decline thanks (at least, in part) to federal benefit programs like the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). Unfortunately, there is a fly in the ointment, but tax and financial professionals can help.

Is a recession around the corner? A March 1 Statistics Canada economic report shows negligible economic growth for the fourth quarter of 2018, due to a decline in oil export prices and decreased investment spending. Now just might be the right time to implement tax and financial planning strategies to brace for a prolonged slowdown.

Is the tax refund a good thing? It’s a question that spurred a great debate in February’s Knowledge Bureau poll when we asked tax and financial professionals whether or not the withholding taxes that lead to a tax refund should be reduced to help taxpayers save or pay down debt. Did the no side or the yes side win? You’ll be surprised by the results.

Canadians are struggling to meet their retirement savings goals, and this is an issue impacting the traditionally employed and self-employed, alike. A recent survey by TD identified that it’s a special challenge for gig workers in particular. But for many, it’s a dilemma that can be solved by changing priorities. 

British Columbia was the first province to release its budget this year, when they announced it on February 19. There were some interesting new benefits in the package that advisors must factor into their tax and financial strategies with clients who are B.C residents at the end of 2019.

Knowledge Bureau has been so inspired by graduate Renata McMann’s commitment to education. Here’s the story of her educational journey to become a DFA – Tax Services Specialist™.