Foreign Currencies Gains and Losses
As we all know, it’s been a roller coaster week in tariff news. The Canadian dollar started to sink, although not to its lowest historical level-yet. The 30 day pause in implementation of the U.S. tariffs has provided a wake up call: What effect will such a Black Swan event have on portfolios and, by extension, retirement plans?Housing Affordability: Borrowers Take a Hit from Rising Interest Rates
The hot housing market (especially in Vancouver and Toronto) has long thwarted home ownership dreams for many Canadians. In fact, RBC’s July report on housing trends and affordability reveals that the average Canadian household requires almost half its total income to cover home ownership costs.
Value-Based Education Matters to Advisors: Invest in Summer Training
According to this year’s Report Card on Banks from Investment Executive, tax and financial advisors place significant value on professional education, and have increased job satisfaction when ongoing educational opportunities are provided to them by their employers. This comes as no surprise at a time when it’s becoming more important than ever to transition from transactional processes, to holistic advice- and relationship-driven practices.
OAS and GIS Increases: Canadian Seniors Get a Small Raise
New rates for Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) programs went into effect as of July 1, 2018, and as a result, Canadian seniors are getting a small raise each month this quarter. But, the windfall is meek.
Solving the Unethical Advisor Dilemma: Higher Standards for Education Credentials Needed
The debate is on for our July poll, with respondents split down the middle on whether or not more regulation is required to protect consumers from unethical tax and financial advisors. Many commenters agree that unscrupulous practices are an issue, but what’s the answer? Some believe the solution lies in higher educational standards. Share your thoughts!
Bank of Canada Increases Interest Rate to 1.5%
Bank of Canada raised its benchmark interest rate to 1.5 percent (up from 1.25 percent) as anticipated, in an announcement from Governor Stephen Poloz this morning.
Consumer Woes: New Surtax hits Cross-Border Shoppers, While Interest Rates Rise
Canadians spend anywhere from $4.7 to $8 Billion on cross-border shopping and if you spent the July long weekend looking for bargains in the U.S. you may have had an unpleasant surprise: despite the loonie holding some ground against US currency, a new 10% surtax on certain consumer goods came into effective July 1, when if you exceeded your exemption limit.
