The Importance of Provincial Budgets: Elbows Up and No Bracket Creep!

Some of the right things are happening in Nova Scotia, from the perspective of improving standards of living in that province.  And that’s important news because according to the Fraser Institute, Canadians have suffered the worst five-year decline in their standard of living over the 2020-to-2024 period since the Great Depression.  It notes, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person decreased by 2.0% (0.4% annually) ; this despite aggregate GDP growth of 1.5% over the period.  Further, all ten provinces are experiencing stagnation, which is unique in our history.  So what’s the good news in Nova Scotia, at this critical juncture?

Laramie Tan-Amit Developed Her Competitive Edge as DFA – Tax Services Specialist:

“As we look back and move forward, we would all be advised to remember that pride goes before the fall.” Former Bank of Canada Governor, Mark Carney in Geneva, 2010

Because employers are generally required to pay for the premises, assets and supplies used up by their employees in performing their duties, the employees themselves have few out-of-pocket costs to claim on the tax return. In some cases, the employee will have expenditures, but to claim them, very specific procedures must be followed.

For many taxpayers, the end of February marks the deadline for the annual ritual of contributing to their RRSP.  This year the contribution deadline for 2016 is March 1, 2017.  But is this last-minute rush to contribute the best course of action?

Retirement is one of life’s most exciting times: a time for exploration, shift in focus and demand for new knowledge and skills. For most clients, it is new territory and as a caring advisor it’s a wonderful opportunity to ‘ride shotgun’.

There are only a few days left to enter this month’s skill-testing financial trivia question to win a free registration to the DAC in Kelowna, where this year’s theme will be:  Financial Advice at the Crossroads of Change.