Opportunity: Canadian Dollar Stabilizes, Somewhat
Things have started to turn around for the Canadian dollar in the second quarter of 2025. It hit a 22 year low in January of 2025. Investors and property owners, who have been swooning at the high burn rate in their travel plans and property maintenance abroad, may wish to consider recent more positive trends and consider some risk mitigation opportunities now that the dollar is stabilizing somewhat.Philip Petursson: New Strategies in Managing Portfolios
Philip Petursson, Managing Director of Manulife Asset Management’s Portfolio Advisory Group, encouraged attendees at the 2015 Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) to think differently about portfolio management. He asserted that, in an attempt to serve clients and build value by customizing portfolios, advisors are following an approach that is actually inefficient and unproductive.
Year-End Tax Planning: Manage The Costs Of Debt
It’s hard to believe that back in 1980, Canadians’ debt to disposable income level was 66%; today it is 164%, which means that households today owe more than $1.64 for every dollar of disposable income. That’s a big problem if job loss is in the future and, therefore, should be a topic of conversation for those working in industries suffering downturns and in retirement planning conversations.
DAC and DAW 2016: Outstanding CE Opportunities for Professionals
It’s official: The Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) will be held November 6-9, 2016 in San Diego, and Knowledge Bureau’s Annual January Personal Tax Bootcamp is set to begin January 20 to 25, 2016 across Canada. Registrants are urged to reserve their spots early and take advantage of early bird tuition reductions until December 15, 2015.
First Budget for Alberta’s New Government
Last week, Alberta’s new NDP government brought down their first provincial budget.
Maximum pensionable earnings for 2016 announced by CRA
On November 2, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced the maximum pensionable earnings under the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) for 2016 will be $54,900. That is up from $53,600 in 2015.
Snowbirds Need to be Aware of Taxation Issues
It’s November and that means Snowbirds are on the move again to Florida, Arizona, California and Texas to name a few of the favorite spots. People who ordinarily reside in Canada but spend part of the year in the United States must take caution to ensure they are not spending too much time in the U.S., which would deem them a U.S. resident for tax purposes and potentially a non-resident of Canada.
