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?Jeffrey Simpson: The Threat to Knowledge Authorities in the Sharing Economy
One of Canada’s foremost journalists and commentators on public policy shared his insights with attendees on the first day of the 2015 Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) in a thought-provoking session in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Jeffrey Simpson, national affairs columnist for The Globe and Mail, spoke in detail about the age of dis-intermediation and what that means for advisors.
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.
