Canada Needs a Financial Plan

According to a July 23 publication by the Fraser Institute, we are getting poorer here in Canada and the prospects for economic growth are looking grim.  This should be of concern to every Canadian concerned about their “real income” – that’s their purchasing power – and by extension - their ability to fund consumption now and for important family milestones in the future:  retirements, education and homeownership.  It’s grim, but there are practical suggestions for a turn around plan. Here’s a synopsis of the report.   

Sharon Timson is a DFA-Tax Services Specialist™ Designate who has been able to increase the value she offers to her clients, while diving deeper into the important financial conversations. See what she has to say about her experience in earning these important credentials.

CRA launched its new Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) calculator today, to assist businesses in applying for support based on “incremental remuneration” in the period June 6 to November 20, 2021.  The program will overlap with CEWS and is meant to help businesses grow again as the economy reopens, as a result of hiring staff, increasing pay, or increasing shifts. It’s good news and advisors will want to bring details to their business owner clients immediately.  Here are the details:

What matters is what you keep. As we have reached the 2021 halfway point, from a tax planning point of view it’s high time focus on ways to keep more money in your clients’ pockets before year-end.  A key question arises for pre-retirees in the post-COVID environment:  what are the right next steps if TFSA, RPP and RRSP contribution room has been maximized for every adult in the family?  The answer takes the investor back to three basics:

On June 23, the April 19, 2021 Federal Budget was passed into law by the House of Commons.  It included changes to pandemic supports, including the extension and reduction to the Canada Recovery Benefit to $300 per week. Our June Poll asked our readers if they feel this move is premature, and the answers provide insights to the question “Is it time to get our economy back to normal?” For the majority of our June Poll respondants (66%), the answer is ‘yes’ it’s time.  But it was a close neck-in-neck race and insights from both sides of the equation are enlightening.  Please read on to find out why:

Are financial advisors failing the next generation?  A new survey says “yes”, as younger investors are dropping their financial advisors in favor of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) investing.  This requires introspection, especially by advisors who want to build practices for the future.  Fees are a big trigger, but looking more closely, there are two more compelling reasons which top advisors can step up to address.

June 30 is an important date to remember for both New Students and Grads at Knowledge Bureau!  Designates must recertify to continue to use their designation marks, while graduates will want to take advantage of their time limited VIP Grad discounts to continue their studies. For new students, there’s an opportunity to explore tuition offers on both online and instructor led courses.  Here is a rundown on opportunities for you.  Our friendly educational consultants are standing by to help.  call 1-866-953-4769 for personal assistance or email registrar@knowledgebureau.com.