Archive for the ‘Geopolitical + Tax Changes’ Category

Three Reasons I’ve Never Recommended A GIC – And I’m Not Starting Now

By Dan Hallett on March 5th, 2024

In the mid-1990s, interest rates offered on guaranteed investment certificates (GICs) ranged from 6% to 8% per year for five-year terms. Those rates – generous by today’s standards – were a far cry from the double-digit rates available just a...

When are RRSP’s a Good Strategy

By Ian Calvert on January 10th, 2023

The Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) was created in 1957 and has progressed into a valuable saving vehicle for working Canadians. The concept of creating the RRSP account was to give individuals the same benefits experienced by those...

What the 2017 Federal Budget Means for High Net Worth Canadians

By Mark Barnicutt on March 28th, 2017

On March 22nd, 2017 the Trudeau Liberal Government presented their second Federal Budget. Compared to their first budget, which included significant increases in taxation and program stimulus, this budget provided relatively small changes to certain...

How Donald Trump’s Victory May Affect Your Investments

By Greg Rodger on November 11th, 2016

We wouldn’t want to be shareholders of any of the polling companies this morning as, once again, the pollsters were proved to be completely wrong. Donald Trump’s victory has certainly taken many by surprise. The more that the election results...

New Rules Will Affect the Taxation of Canadian Life Insurance Policies

By Tim Haunn on May 13th, 2016

It will be almost three years in the making but Bill C-43 effective January 2017 will update 1982 tax laws. One of the benefits of permanent life insurance is that the money, while inside a policy, grows exempt from taxes. To remain exempt from...

Mystery Shoppers Reveal Challenges of Comparing Investment Advisor Fees in Ontario

By Mark Barnicutt on September 25th, 2015

A recent article in Investment Executive highlights the results of a mystery shopping exercise wherein investment advisors were secretly evaluated by three securities regulators (OSC, IIROC, and MFDA) in 2014. Unfortunately, the results are in line...

Canada Is Not Alone in Demanding Investing Transparency: Comparable CRM Global Regulations

By Adam Laird on August 21st, 2015

On July 15th, 2016, CRM Phase 2 will come into effect. Investment advisors and firms will be required to disclose annual reports of charges, compensation and performance. This is a positive change for investors, who are too often left in the dark by...

High Noon In Euroland

By Administrator on October 20th, 2011

World leaders and policy makers have been trying over the past 24 months to control the fallout from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), circa 2008, and to revive economies across the developed world that are stuck in neutral. So far, success has...

Thoughts on Recent Global Events

By Greg Rodger on March 17th, 2011

It is likely difficult for any of us to truly comprehend the toll that the recent tragic events in Japan have taken on its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. While in some ways it feels trivial and disrespectful to comment on the...

Cross-Border Estate & Tax Planning Seminar

By Mark Barnicutt on January 26th, 2011

Many Canadians own assets, especially real estate, that are located in the United States. There have been recent changes to the U.S. Estate Tax Laws that will have signficant impacts on Canadians with US assets. To educate investors, two law firms...

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