MONEY OUT THE WINDOW OR MONEY WELL SPENT- THE CHOICE IS YOURS! You might be paying banking fees for every bank account you own whether it’s with the same financial institution or not. I know plenty of people who bank with several Big 5 banks and I’m not sure if they understand the costs of monthly banking fees and how it may be affecting their overall yearly savings power. Banking in Canada seemed fairly straight-forward to me when I arrived as a permanent resident. I was fortunate to set up my bank account at the time through President’s Choice Financial since my wife banked there but before I moved to Canada. It made life far easier for me especially when I needed to transfer money from my UK bank account to my Canadian bank account. What I loved about PC Financial what is now known as Simplii Financial Canada was that there were no banking fees. We didn’t have to pay for cheques either. If we had any issues we could make a phone call or visit any Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada (CIBC) for help. In total since I moved to Canada over 10 years ago now we’ve […]
Yearly Banking Fees of $1000 Seniors Could Have Avoided : Net Worth Update 2018 March (+0.51%)
Canadian 2018 Income Tax Season: Your Questions Answered
FILE YOUR NEXT INCOME TAX RETURN WITH CONFIDENCE As we welcome another tax year I thought it would be fitting to get to know what’s new for the 2018 income tax season in Canada. The last thing any Canadian tax payer wants to find out is that an expense is no longer being offered as you prepare to file your income tax return. This has happened to us but this year we took control and made sure we knew the answers that would affect our family and our income tax returns. Expectations and reality are two different things with income tax in Canada which is why I did not hesitate to bring in the professionals to have your 2018 income tax questions answered. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ask UFile resident tax expert Gerry Vittoratos your most important 2018 Income Tax questions. Earlier this month I asked you, the fans of Canadian Budget Binder if you had any income tax questions you for Gerry so we could get answers to the most important questions YOU have. Below are your questions all answered by Gerry along with information from Canada Revenue. Everyone ALWAYS asks this question, so […]
A Frozen Bank Account After Death Leaves Widow Broke : March 2018 Budget Update
LEARNING THAT YOUR SAVINGS ARE FROZEN MAY CAUSE FINANCIAL STRESS When dealing with the loss of your spouse life can be turned upside down especially when you are trying to use money that you have no right to get access to without following a process. No one expects a financial officer to tell them that their late spouse will have a frozen bank account which includes all the family savings. It’s certainly a stress not needed after death but very important to understand why and the implications. This exact scenario happened to my mother-in-law recently and I hope today that we shed some light on her situation in hopes of inspiring other couples to educate themselves about their finances before death. Even if you are named the executor in a WILL you still need to jump through legal hoops to unfreeze the bank account. Sadly, a frozen bank account happens quite often according to the banking representative we met with especially for couples who choose to bank separately. This sort of lit a fire under our butts since all of our bank accounts are not joint bank accounts. The costs of a funeral can run into the thousands of […]
How To Prepare Yourself Financially For a Union Strike
A UNION STRIKE AFFECTS EVERYONE FINANCIALLY WHO ARE DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY INVOLVED When a union goes on a legal strike not everyone is prepared financially especially when the union strike lingers on for weeks and in some cases months. I’ve followed current College strike news in Ontario as the teacher’s head into the third week on the picket lines and wanted to learn more about the financial plight that everyone suffers, including students and businesses. The last thing you think of when you start the College year whether you’re away from home or not is how you will survive a union strike. Listen, I’m not union expert but what I am certain of is the financial impact a union strike can have and I’ve got some critical financial planning tips today for those of you who work for a union or are directly involved with a union. Most of the post will revolve around the current Ontario Colleges Union strike as an example. What does it mean to go on strike? A union strike means that the union and management are unable to come up with negotiations that meet each others needs. After this the workers walk off the […]
A Guide To Spending Less On Work Clothes
BE SUCCESSFUL AT WORK WHETHER YOU WEAR GIANT TIGER OR GUCCI Depending on where you’re employed purchasing work clothes can be costly especially if you must wear casual or business attire. I’m sure those of you who work from home and are reading this in your Pajamas can verify that work clothes are over-rated and a huge expense for anyone’s budget. There’s no need to splash a tonne of money to look presentable for work. The key to shopping for work clothes is to feel comfortable for your environment and abide by dress code rules. The worst thing employees can do is spend money to look good for the employer or other employees rather than focus on their role. It’s not a fashion show (unless of course you are a model but that’s probably the only industry where clothing matters but they likely don’t have to buy it.) Success doesn’t come from what you wear An excellent employee will always excel no matter if they are wearing Gucci or Giant Tiger work clothes. It’s more about motivation, dedication and drive to be successful. Your clothes can still be trendy and sexy even if you find ways to […]
How I Made My Move To Canada From The UK : The Saturday Weekend Review #178
THE BEST MOVE I EVER MADE WAS TO MY NEW HOME IN CANADA. Living in Canada was never on my bucket list until I met the love of my life ten years ago while on vacation. Once I made my move to Canada I never looked back and still haven’t been back to the UK only because starting a new life in Canada has been hectic for the wife and I. Our years have been so busy for us in Canada that it’s taken me this long to get on my feet financially and in a career that I love after going back to school for a second time. Since coming to Canada and going back to school, starting a new career and having a baby we’ve also paid off our mortgage and are debt free. Life is good and we are thankful for everything. We do have plans to head back to the UK for a visit in 2017 but for now we will continue to live the Canadian dream or at least, our dream. As the stock markets tumble after the shock of the UK Referendum (Brexit) where voting determined that the UK was pulling out […]
The 2016 Federal Budget is in: What Does it Change for You?
IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND DETAILS OF THE NEW BUDGET The new Liberal government rolled out their 10 year spending and tax plans on Tuesday, March 22nd. In a nutshell, the 2016 Federal Budget focuses on putting more cash in the pockets of low and middle-income families and on improving the infrastructure in cities and in aboriginal regions. If you don’t have time or just don’t feel like reading through the 271 page document, here is a summary of a few key changes that will affect the majority of Canadians and may affect you if you fall in the category. Are you in the “Middle-Class”? The definition is a bit unclear, but the new budget benefits families earning less than $150,000 per year and individuals in the second tax bracket ($45,282 to $90,563). Most of the benefits in this budget have been targeted to the majority of Canadians who fall within that definition, and marginal tax rates were reduced by 1.5% at the end of 2015 for the second tax bracket. If your family income exceeds $150,000 or your individual income puts you in a higher tax bracket, then you will not benefit from most of these changes […]
Sexy Photo Fun Could End Up A Nightmare Of Revenge Porn – The Saturday Weekend Review #157
ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO GO BROKE IS TO COMMIT A CRIME What happens behind closed doors in an intimate relationship should stay closed. For those who feel wronged in a relationship or have other ulterior motives “revenge porn” may be their ticket to getting the last laugh or to cash in. It could also be the worst mistake mentally, physically and financially one could commit if they are caught in such a situation. Let’s not forget about the victim who has to suffer the consequences of their private life splattered on the web. It’s a horrible situation. The word “Porn” may be labelled a dirty word but it’s one of the biggest money-making industries in the world. Nobody wants to talk about it nor read about it but it’s everyday people who get caught up in crimes like revenge porn. Individuals who feel they have a power over someone with pornography need to understand that the consequences of their actions will not be tolerated by the law. It’s also important for parents to discuss topics like this with their teenage children because they know about sex whether you choose to believe it or not. Don’t get upset […]
