All posts by Financial Independence Hub

Conscious Clients don’t put Retirement plans at Risk

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dougdahmer
Doug Dahmer

By Doug Dahmer, Emeritus Retirement Income Specialists

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of my job is working with my clients as they learn what I call ‘Conscious living.’ It’s a skill that has tremendous impact on their quality of life and their retirement plan.

My ‘Conscious’ clients have a retirement plan and clearly defined goals. They know what they want to do, when they want to do them and how big they want to do them. They also have the tools to explore the implication of each financial decision or potential alteration to their plan. And they understand the future impact that an ill-considered, near-term expenditure will create – in most cases putting some element of their goals and retirement plan at risk. Continue Reading…

The ultimate guide to Investments & Debt Consolidation

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Darren Robinson

By Darren Robinson,

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

It’s only natural for families to pursue investment opportunities to help pay for costs such as home ownership, health care, food, transportation, entertainment and countless other things. But sometimes investments can fail and lead to heavy losses that can force a family to tap into credit more often to meet monthly financial obligations. Here is a guide for dealing with extreme financial challenges.

Risky Investments

There are many ways to invest money, but some investments are safer than others. Although the stock market can be one of the quickest paths to wealth, it can also be a quick path to asset depletion. If you buy a heavy volume of any given financial instrument, it can wipe out an investment rapidly if the security moves the wrong way.

Continue Reading…

Re-introducing Tontine Annuities Might Shave Years Off Your Findependence Day

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Moshe Milevsky

By Moshe A. Milevsky

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

Here is a non-surprising fact. Most retired individuals do not choose to voluntarily annuitize their accumulated wealth or savings at retirement. They prefer the lump sum. This has been christened by financial economists: “the annuity puzzle” and has been the topic of Ph.D. theses for decades. I am guilty of supervising a few of these myself.

Sadly, life annuities are relatively unpopular – especially compared to stocks and bonds — in a large part of the world and simply unavailable in most others. Indeed, the few jurisdictions and countries in which there is a sizeable market for annuity products – such as Canada or the U.S. — it is often driven by tax-advantaged treatment and/or government “nudging and defaults” as opposed to an intrinsic consumer appreciation for longevity insurance. Like most insurance products, they are ‘sold’ but rarely purchased.

Could the past hold the key to Longevity Insurance?

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Voluntary CPP contributions will favour high earners

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Courtesy Retirement Redux

By Sheryl Smolkin, Retirement Redux

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

When I heard the announcement that the Conservative government is considering allowing Canadians to make additional voluntary contributions to the Canada Pension Plan, my first reaction was that maybe that’s not a bad idea.

After all, the CPP Fund reported last week a return of 18.3% for its latest financial year, its best showing ever. I don’t know about you, but I’d be happy if CPP was managing and investing more of my retirement savings.

But the fact is that I already have retirement savings. I have a pension, my RRSPs and TFSAs are maxed out and our house is paid off. However, for Canadians who do not have a workforce pension and are living from paycheque to paycheque, another opportunity to save voluntarily is not going to make a difference.

In fact, if voluntary CPP contributions are locked in until retirement, even when middle or low earners finally bite the bullet and set up a payroll savings plan, chances are they will opt for an RRSP or TFSA so they can get at the money in an emergency. Because employers probably won’t have to match contributions, there is little incentive for employees to contribute more money to CPP.

Unanswered questions Continue Reading…

Consider home renovations, but also think about costs

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Depositphotos_1845709_xsBy Pat Giles, TD Bank,

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

 With the spring homebuying season in full swing, real estate is a hot topic of conversation and many Canadian homeowners may be thinking of making a move.

A recent TD survey of existing homeowners and those planning to own a home reveals that renovation is also on the minds of many Canadians. In fact, 56% of respondents have considered, or would consider, renovating their current home or buying a fixer-upper rather than buying a move-in-ready one.

Many people find themselves in the situation where they love their neighbourhood but their current home doesn’t have enough space or it is in need of upgrades. These can be motivating factors for many to choose between renovating and relocating; but given the cost and stress associated with moving, home renovation proves to be a popular choice amongst Canadians.

But renovation does not come worry free. When considering the choice to renovate, 61 per cent of survey respondents say that cost is their biggest concern. Continue Reading…