All posts by Jonathan Chevreau

Are you ready for The Big Shift?

Posted By Jonathan Chevreau | February 6, 2015

By Jonathan Chevreau

If you’re intrigued by the kind of content we publish on the Hub, you should be fascinated by The Big Shift, a book published originally in 2011 by Marc Freedman.

The subtitle tells it all: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife. Freedman is a “social entrepreneur” who founded a firm called Civic Ventures (now Encore.org), and previously published (in 2007) a book called Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life. We’ll review that in the next few weeks.

Both books have crystallized my thinking of what this site is all about, so much so that we have renamed the fifth of our six major blog categories Encore Acts, (from the previous IBusiness Ownership). As we noted in Saturday’s new weekly wrap, an Encore Act may or may not include entrepreneurship but there are many Encore Acts that may not involve launching a new business.

The Longevity Bonus: centenarians galore? Continue Reading…

5 low-risk investments for your TFSA

Posted By Jonathan Chevreau | February 5, 2015

By TSI Network and Jonathan Chevreau

TFSAs let you earn investment income—including interest, dividends and capital gains—tax free.

The federal government first made the Tax-free Savings Account (TFSA) available to Canadian investors in January 2009. These accounts let you earn investment income — including interest, dividends and capital gains — tax free. You could contribute $5,000 in 2009 to start your Tax-free Savings Account.

Every year until 2013, you could contribute an additional $5,000 to your TFSA. If you contribute less than the maximum to your TFSA in any given year, you can carry the difference forward. That means your TFSA contributions for 2009 and 2010 totalled $10,000, rising to $15,000 in 2011, $20,000 in 2012 and so on.

As of January 1, 2013 the annual contribution limit increased to $5,500, in line with the initial promise to adjust limits with rising inflation. It remains at $5,500 for 2015. That means that if you haven’t contributed yet (and were 18 years or older in 2009) you can now contribute up to $36,500. At some point, once the federal books are balanced, the Conservative government is on record that it will boost the annual TFSA limit to $10,000.

How to shelter your gains with a Tax-free Savings Account

Use your TFSA to complement your RRSP.

Generally speaking, your TFSA can hold the same investments as an RRSP. This includes cash, mutual funds, publicly traded stocks, GICs and bonds.

Contributions are not tax deductible, as they are with an RRSP. However, unlike withdrawals from RRSPs (or withdrawals for RRIFs to which most RRSPs are converted), withdrawals from a TFSA are not taxed. In this respect, RRSPs and TFSAs are mirror images of each other in the way they impact your taxes.

This makes the TFSA a good vehicle for more short-term savings goals, like saving up for a down payment on a first home. If funds are limited, you may need to choose between RRSP and TFSA contributions. RRSPs may be the better choice in years of high income when you’re in the top tax brackets, since RRSP contributions are deductible from your taxable income. In years of low or no income — such as when you’re in school, beginning your career or between jobs — TFSAs may be the better choice.

Investing in a TFSA in low-income years will provide a real benefit in retirement. When you’re retired, you can draw down your TFSA first, incurring zero tax liabilities. After that, you can begin making taxable RRSP withdrawals.

Hold low-risk investments in your TFSA.

Maybe you just THINK you want to retire?

Posted By Jonathan Chevreau | February 4, 2015

By Jonathan Chevreau

My latest MoneySense blog has been posted, titled Maybe you just think you want to retire?

The word “think” needs to be emphasized, since the point is that I’m not so sure baby boomers really want to retire anymore, at least not in their 50s or early 60s. I actually had written this particular blog before reading and reviewing some books about Encore Careers and Second Acts, such as last week’s review of Unretirement.

Of course, this entire website is dedicated to the proposition that there is a difference between traditional “full-stop” retirement and Financial Independence, or “Findependence.” To us, Findependence sets the stage for one’s true calling in life, which is why the six blog sections here at the Hub now include one called Encore Acts. From where I sit, it’s a lot easier to launch an Encore Act once you have a modicum of Financial Independence established.

For the full blog, click the red link above.

For archival purposes and the convenience of one-stop shopping, the piece is also included below: Continue Reading…

The Robo Generation: Robo-Advisers now Magazine Cover Stories

Posted By Jonathan Chevreau | February 3, 2015

By Jonathan Chevreau

Interesting cover story on robo-advisers in the current issue of Financial Post Magazine, delivered with Tuesday’s National Post.

As an ex magazine guy myself, I find it fascinating that robo-advisers have made it to magazine cover status so quickly. A year ago they were barely known in Canada, although they’ve been a rising force in the U.S. for a few years now (chiefly via WealthFront).

In the FP feature story, deputy editor Andy Holloway describes veteran financial planner John Nicola, founder of Vancouver-based Nicola Wealth Management, which targets the 1% of investors with at least $1 million in investible assets.

Then the article moves on to the next generation: WealthBar Financial Services Inc., a (so-called) robo-adviser service headed by John Nicola’s eldest son, Christopher, and daughter-in-law Tea (pictured). Continue Reading…

Advice is Often Helpful; Stock Picking Less So

Posted By Jonathan Chevreau | February 3, 2015

By John De Goey, CFP

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

One thing that I notice both in the media and in speaking with other advisors is the dual presumption that passive investment products are made for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) investors and that active ones are made for people who work with advisors.

To hear some people tell it, it’s as if those who are using mutual funds have to have an advisor and those using ETFs are always DIYers.

In fact, there are two separate decisions at play here. The two mutually exclusive decisions are: