Tag Archives: entrepreneurs

Opinion: Morneau rings death knell for entrepreneurial spirit in name of “fairness”

Finance Minister Bill Morneau

By Trevor Parry

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

Liberals are majestic creatures, always knowing what is better for the masses, and careful never to swallow a dose of their own medicine.  One can conjure up the Hogwartsian image of the Little Prince and “Red” Billy Morneau stumbling hand and hand through the torch-lit catacombs of the Department of Finance, where, to their great joy, hidden behind the cobweb-covered portrait of Alan MacEachen they find a secret passage to Chamber of the Knights of the Just Society.

For it can only be a long forgotten cell of Birkenstock-wearing discredited ideologues, clutching fervently to their well-worn copies of the Carter Commission Report that have vomited forth Tuesday’s discussion paper decrying the apparent abuses perpetrated by the shareholders of private corporations.

Mr. Trudeau likely can’t spell dividend, and Mr. Morneau dare not ask his father how his tuition to the LSE (coincidentally, founded by the Fabian Socialist Society) might have been funded. For these two, along with a good portion of the Liberal caucus, are completely unaware of the sacrifices that are made to create a successful business, or create a professional carreer, and who frankly shake hands with the Holy Spirit of Hypocrisy on a daily basis.

Entrepreneurialism is a plague to Liberals

No, to the Liberal Party of Canada entrepreneurialism is a plague to be eradicated, replaced by a compliant corporate oligopoly working in symbiosis with a burgeoning civil service, and of course legions of ravenous consultants.

The  Department of Finance Paper seeks to target corporate tax planning strategies that have been in place for over 30  years. Paying dividends to adult children, parents and other family members in lower tax brackets, often as a measure of generosity or as a means to pay for higher education (something Mr. Trudeau aspired to but could not achieve), multiplication of the capital gains exemption to preserve a life’s work, and realizing deferral as a means to create capital are apparently at odds with the omniscient and ubiquitous Liberal goal of “fairness.”

Tax fairness should be holding all to the lowest possible measure of taxation, not subjecting everyone to the highest. For in Trudeau’s lexicon fairness is synonymous with mediocrity.    For it is an unassailable lesson of history that the fundamental precondition for the creation of economic dynamism is the creation of surplus savings and capital by the entrepreneurial class. The tax strategies that Mr. Morneau and his Office of the Five Year Plan (formerly known as the Department of Finance) targeted on Tuesday had in some tiny measure allowed for that.

In Liberal Canada economic results must be ordained, not by a higher power, or by the ability or drive of the individual but by a collection of over-entitled, mentally ossified Liberal politburo. By every measure possible; some of which arguably violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in that they directly and unabashedly discriminate against familial relationships, anyone who dare exceed the rigid definition of “middle class” (which for most of the country is “lower” middle class at best) will be assaulted by the great level of an over-50% tax rate. The product of this fairness will be the corpulent rewarding of Liberal sacred cows without even the pretence of accountability.

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A Millennial’s Jump Start on Personal Finance

By Trevor McDonald

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

Most millennials aren’t taught personal finance beyond the few who soaked up “lessons” from having an allowance or chores while growing up. Given the increasing use of digital currency, from tapping phones together to send money, depending on Venmo and utilizing bitcoins, ask a millennial how to write a check or balance a bank account and few can give a succinct answer: but does that even matter? Has personal finance changed so much in the past few decades that its definition is due for an overhaul?

Financial literacy and well-being is and always will be vital. How it’s defined and its best practices evolve as we do. Just like any type of “health,” financial health requires setting a strong foundation, teaching and practice. It’s strange that we have an entire generation in full-fledged adult categories without a clue of how to handle their finances.

Consider this the starter kit for millennials:

1.) Credit score management

 The importance of credit scores isn’t going anywhere. In fact, they’re more important than ever with some employers using credit scores to narrow down job candidates. Make sure to monitor your credit score, check your credit report regularly for errors, and make your payments on time. This will help ensure you maintain a healthy score. There are other ways improve your credit score that you might not know, too, such as snagging a tradeline where you’re added onto a person’s credit account who already has a solid score. A tradeline company can manage this, linking paying customers to a tradeline account so any messiness of blending finances with personal relationships is avoided.

2.) Buffering that nest egg

Having at least three months’ worth of living expenses in “liquid cash” that’s easily accessible is a reasonable starting point. Some financial experts recommend one year, but a year’s salary can sound very overwhelming. Start socking away funds in an emergency account by using an app that rounds up purchases and siphons funds to this account so you don’t even notice.

3.) If possible, entrepreneurs and business owners should seek out life in specific states or overseas

Millennials are the generation of entrepreneurs, and this makes personal finance even stickier. Where you live plays a huge role in your ability to build wealth. Obviously some regions have higher costs of living than others, but every state also has a different income tax. There are seven states, including highly desirable ones like Florida, that boast a zero per cent income tax rate. Moving abroad often allows for foreign earned income exemption in which you don’t pay any state income tax (of course) but also no federal taxes except social security and Medicare.

4.) Budget, budget, budget

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How Business Owners can level pension Playing Field with the Public Sector

jplaporte
Jean-Pierre Laporte

By Jean-Pierre Laporte

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

The Great Recession of 2008 had many consequences, but in the world of pensions, it truly highlighted the chasm separating private-sector from public-sector retirement plans.

The “Great Divide” boils down to this: civil servants have back-stopped, defined benefit pension plans that will provide a comfortable level of pension benefits in retirement, whereas the tax payers responsible to fund such great plans are largely relegated to RRSPs with much lower contribution limits and a limited ability to weather financially volatile markets.

For most, this state of affairs is immutable and lamentable. For those who have made pensions their passion or profession, there are solutions. The difficulty is to make them accessible to the majority, who happens to be the marketplace. What are some of these solutions that put the private and public sectors on an even keel?

The Dividend Route

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