Tag Archives: Valentines

Looking to treat your loved one this Valentine’s Day? Give the gift of a financial conversation

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Only half of Canadian couples discuss finances in detail, an IG Wealth Management study conducted by Pollard found. This week may be a good time to examine your joint lifestyle and retirement goals.

 

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By Blair Evans

Special to Financial Independence Hub

Valentine’s Day is here and while love may be in the air, there’s an often-overlooked gift that can strengthen your relationship: a meaningful conversation about finances.

Unsurprisingly, many Canadian couples shy away from discussing money with their partners. According to a recent study by IG Wealth Management, in partnership with Pollara Strategic Insights, only half of married or common law Canadians discuss finances with their partner in detail, with roughly a third talking about it only briefly.

Yet, when thinking about your future together, especially retirement, these conversations are crucial. You and your partner should be aligned on your retirement goals and lifestyle to ensure you plan appropriately and are fiscally prepared to enjoy those golden years.

Transparency on Finances can pay off in multiple ways

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Transparency around your finances and having proactive conversations with your partner can also pay off come tax season.

Working together to file each of your tax returns can unlock opportunities to maximize deductions and credits.

You may be able to transfer unused credits, like tuition and disability amounts, to your partner to help alleviate their tax bill.

Couples can also combine their medical expenses and charitable donations together to minimize their overall tax obligation.

If your relationship is built for the long haul, it’s important to plan for life’s uncertainties.  Building an emergency fund, as well as having an updated will and power of attorney, along with proper life and disability insurance plans are essential to prepare for any emergencies or untimely circumstances. Continue Reading…

Canadians more optimistic about money than their love lives this Valentines

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Despite Valentines Day being right around the corner, Canadians appear to be more optimistic about their financial futures than their love lives, according to a survey released Wednesday. Here is the press release.

TD’s second annual Love and Money survey gauged the financial behaviours of more than 1,700 Canadians who were married, in a relationship, or divorced in 2021.

It found that 60% of respondents claimed it’s harder to find true love than financial success, up from 51% in 2020’s report.

  • For those in committed relationships, 51% said they’re experiencing barriers to meeting their financial goals and are delaying milestones like planning a wedding.
  • 74%  of divorced Canadians feel their financial status is the same or better than when married: 54% said it is easier to manage their finances post-divorce.

The survey also explored millennials’ unique approach to love and money, including their intolerance for financial ‘red flags’ that would cause them to leave their partner:

  • They never offered to pay for anything (86%)
  • They were secretive about their finances (81%)
  • They didn’t seek professional financial advice (77%)

 As for life post-divorce, 52% said they learned a new financial skill like tracking their spending (28%), making bill payments (24%) and saving for retirement (23%). 57% said they are spending less after divorce while 45% consider themselves financially better off. 54% said it’s easier to manage their finances post-divorce.

TD says the survey also reveals the downside of not talking about finances in relationships. Divorced couples were less likely to have regularly discussed money during their marriage, with only 29% of divorced respondents saying they talked about money weekly with their former partner, compared to 50% of married couples who say they have the talk weekly.

Millennials, Love and Money

Millennials are more likely than other demographic cohorts to keep their money separate from their partners, with 49% of respondents saying they have no common accounts or shared credit cards. Millennials are also less tolerant of ‘red flag’ financial behaviours: they say they would leave their partner if they never offered to pay for anything (86%); if they were secretive about their finances (81%); or if they didn’t seek professional financial advice (77%).

Financial challenges of committed couples

The survey also shines a light on the financial challenges of committed couples. It found 28%  are keeping a financial secret from their partner, up from 8% from the 2020 report. Of those keeping a secret, 64% don’t plan to ever tell their partner. The survey also shows that a secret purchase is the most kept (42%), followed by a secret bank account (29%). Continue Reading…

For the love of Money

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By Heather Compton

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

I have invested a lot of my lifetime learning, living, teaching and writing about healthy practises around money.  When a young friend recently asked for some guidance on making peace with money, I wanted to fall back on those well learned strategies.

There are many practises that will bring some ease into your financial life. Living within your means, paying yourself first, getting your financial house in order: but you must lean into your own wisdom to bring peace.  It’s an evolutionary, lifelong journey for all of us and I am moved by the struggles we all have with money and the false powers we grant it.

What we buy, what we invest in, what we purchase for others and what we choose to finance or contribute to can bring us peace or its polar opposite.  What if we had a change of heart or a shift in worldview? A change of heart brings about a change of circumstance:  that’s transformation. Changing our worldview means changing what you believe is true – do big houses, fancy cars, expensive wardrobes and larger paycheques really spell success, acceptance, power or freedom?  Ask your authentic self that question.

The Heart test

We are all vulnerable to ambitions that disregard the balance and wisdom of our intuitive hearts. What if every spending decision had to pass through your heart before you pulled out your wallet?  Would you spend differently?

When we use our resources in ways that truly meet our authentic and universal needs for connection, integrity, joy, inspiration, physical well-being, meaning and choice, we find a path to peace.  That’s when money is in service to us and not the other way around. Money is an admirable servant but a terrible boss.

Lining up money’s flow with our authentic self and using it as a direct expression of our values and our vision is simple but it’s not easy.  It requires daily discipline to follow the practises that are the gateway to peace. Continue Reading…

Should couples talk about money this Valentines weekend?

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Shape of heart from hundred dollars at red backgroundBy Josh Miszk, Invisor

Special to the Financial Independence Hub

Almost half of married couples say their investing styles differ from that of their spouses, and about one-quarter of couples fight over money, according to a BMO survey.

While your romantic Valentine’s Day dinner may not be the best time to discuss finances, most of us agree that these discussions really do need to happen between couples. Here are a few tips that will help contribute to a sound financial future for couples.

 Keep it open and honest

 It’s important for couples to be on the same page when it comes to goal planning and how you intend to achieve these goals together. Adopt the “yours, mine and ours” approach and make your finances visible to your spouse so that you both will be in a better place to plan together for the future. For example, some advisors offer a consolidated household online view of their portfolio, which provides easy access to investment accounts for each spouse. Not only does that allow you to have a more holistic view of your position, but having it all in front of you at once can make it much simpler to digest.

 Talk about your goals

Smiling couple reading menu and choosing meal
Surely they’re not reading Findependence Day for this special night out?

Finances may not seem like fun dinner conversation, but talking about your goals can be. Start the conversation with questions like “what are your top goals/dreams?” or “where do you see yourself/us in 10-20 years”? The more you have that conversation, the better you can visualize what your goals are, and the easier they are to quantify.

Once you have identified your goals, start talking about how you will achieve them. It’ll make those goals seem less like a dream and more like a reality. Taking the first steps towards achieving those goals is one of the most rewarding feelings you can get. Continue Reading…