Ontario has begun offering a guaranteed minimum income for some of its residents. What is basic income and how does it work? Could there come a time when all our basic needs are paid for by the government? That’s the question many economists and politicians around the world are starting to explore. With automation altering the future of work and studies showing that financial stress can lead to unhealthy life choices, there’s a growing movement...

Handing over your company to your kids may sound like a good idea, but in many cases it’s not. Here’s why you may want to consider another option.   After decades of sweat and stress, many business owners would love to pass the family business on to loved ones. But having a spouse or kids take over shouldn’t always be part of the succession plan, says Michael Louie, a partner with D&H Group, a Vancouver-based accounting firm. When one...

A study reveals that retired women are concerned about making funds last. Recently retired women are more worried than their male counterparts about stretching funds over their remaining years. This heightened concern, as highlighted in an Investors Group study, may be related to the well-known fact that, statistically speaking, women generally live longer than men. Another likely contributor is that, while working, women tend to earn less than...

You’re faithfully saving for retirement. Now it’s time to sit down and understand what your retirement paycheque will look like and how you’ll spend it. Accurately estimate the basics The first step in determining how much you can spend is to understand these basics: Your fixed expenses This includes costs of housing, food, medication, and other life essentials. Getting these numbers right – and being able to estimate changes in them over time...

Significant changes to the Canada Pension Plan come into effect in 2019. Start getting ready now.   Despite having to pay more for CPP, companies should aim to keep their group RRSP or private sector pension plans.   In 2019, new CPP rules will come into force. While that may still seem like a long time away, business owners impacted by the new enhancements need to start planning for the changes today. “If you are a small business...