“Unlock” Your Pension to Unlock Your Retirement
Let me know if this sounds familiar… you open the mail and there’s your annual pension statement. It reads “if you retire at age X, you can expect a monthly pension of $Y.” After some quick mental math, you realize that $Y isn’t going to quite be enough for the...
Financial Planner vs Robo-Advisor – Part 1
By now, we’ve all seen the aggressive ad campaigns for discount brokerages and robo advisors on our TVs. They often feature a busy family having the hard discussion about firing their (human) financial security advisor to save on investment fees. The question they are...
Financial Planner vs Robo-Advisor – Part 2
If you haven’t read Part 1 of this article, I highly encourage you to start there for context. Part 1 was all about breaking down the question of “is it worth it to pay for financial advice or am I better off with a digital platform?” Part 2 is going to focus on just...
5 Ways to Reduce Money Stress
If you’re like most Canadians, at some point in your life you’ve experienced (or are currently experiencing) some stress or anxiety when it comes to personal finances. Debt levels, volatile markets, aggressive news cycles and big decisions all take a toll on our...
4 Keys to Making Better Decisions About Retirement
“When do I take my CPP?” “Should I start my OAS at 65?” “Should I take the monthly cheque or the lump sum from my pension?” “Which month should I hand my notice in?” These are just a few examples of the many questions that face retirees in Canada. The sheer volume and...
Four Tips for Reducing Tax Pain in Retirement
Nothing erodes a person’s finances more quickly than paying unnecessary taxes! While taxation is a necessity for a functioning society, paying more than you are required to is a detriment to yourself. The Canadian tax code allows us some flexibility to structure our...
Three Strategies for Leaving a Financial Legacy
Many Manitobans worry how they can leave a financial legacy to their family without causing headache, frustration, or harming relationships. If you’re thinking about the latter, here are a few strategies to smooth out your estate and legacy plans: Not All Assets Are...