FEDERAL BUDGET – HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
By Garry Keiller, The Nakamun Group, Edmonton
Canada is one of the few countries with a triple-A debt rating. While our debt, unlike many nations’, is manageable, the priority of the 2013 Federal Budget is to eliminate the federal deficit by 2015/2016. Spending growth will increase by only 0.9 percent in 2013, the lowest rate of spending growth in 20 years.
Grants, taxes, and exemptions seem to be the order of the day with the following highlights likely to affect some of out clients.
Continue Reading Federal Budget
MONEY MAKEOVER- HOME, BITTERSWEET HOME
Couple living in dream house struggles to stay afloat
In this week’s Money Makeover Column featured in the Winnipeg Free Press, Bob Challis was asked to go over a couple’s finances to provide an analysis on their situation.
Homeowners “Tara” and “Reed” have concerns over whether they can afford to continue living in their dream home outside of Winnipeg. Tara says ”I’m working and I wonder how I’m ever going to retire. My fear is that for the next eight or 10 years I will work and when it’s time for me to retire we’re going to realize we can’t afford to stay here, so I’ve commuted all this time and then I have to move.”
Continue Reading
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/finance/home-bittersweet-home-198576161.html
2012 Year End Market Commentary
By Greg Farries, BSC, The Nakamun Group, Calgary
Looking back at 2012, investors around the world remained extremely cautious. Headlines continued to be dominated by the European debt crisis, the US’s inability to address its own debt issues, and China’s slowing growth. In the US, housing prices and unemployment continued to be problems.
The negative headlines on top of vivid memories of the effects of the 2008/2009 financial crisis were justifiable reasons for concern. Read More…
FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES OF GROWING OLD TOGETHER
By R.A. (Bob) Challis, CFP, RHU, TEP, The Nakamun Group, Winnipeg
Canada’s Income Tax Act, while often maligned, provides significant advantages to retirees, not only because of basic personal exemptions and graduated taxation rates, but also because of age and pension credits. These provisions, coupled with income security programs such as Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) currently deliver about $36,600 per year to retired couples entitled to full benefits. Of this amount, just $1,550 income tax is payable (Manitoba 2012 rates). This leaves total spendable income from Government plans of around $35,000 annually, while both spouses are alive. Read More…
CPP QUANDARIES
By Garry Keiller, The Nakamun Group, Edmonton
Changes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) that came into effect on January 1, 2012 have made calculations and decisions regarding when to start collecting retirement benefits more complex than ever, particularly for those between the ages of 60 and 70.
In this and subsequent articles, we will illustrate, through examples, the importance of carefully reviewing your options before making any decisions about CPP benefits. Read More…
CHOOSING NOT TO BE AN EXECUTOR
By Floyd Murphy, CFP, CLU, CHFC, The Nakamun Group, Vancouver
Whether you have accepted in advance or discover after an individual passes away that you have been named an executor, you can choose to decline. Just some of the reasons you might not want to serve as executor include: Read More…
Articles
FEDERAL BUDGET – HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
By Garry Keiller, The Nakamun Group, Edmonton
Canada is one of the few countries with a triple-A debt rating. While our debt, unlike many nations’, is manageable, the priority of the 2013 Federal Budget is to eliminate the federal deficit by 2015/2016. Spending growth will increase by only 0.9 percent in 2013, the lowest rate of spending growth in 20 years.
Grants, taxes, and exemptions seem to be the order of the day with the following highlights likely to affect some of out clients.
Continue Reading Federal Budget
MONEY MAKEOVER- HOME, BITTERSWEET HOME
Couple living in dream house struggles to stay afloat
In this week’s Money Makeover Column featured in the Winnipeg Free Press, Bob Challis was asked to go over a couple’s finances to provide an analysis on their situation.
Homeowners “Tara” and “Reed” have concerns over whether they can afford to continue living in their dream home outside of Winnipeg. Tara says ”I’m working and I wonder how I’m ever going to retire. My fear is that for the next eight or 10 years I will work and when it’s time for me to retire we’re going to realize we can’t afford to stay here, so I’ve commuted all this time and then I have to move.”
Continue Reading
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/finance/home-bittersweet-home-198576161.html
2012 Year End Market Commentary
By Greg Farries, BSC, The Nakamun Group, Calgary
Looking back at 2012, investors around the world remained extremely cautious. Headlines continued to be dominated by the European debt crisis, the US’s inability to address its own debt issues, and China’s slowing growth. In the US, housing prices and unemployment continued to be problems.
The negative headlines on top of vivid memories of the effects of the 2008/2009 financial crisis were justifiable reasons for concern. Read More…
FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES OF GROWING OLD TOGETHER
By R.A. (Bob) Challis, CFP, RHU, TEP, The Nakamun Group, Winnipeg
Canada’s Income Tax Act, while often maligned, provides significant advantages to retirees, not only because of basic personal exemptions and graduated taxation rates, but also because of age and pension credits. These provisions, coupled with income security programs such as Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) currently deliver about $36,600 per year to retired couples entitled to full benefits. Of this amount, just $1,550 income tax is payable (Manitoba 2012 rates). This leaves total spendable income from Government plans of around $35,000 annually, while both spouses are alive. Read More…
CPP QUANDARIES
By Garry Keiller, The Nakamun Group, Edmonton
Changes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) that came into effect on January 1, 2012 have made calculations and decisions regarding when to start collecting retirement benefits more complex than ever, particularly for those between the ages of 60 and 70.
In this and subsequent articles, we will illustrate, through examples, the importance of carefully reviewing your options before making any decisions about CPP benefits. Read More…
CHOOSING NOT TO BE AN EXECUTOR
By Floyd Murphy, CFP, CLU, CHFC, The Nakamun Group, Vancouver
Whether you have accepted in advance or discover after an individual passes away that you have been named an executor, you can choose to decline. Just some of the reasons you might not want to serve as executor include: Read More…