Tax

Bequeathing the family cottage — Part II

In last month’s column, I discussed some of the key issues involved in cottage succession planning. This month, I’ll consider four case studies that highlight how different strategies can work in different client situations. Each strategy can help minimize the financial impact of a cottage transfer, while also managing some of the emotional impact. The […]

By Michelle Munro |September 22, 2009

7 min read

Four pillars of tax-efficient investing

Tax-efficient investment solutions are likely to become more crucial in the near future. The issue for advisors is how best to achieve this. We know it’s highly important in the context of non-registered accounts, simply because these accounts are not tax-sheltered. We also know that it’s not merely a question of selecting investments that incur […]

By Michelle Munro |September 15, 2009

5 min read

School’s in: Can your clients afford it?

Recent enhancements to RESPs, as well as the introduction of the tax-free savings account, mean rethinking education funding strategies for your clients. Let’s look at a few ideas. Maximizing RESPs With the annual RESP contribution limit removed and the lifetime maximum limit increased to $50,000, many clients wonder whether it’s better to make an initial […]

September 3, 2009

4 min read

Complement RESPs with in-trust accounts

Sometimes learning how to fund an education is an education in itself. The foundation for this exercise is the Registered Education Savings Plan, but with the cost of post-secondary education continuously rising, make sure your clients aren’t fooling themselves into believing that blindly maxing out RESPs puts their children at the head of the class. […]

September 1, 2009

3 min read