The New Kid on the Block…the Variable Annuity! The variable annuity of commonly referred to as a GMWB is on the horizon. In June 2006, I attended the Morningstar Investment Conference, which focused on “Retirement Income Planning”. One well-known speaker, Moshe Milevsky, introduced the concept in retirement planning of not just how to generate retirement […]
I had a great question from a client who recently asked “When I convert my RRSP to a RRIF, how much money must I withdraw each year?”. That’s a great question, so I thought I would explain RRSP and RRIF withdrawals and the basic rules. You can make a withdrawal for any amount, up to […]
Service Canada – Canadian Retirement Income Calculator With RRSP season having just ended and tax season ramping up, the last thing on most people’s minds right now is planning for their retirement. Whether you do your own investing on-line, use your local bank, broker, or a financial planner do you know your “Number”? Experience shows […]
Have We Bottomed? This is the question on everyone’s mind. Unfortunately no one knows for sure! Leading economic indicators change before the economy changes You may have noticed that the equity markets have risen of late even though the economic news continues to be bad. Company earnings are down but in many cases are beating […]
What’s Your Retirement Number While extreme market volatility continues and the length of the recession remains uncertain, investors are understandably scared about their investments and their ability to retire comfortably. Whether you invest on your own or use an advisor, my recommendation is that you should review your retirement plan to determine where you stand […]
Major Equity Markets Many times I am asked about how the markets are doing. Here is a quick overview of the… In Canada, the S&P/TSX represents the broad Canadian Market. Click here to view the S&P/TSX In the United States, the S&P500 represent the 500 largest US companies based upon market capitalization. Click here to view the […]
Identity Theft: How’s Your Credit Rating? You may have seen several TV ads by a major credit card company in the US, which depicts a victim of identity theft. Using a voiceover by the thief, the victim recounts the story by the thief and the spending spree they go on. Is the ad catchy and […]
Do you have an RRSP Optimization Strategy? It’s hard to argue with the merits of Registered Retirement Savings Plans. They’re one of the best tax breaks available to the average Canadian, and a great way to build retirement wealth. So why do most of us not contribute as much as we can each year to […]