Let me tell you a secret about estate planning. One day last month, Mick and Tracy walked into my office to discuss estate planning. Mick introduced me to his second wife and joked about the challenges in joining two different families. He said, “When I die, I want to leave enough for my children...
Read PostRetirement Mistake No.36: Not Being Prepared
What if you died today? Thinking about it seems odd, but we all want to have peace of mind about the answer to that question. When answering from a financial perspective, it’s natural to want to do the best you can with the finances you have.Dean’s Estate Planning In the last few...
Read PostRetirement Mistake No.35: Not Being Aware of the Risks in Joint Accounts
Did you hear the story of the retiree who had his accounts cleaned out by his son? It can easily happen if you put your investments and bank accounts in joint accounts. If you become mentally incapacitated, your children can take the money, leaving you broke at a time you need help. Most couples...
Read PostRetirement Mistake No.31: Not Exploring Insurance Tax Shelters
The Industry The life insurance industry is a tax haven. It was a way of sheltering money from taxation long before RRSPs came into existence and is a strategy used by the wealthy. It is essentially a plan that allows you to deposit money into a life insurance contract and to shelter all of the...
Read Post