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Executive Summary

A financial plan is like a roadmap to achieving the financial future you envision. It starts by identifying where you are financially and provides directions for getting to where you want to go. There are many areas that make up your finances: your assets and liabilities, investment portfolio, cash flow, tax situation, retirement income, insurance and estate plan (or lack thereof).

Your lifestyle also plays a role. For a financial plan to be effective, each one of these areas must be addressed in a coordinated way to provide a personalized, comprehensive financial solution.

What You Need To Know

As with any goal or strategy, a financial plan must have objectives. How do you see yourself five, ten or 20+ years in the future? After determining your current financial state in the areas mentioned above, you will need to establish a clear vision to start creating and implementing a plan. This includes what your retirement lifestyle will be, because only then can you determine needs for investments and income. If you have children, it may also include funding for their education or other endeavors.

Once you’ve clarified your current financial situation and understand your vision for the future, calculations can then be made to determine how your assets need to grow to reach those goals. This will determine the investment plan that you’ll need to produce the necessary returns from your assets.

A comprehensive financial plan must also consider the tax ramifications of your finances and identify strategies to minimize your tax liabilities. Additionally, your financial plan should mitigate risk and protect your wealth using tools such as insurance products. The use of insurance can also be beneficial in your estate plan, as there are ways to minimize taxation and maximize the wealth of your estate.

If all this sounds a bit complex or outside of your comfort zone, consider working with a financial advisor. Find someone who understands the implications that each area of your financial plan has on achieving the goals you’ve set. He or she may need to liaise with other professionals, such as your lawyer or accountant, to do a complete and thorough job.

Bottom Line

A proper financial plan is more than managing your investments, creating tax minimization strategies or planning for your retirement. It is all these things plus others, including risk management (insurance) and estate planning.

A comprehensive financial plan requires the coordination of all these areas to maximize the wealth potential from your current financial situation. It begins with setting clear financial goals and working through all the aforementioned areas. This is generally best done by working with a capable financial advisor, as all these areas must be addressed in a coordinated way to create an effective, holistic financial plan.

Book an appointment with us to get started on your financial plan today!  CLICK HERE

By: Shawn Todd, CFP

Many of you will know that throughout my life, I haven’t minded risk at times.  Before I was 35 yrs. old, I was a police officer, I was a diver with the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit, and I was an Explosives Disposal Technician. I’m currently a business owner [a lot of business owners have an appetite for risk]. I downhill ski, I have a motorcycle, and I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro with my spouse Michele.

I imagine many of you have your own interests. You enjoy sailing, or camping, or travelling overseas. Flying to see family, swimming at the cottage, or having a steak on the BBQ. Some may enjoy biking in the city, ice skating on the canal, or smoking a cigar. Risks show up all over, and we all don’t enjoy talking about it.  We like the excitement of a ski weekend getaway in Tremblant, but we don’t enjoy talking prior to the trip about the potential of breaking our leg.

When I first came into the financial planning and advisory business eighteen years ago, that version of myself believed that insurance would be the least interesting part of my work. I spent hundreds of hours researching investment portfolio theory, financial planning, marketing, building a business, but the very last thing that I felt was needed by most up and coming young professionals was some of the insurance products that I was learning about.

I was dead wrong.

Five years into my financial planning career I had a terrible ATV accident while out with friends and clients. I broke my back in five places, split my liver, broke three ribs, tore my adrenal gland and almost died in a field in Calabogie, Ontario.  It was the scariest moment of my life. I had just met the person I have always wanted to be with, and I had children to care for.

Today, eighteen years after beginning as an advisor, I have had had several important and close clients experience terrible and demanding situations. I’ve lost some great clients and friends to a variety of illnesses, accidents, and situations. No one was planning on not being here in 20 years.

One of the things that strikes me as incredibly common about both my experience, and the experiences that I have had with clients, is that its difficult to talk about what might happen if we get sick, or if we die. It’s terrifying.

In my time as a financial planner, I have picked up a great deal of more experience and knowledge since my beginning days as a new advisor. I have seen well planned out life insurance policies provide enough income to a family after the unexpected loss of spouse. I have watched planned gifting to children and grandchildren that has allowed full lives after a loved one’s passing. Business owners have used it to ensure security while their business started, and while success ebbed and flowed. Professionals have used it to protect their occupation and income. Tax planning has allowed it to be used as a formative tool in dealing with business owners, passive income strategies, or dealing with terminal tax.

There are a few distinct things that talking about risk, and protecting ourselves, can provide.

• It can remove a lot of stress from your life. No more worrying about what happens [even if you don’t want to talk about it normally]
• It can help provide income to you or family members if you are sick, injured or die.
• Some may be able to pay off debts.
• During key parts of a financial plan, it can provide a great deal of stability for income and assets needed to achieve goals.
• It can be used as an opportunity to diversify how you invest or use business capital.
• Its usage may help in minimizing taxes – both now, and later
• During business growth periods it can provide a great deal of security to the business, the shareholders, and their families.
• For some it can offer an ability to gift to children, grandchildren, or even charities that are important to you.

While 92% of people believe talking with family and loved ones about the end of their life is important, only 32% do. [ Seattle Times – “Why don’t we talk about death” May 2019]

To conclude…

It may well be time to begin opening the conversation about your own risks. What risks do you have in your life that you are most concerned about? How would they affect your financial plan, or financial integrity? Are there opportunities you should consider for your business, your own portfolio, our own situation? If you didn’t speak about your risk concerns – would the situation have changed for the worse of the better in ten years time?

Speaking about risk, and what may come may be difficult for most. There is never a better time to start this conversation than today.

Just my thoughts for the day.

By: Shawn Todd, CFP

Most of us have golfed at one point or another during our lives. It may have been once, or it may have been many times throughout the summer. No matter how often you have golfed you will always remember the feeling of a firing a shot into a bunker [when you were going for the green], or just firing a ball into the water on a par 3. It’s tough, and it really starts to take the fun out of the game.

Most of the people reading this will have also invested at one point. Your home is one of your largest investments, and you may have several other investments in your portfolio. If you’ve been doing it as long as I have, then you also will have memories of the tech wreck, the financial crisis, and the market correction during Covid.

What does golf and investing during these market corrections have in common?

A well thought out gameplan.

If we approached golf without any consideration for the inherit risks of the game, well we would just feel the consequences. We’d lose a ball here, bogey there, it would be a miserable experience.  Some of us all can feel that pain. Playing the game more smartly, hitting more fairways, staying out of the bunkers, well of these efforts make for far better results.

Investing needs to be focused, and well thought out. Ensuring you understand the risks of the portfolio you are in, the timelines you have, the goals of each portfolio, and the risk of each investment in your portfolio; is incredibly important. There needs to be a well thought out plan for taxation, capital gains [this is the topic of the day – thanks to the recent budget], and a discussion of the solutions that make the most sense for each investor. Often what works for you, may not be what works for your neighbour or colleague. Like golf, we all have different risk tolerances, capability, and performance needs. You need to play your own game, and your own pace.

Unlike golf – there are some great opportunities that will enhance your experience. Portfolio management, risk management, diversification, and a deep understanding of your needs – will all allow for an exceptionally smooth ride.

Imagine golf is someone could just tap your shoulder right before you started your ill-fated swing and said – “I just wouldn’t take that shot”.

It might make the game a lot more fun.

Consider helping your investing experience by adding a professional wealth management team to help you understand your own gameplan.

My thoughts for the day.

By: Shawn Todd, CFP

There are lots of ways to spend your time.

In fact, I find there is just no end to how we can use it.  It can be spent reading, hiking, watching TV, time with friends, playing boardgames with your family, a sport you love, or you can literally watch time pass doing very little – if you choose to.

When I spend time with a variety of business owners, or growth minded clients – having a conversation about what is most important to them, a majority of time they will always write down that family is the most important thing to them.  Everything they have built or spend time doing during their day – is all done with the intention in appreciating, supporting, or helping their family.  This makes sense – it is their most cherished part of their life.

Surprisingly, even though all the activities they are doing are meant to help their family, this is not necessarily where they are spending their time.  This speaks to me as I’m also guilty of this.  I’m going to give full credit to my spouse Michele for showing me a great values exercise that came up in conversation a few years ago.

When wanting to consider if you the time you are spending in your life aligns with your values – then write out two columns.  Write your values and things that are important to you – in one column.  Write where you are spending your time in the second column.  Rate each of the values that you have on a scale of 1-10. How important is being dependable to you?  Love? Health? Self-Improvement?

Now compare what is most important to you, to how you are spending your time.  Are they aligned? If not, are there areas of your life that you need to reconsider or change?  Do you need to consider adjusting some of your routines, or being more focused in other areas?

Spending time reviewing my own values, and they way I spend my own time has allowed me to begin [its not perfect yet] aligning my time with what is most important to me.

Living well begins with ensuring you are spending your time doing the things that will best advance your life in the way you really wish it was moving.  This exercise may help as you contemplate your life goals now, and in the future.

In a recent article “97% of retirees with a strong sense of purpose were generally happy, compared with 76% without that sense” – the Retirement Manifesto 2023

Even spending time reading this article is conscious decision on how you wish to spend your time.  Should I read this article, or should I go for a walk outside?

There is no end to how we spend our time, and I hope this helps in all of our efforts in spending our time well.

Just my thoughts for the day.

Shawn Todd CFP – Partner – ECIVDA

By:  William Henriksen, CFP^®

I’m writing to share with you some wonderful news that fills me with both excitement and gratitude. After much reflection and anticipation, I have moved to the beautiful city of Victoria, British Columbia! I’m excited to be here and thrilled to expand ECIVDA’s presence on the West Coast. The West Coast is growing, and it aligns with our vision of growth and providing clients with an even more enriching financial planning experience.

To all my clients living in Ontario and Quebec, I’m continuing to expand my practice in the east as well. Your financial success is at the heart of everything I do, and you will continue to receive the personalized and high-quality financial planning you deserve. I will remain just as accessible as I have been. In fact, I’m now available for evening meetings thanks to the 3-hour time difference.

The year of the lockdown was a year of adjustments, and it was a difficult one for many. I met with clients virtually and was surprised when I eventually found that not only was it easier than I expected to host meetings this way, but it was also simpler to walk through various concepts using the tools on my computer and present my recommendations by sharing my screen. Throughout the year I realised there were other benefits of having virtual meetings such as saving the travel time between meetings and lowering overall paper consumption. Clients could fit in meetings more easily because there was no physical meeting location to get to and back from, and both the client’s and my use of time was more efficient.

It had become the norm in my practice to meet virtually, and I started thinking about what other opportunities could come from this. Last year, I was in California visiting my cousin for the holidays and I scheduled a few meetings with clients living in Ottawa. The meetings went seamlessly, and the idea to move across country sprouted from there.

I’m now living in Victoria, as the first out of province ECIVDA advisor. Before we dive into this new adventure, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my clients for your unwavering support. Your trust has been the backbone of my success, and I am genuinely excited about continuing this incredible journey with you in the years and decades to come.

I also want to express my gratitude to my Ecivda Family. I’m very fortunate to have such an amazing team supporting me. Their dedication and hard work behind the scenes have been instrumental in making this move as smooth as possible.

If you have any questions, thoughts, or just want to chat about this exciting move, please feel free to reach out to me.

Here’s to new beginnings and continued success together.

Warm regards,
William Henriksen CFP

If you’re retired, or soon to be, you’re likely a Canadian baby-boomer.  You are seeking more information about your retirement beyond merely finances, and advisors are uniquely positioned to provide you with additional retirement insight and planning.

Currently, Canadians aged 65 years old, can expect to live an additional 22 to 24 years, on average.  Not only are people living longer, they are leading more active retirements.  Achieving success in retirement no longer requires the bills to be paid, and to sit at home awaiting the arrival of the grim-reaper!

To gain access to the investable assets today, and manage them into retirement, advisors should examine their clients in a broader, more complete perspective.

What you need to know

The Bottom Line

Without planning that includes more elements than just finances, retirement and the years leading up to it can be anxiety laden.  The period that should be relatively carefree will be the opposite.

Financial planning is a critical element of all retirement plans, but an analysis that focuses solely on money will not prepare you for a successful retirement.  Additional items like those mentioned above must also be addressed.

Executive Summary

Receiving a raise or a bonus is a great accomplishment that lends a feeling of accomplishment and celebration. Many of us opt to use the bonus to buy something we’ve been wanting, like that flat screen television, for example. Rather than splurge, however, why not hold onto that bonus or raise and invest in wisely?

Saving a Raise

If you are not already on a pre-authorized contribution (PAC) to a savings or registered account, now is a great time to do so. Each pay, or each month, have a predetermined amount removed from your bank account and placed into savings. Once the funds are in a savings account (and removed from quick and easy debit card access), they can be used for several purposes:

Pay down debt:

• • Especially high-interest consumer debt like credit cards
  • Pay off your mortgage sooner: Save money for the future by increasing the mortgage payments above the minimum amount or increasing the payment frequency (bi-weekly instead of monthly)

Maximize the use of a “Registered” account:

• • Place the pay increase directly into a registered account like an RRSP to increase savings

In most cases a blended approach is best. Paying down debt alone doesn’t afford you the opportunity to amass a small, liquid, emergency nest-egg to cover unexpected expenses.

Saving a Bonus

Unlike a raise that should affect all future earning and raises that follow, the one-time bump on a bonus can disappear as mysteriously as it arrived. Rather than spend your bonus on a one-time, self-gratification, why not use it to strengthen your financial future?

Pay down debt:

As explained above, the pre-tax earnings required to pay post-tax debt can be significant. A large, one-time bonus can significantly affect the short and long-term savings of your family.

• • Paying off a large portion of your mortgage: a reduced balance causes each subsequent mortgage payment to have a larger portion dedicated to reducing the principal

Maximize the use of “Registered” accounts:

• • Place the bonus (or part thereof) directly into a registered account like an RRSP to increase savings

Often you may feel that as if your raise or bonus didn’t actually happen. You earn more, but don’t enjoy any of the benefits. A small celebration allows you to acknowledge and move forward. The celebration could take many forms, but it is best if it is unusual and distinctive.

Bottom Line

Getting a raise or bonus is an impressive accomplishment. Often, you may feel like you didn’t even get a raise which is why it is important to commemorate your accomplishment with a small celebration. Take some of that money and treat your family to dinner, go to the spa or celebrate however you see fit. Then, contact your Advisor for assistance to determine how to best utilize the extra funds.

Prioritizing debt is an important skill to learn because it determines how fast you will pay down your debts. Debts have varying payback plans that will require you to place them on a scale to decide which should go first. Obviously, the interest rate is an important factor to consider when prioritizing your debt. It is advisable to have a strategy for paying your debts so that your other financial goals can be met. Debts are known to affect the attainment of one’s financial goals. There are a few strategies you can try that can help you prioritize your debts for easy payment. Some of these strategies include starting with the debt with the highest interest rate; starting with the least balance; starting with the highest balance; and consolidating your debts.

Starting with The Debt with Highest Interest Rate

This is known as debt avalanche. It entails you starting off paying the debt with the highest interest rate to the least. Debts with high-interest rates are always difficult to pay because of the accumulation of the interests. Getting it off your books first will save you money and help you focus on paying off other debts and financial goals. Picture an avalanche and imagine your debt tumbling down quickly. That is how this strategy works.

Starting with The Debt with the Least Balance

This strategy is good for gaining momentum. It is known as the snowball debt repayment strategy, and it is more motivational than strategic. If you are finding it difficult to figure out how to pay your debt, start from the lowest and gradually work your way up. Another advantage is that it gives you that little bit of extra cash to tackle your big debts. This strategy also comes in handy where you feel you cannot adopt the previous strategy. Start with the least balance.

Starting with Your Largest Balance

This is the opposite of snowball strategy. This strategy prioritizes the debt with the largest balance, and it is an unpopular strategy because it may be difficult to achieve. The question is why will I start with my highest debt? It may not give room for other financial goals because all your resources will be channeled towards paying off that debt. However, there are cases where you may opt for this type of strategy. An example is when that particular debt has a promotion of a reduced interest rate, and you need to pay it off before the promotion ends.

Consolidating Your Debts

This is usually what you resort to when it is taking too long to pay your debts, or the interest rates are making it difficult to get it off your books. When you consolidate your debts, it gives you the opportunity of paying all your debts at once. You can take a loan to pay for your consolidated debts which then leaves you with the repayment of that loan only. For example, you can consolidate all your credit card debts and pay them off with a balance transfer credit card. This strategy is particularly effective when you have multiple debts that are hindering you from achieving your financial goals.

By: Louai Bibi, Advisor Associate

You’ll likely have heard about the concept of a family trust through a movie or TV show. If this is the case, you’ll likely assume that there is a direct correlation between having a family trust and being ultra wealthy.

This isn’t always the case and family trusts can be a huge help to the average Canadian family, but trusts are complex and requires advice from your tax/legal/financial planning team.

Here is an example where a family trust can be helpful:

John has two children from a previous marriage. John later marries Jane, who has two children from a previous marriage as well. John owns a cottage which he & Jane, as well as the four children love to visit. If John were to leave the cottage to Jane in his will, she may or may not let John’s kids have access to the cottage after his death or worse, when Jane dies, she very well may pass the cottage on to her own children through her will, which leaves John’s children out of the equation and likely conflicts with John’s wishes.

If John were to have set up a family trust that owned the cottage, he could have stipulated in the trust agreement that Jane & her children, as well as his own could have all enjoyed the cottage during their lifetime (following his death) but when Jane were to pass, the cottage would be willed to John’s children.

This doesn’t just apply to cottages or vacation properties either. John could have had a child with a disability who can’t handle their financial affairs and wanted the inheritance John leaves to this child to be paid over their lifetime, as opposed to a lump sum. There could even be a family member who would have blown through their inheritance during a weekend in Vegas, and a trust could allow this individual to receive their inheritance in chunks or once achieving a major milestone to mitigate this risk.

For the purpose of this blog – I won’t be addressing the tax benefits or consequences too deeply. After all, the most qualified person who can speak to this is your trusted accountant.

There are some great tax advantages to using a trust:

• Possibly reducing taxes at death.
• For business owners – multiplying the capital gains exemption.
• Income splitting opportunities with lower income earning beneficiaries.

There are also some disadvantages to using a trust that can sometimes outweigh the advantages:

• Cost of setting up a trust and annual tax returns are required.
• Attribution rules can be complicated and may make it difficult to shift income to lower-income beneficiaries.
• Likely not an ideal solution for US citizens and/or taxpayers.
• Trusts are taxed at the highest personal marginal tax rate.

All that to say, the decision to implement a trust is not one that should be rushed and should entail detailed discussions with your tax/legal/financial planning professionals as to how this strategy fulfills your goals and mitigates unnecessary cost, complexity, tax, and risk. Here is a link to a great article by BDO that uses an example of gifting a cottage from parents to children and the options available to them.

This process starts with some self-reflection. What does my legacy look like? Who receives my assets at death, what does my family dynamic look like and how can I structure this in a way that results in the least heartache, complexity and possibly reduces my taxes owing? Sometimes a trust fills that gap and sometimes it doesn’t. Once you’ve had some time to reflect on these items, you can directly book yourself into one of our calendars here to continue this conversation.

By: Louai Bibi, Advisor Associate

So many Canadians are saving for their first home. Some of us might be on the brink of making that lifechanging purchase, others may still have some time ahead of them. Regardless of your timeline, we often ask ourselves questions like:

• Should I invest this money?
• What account suits my personal circumstance the best?
• What are the pros & cons of each account?

I’ll preface by saying that if you are considering accessing your money within a 48-month window, we advise against investing in the market. While markets generally trend upwards most of the time (you might not feel like it if you started investing in 2022), we don’t have a crystal ball and we’d rather play it safe & ensure your hard-earned savings stay intact if markets happen to experience short-term volatility.

In terms of what accounts are available for first-time homebuyers, you have four great options:

• A generic savings account
• A tax-free savings account (TFSA)
• A registered retirement savings account (RRSP)
• A first home savings account (FHSA)

Your savings account is a great place to store your money when we’re on the brink of purchasing your home (think 48-month timeline, as we discussed above). The TFSA, RRSP, & FHSA all generally entail investing your money in the market. So how do you differentiate which account makes the most sense for you?

Well, let’s start with understanding what benefit each account offers a first-time home buyer:

The TFSA

The TFSA offers tax-free growth when you invest, so if your money grows from $50,000 to $100,000, you get to withdraw $100,000 tax-free, with no penalties and/or restrictions. This is pretty great in my eyes, as the last thing a first-time home buyer should be concerned with is taxes when they are going through an exciting life change. If you later decide purchasing a home no longer makes sense for you or that you need to push out your timeframe, you can keep trucking along & growing your wealth tax-free.

The RRSP

While primarily, used for retirement savings, first-time home buyer’s have an advantage when saving within this account. It’s widely known as the home buyer’s plan (HBP), which allows you to withdraw up to $35,000 from your RRSP to put towards the purchase of your first home. Generally, when you withdraw from a RRSP, that amount is taxed as income. When a RRSP withdrawal is for your first home, you can withdraw this money tax-free. The catch is that after a couple years, you need to begin paying back 1/15th of the amount you withdrew from your RRSP over the next 15 years. By participating in the HBP, you’ve essentially loaned yourself those funds from your retirement savings & they slowly need to go back to your RRSP to later fund retirement. This isn’t a ground-breaking implication, but you earlier heard me mention that we don’t have a crystal ball. We don’t know what the future holds & many homeowners are feeling the stress of higher interest rates impact their monthly payments. While a 1/15th of up to $35,000 per year may not feel suffocating to you while reading this, it certainly can add stress to the lives of others who are adjusting to the associated costs of home ownership.

The FHSA

This just launched in 2023 & the majority of financial institutions can’t even open these quite yet, as they are still building out the infrastructure required to be able to handle contributions, withdrawals & CRA reporting. This account shares a few characteristics that the TFSA & RRSP offer. You can contribute up to $8,000 per year (to a lifetime maximum of $40,000) and use these funds towards your home purchase tax-free. By the time 15 years has passed or you turn 71 years old (whichever comes first), you have the option of withdrawing these funds as cash, at which point it becomes taxable to you, or you can transfer the balance to your RRSP on a tax-deferred basis. While you are waiting for the FHSA accounts to be accessible at all financial institutions, you can save in a TFSA and/or RRSP & later transfer this account to the FHSA, with no tax implications.  Your contributions are tax-deductible just like your RRSP, which makes this unique from the TFSA.

Here are my favourite parts about this account:

• Remember how I mentioned needing to repay 1/15th of your RRSP HBP withdrawal every year? This concept does not exist when you withdraw from the FHSA for your first home. There is no repayment schedule & I think that will put a lot of minds at ease, especially when we go through times where money is tight.
• When our annual RRSP contribution room is calculated, its often based on a percentage of our earned income. The FHSA annual contribution limit is not linked to our earned income, but rather a set dollar amount prescribed by the government, which is currently $8,000/year. For those who may be newer to Canada and/or just starting their career & haven’t hit their salary potential quite yet, this may be a powerful tool to save!

When you should connect with us for help

You may want help establishing a savings target or building a roadmap to get from goal to reality. For others, our financial circumstances can be complex & may warrant a deeper conversation, like if you are a US citizen, or if you are just trying to understand where this piece of the puzzle fits in your overall wealth plan. Whether you are new a new or existing client, our door is always open to chat. Whether it is me, Mike, Shawn, or Corey, we’ll be happy to help you make an informed decision. Click HERE to book with us.

Conclusion

At this point, we have a baseline understanding of how each account works for first-time home buyers to make an informed decision. I’ve shared a table below that compares the features of the accounts that we have covered in this blog (click HERE for image source). Each of our scenarios are unique, so we do have to assess the merits of using each account on a case-by-case basis. My objective for this blog is to create general understanding of each account, as well as how they may or may not work in your favor. Buying your first home is a significant achievement & you deserve to have the right professionals by your side. Whether you need our advice, or the advice of a mortgage/tax/legal professional, we’ll put you in touch with the right person.

How does the FHSA compare to the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan and a TFSA? 

By: Michael Lutes CFP, CLU

Certified Financial Planner

It’s a brand spankin’ new year, (2023 baby!). The calendar has turned, the slate is wiped clean, you’re at mile zero! You have twelve whole months to kick some butt when it comes to managing your money and financial planning! (Wow, I’m getting energized just writing this!!)

Perhaps you’ve already begun brainstorming ways to improve your finances in 2023. Maybe you’re hunting for new tax-efficient planning strategies. Or you think your investment portfolio could use a revamp. Or, after spending time with loved ones over the holidays, you’re inspired to audit your insurance and estate plans.

Or, like so many of us, you truly don’t know where to start.

Here’s a tip…

Start with your values. Let those values motivate your goals, life objectives, dreams. Whatever you want to call them, start there.

So, what are your values? Seriously, yours, what are they? Take a moment, take a minute, take whatever time you need…

No, no, no, not THOSE values…. those are the values you think you should have. The ones your brother incepted inside of you when you were chatting over the holidays. Or maybe those values are the ones your Instagram feed is telling you to have – fancy cars, fancy food, fancy vacations, fancy clothes, fancy blah blah blah.

Not those.

I’m talking about YOUR values. The ones that truly reflect the deepest sense of what cultivates happiness in you. The ones that make you feel authentically happy to just be. The ones that when you’re living in alignment with them you are at your most satisfied, most at peace, most content, and most fulfilled.

THOSE are your values.

(Ummm, I thought this was a financial planning blog…no?)

How does this apply to financial planning?

While considering all the calculator stuff – tax, investment returns, insurance, etc. – the best financial planning is done in a space where decisions of how to use your money – or capital (more on capital later) – are in alignment with your values. This is where financial confidence builds. This is where the real financial planning magic happens.

In this space, you stop obsessing over moves in the stock market, you don’t really care what shows up in the daily financial news, you can genuinely listen to your neighbor’s stock tip from their cousin who “worked on wall street” and effortlessly separate opinion from truth and move on.

This is the space where you can be totally and completely confident and fulfilled in your financial decision making, because you know it aligns to your values and your life objectives.

So, when it comes to financial planning this year, start with your values – dig deep, be real, be honest, be reflective – and let your values motivate your goals that ultimately drive your decision making.

Do this, and you’ll be kicking butt in 2023!

And if you’re one of us who, like most, need help uncovering their values and articulating their goals, we recommend talking to a trusted advisor who can help you through the process. If you don’t have a trusted advisor, schedule some time with us – we love to help!

Housing prices have been climbing quickly. This is especially true in major urban centres where most Canadians live. The rate of increase for the average sale price appears to be climbing faster than people are able to save.

Some Canadians see the dream of homeownership vanishing, others wonder if the choice to own is appropriate for them. No matter the situation, objective analysis should accompany the emotional aspects of buying a home.

What You Need to Know

Regardless of the ultimate choice, affordability is an important decision criterium. No one has ever enjoyed being “house poor”, where little money is left after making your rental or mortgage payment. Based on household income and available down payment a maximum purchase price can be determined.

Every Canadian financial institution has an online calculator to determine mortgage payments. Mortgage providers employ additional analysis tools to predict whether a borrower will repay the lender based on their income, total expenses and financial history. If lenders are reluctant or refusing to provide a mortgage, perhaps the timing is not appropriate, yet.

Mortgage rates have been at the extreme low end of their range for several years as central banks around the world have attempted to revive economies through inexpensive borrowing. When interest rates are low more people and businesses can afford to borrow more. When something is on-sale people buy more, but for borrowing, you cannot decide to delay a purchase when prices rise. Payments must still be made.

At some point rates will rise and some homeowners may not be able to afford their new, higher payments. Before buying their first home, borrowers should ask themselves, “if mortgage rates rose by 2%, would I be still able to afford my payments?”. For example, a $400,000 loan with an additional 2% interest adds $8,000 interest charges per year, or $667 more each month.

That increase would sit atop the existing mortgage payment. The same $400,000 mortgage with a 25-year amortization and 2.25% 5-year fixed rate requires a monthly payment of $1,750. Each additional $100,000 adds another $450 per month to the payment.

Lenders typically limit housing costs to 35% of gross income, acquiring a mortgage will ultimately decide if you purchase and the price. If you earn $100,000 then your maximum housing costs are $35,000 per year. Subtracting property taxes, condo fees and utilities will determine the amount available for mortgage payments. If these costs totaled $14,000, then a maximum of $21,000 would remain for mortgage payments. $21,000 divided by 12 equals $1,750 per month, yielding your maximum mortgage of $400,000.

A down payment is also required; the more the better. At least 10%, but 20% is preferred to keep payments lower. In the examples above with a $400,000 mortgage a first-time home buyer should plan on a down payment of at least $50,000 netting a purchase price of $450,000.

An experiment to determine if home ownership is appropriate is to act as a homeowner while renting. That is, make housing costs equal 35% of gross income. Set aside exactly 35% each month, pay your rent and utilities and the rest goes directly into a savings account, an RRSP or TFSA. Set up the deposit like a monthly bill that is paid automatically. If you are able to practice this disciplined spending/saving approach you are able to live at 35%, if not habits may need to be changed or a more modest home purchase should be contemplated.

Continuing the example of $100,000 income, then $35,000 per year or $2,920 should go toward rent, utilities and savings. If rent is $1,800 and utilities are $150 set up an auto-deposit for $970 each month. At the end of one year, you will have nearly $12,000 more set aside. At the very least this test should increase the amount of your down payment.

While you are accumulating your down payment the type of investments you purchase and sheltering it from taxes is also important. First time homebuyers can withdraw funds from their RRSPs, for example. Certain conditions apply, of course.

The Bottom Line

A dangerous emotion during a period of rapid rises in house prices is desperation. “If we don’t buy now, we’ll never be able to afford a home” has led many to overextend themselves financially. After that has occurred owning again can be almost impossible.

Couple the dreams of home ownership with objective analysis to determine the best course of action. Prudently investing your down payment in a tax advantaged way is another important aspect of the home buying and ownership experience. We are happy to help with calculations, scenarios, timing, negotiation advice with lenders and investment recommendations.

Book an appointment with us today! – CLICK HERE

A retirement savings plan is a way of protecting your post-retirement financial lifestyle. However, in recent times, recessions, stock-market declines, housing market bubbles, joblessness, and, most recently, a global pandemic have created a series of challenges for people trying to start, grow, or maintain a retirement savings plan. With all the economic uncertainties, it’s natural to wonder if you’re doing all you can to protect your retirement nest egg. Taking a back to basics approach can instruct you on how to keep your retirement financial plan on track during uncertain economic times and beyond.

Consider these tried and tested tips that most financial advisors will recommend for a secure and enjoyable retirement.

1. Make Realistic Budget and Lifestyle – Determining your retirement income needs starts with making realistic assumptions about your future. Because of increased life expectancy, retirement years are longer than they used to be. The average Canadian is expected to live to 78.79 years. Longevity can also be impacted by genetics, where you live, your marital status, and your lifestyle. All of these factors into how you plan for your retirement. It’s also good to be realistic about your post-retirement budget and lifestyle. Do not make the mistake of assuming that your post-retirement budget will be reduced. Retirement is becoming increasingly expensive, particularly in the first few years. It’s essential to have a plan to help mitigate expenses when you are no longer earning a paycheck.
2. Have A Savings Plan – Based on these realistic lifestyle assumptions about your post-retirement days, you can begin to determine what you can do now to sustain yourself financially for at least 25 years post-retirement. The 4% rule is one popular method for working this out. In this model, you commit 4% of your savings for every year of retirement. Another approach is to draw down 2-3% of your total retirement portfolio annually, adjusted yearly for inflation.
3. Consider Inflation – Speaking of inflation, failing to factor it into your plan could take a substantial bite out of your hard-earned nest egg. Inflation impacts how much your retirement savings will be worth over time, so understanding this is critical to ensuring that you have enough assets to last throughout your retirement.
4. Grow Your Retirement Savings – Retirement means different things to different people, but the key is to enjoy this time of your life while making sure you don’t outlive your retirement savings. You are more likely to achieve this with a thoughtfully developed plan that allows you to withdraw money from your portfolio while enabling growth over the longer term. You can achieve this by using various investment vehicles with reasonable returns.

Bottom Line

Planning for the future is a complex and sometimes emotional process that is not easy to do without guidance. Financial advisors can help you remain objective and focused on your future goals. They also have the skills and tools you need to plan for a healthy financial future.

Book an appointment with us – CLICK HERE

An Electric Vehicle (EV) is powered by electricity either from a power grid, solar system, or kinetic energy from breaking, for power. In contrast, a Hybrid Vehicle (HV) consists of both an electric-powered feature and the gas-powered feature. It can run on gas and on electricity.

Savings

The rise in gas prices gradually makes EVs an option for people in Canada. The number one advantage you get from an EV is how much you get to save on gas. Instead of branching at a gas station every few days, you can plug your car at home to refuel. Same thing with an HV. Depending on your city or province, the electric feature in a hybrid car will save you cash on gas. For example, Vancouver is known for its high price of gas. Though both cars are expensive, you get to recoup your money from the savings on gas every now and then.

With an EV, you get to save money on maintenance. An EV is known to only have a handful of inexpensive maintenance costs compared to cars with Internal Combustion Engines (ICE). no need for an oil change, belt replacement or other expensive maintenance and repairs that are associated with ICE cars. EV maintenance and repair will run you $949 per year, which is $330 less than a traditional vehicle.

Costs

The upfront payment on an HV is known to be on the high side compared to a gas-powered vehicle. Sometimes the difference could be as high as $10,000. Depending on the brand you buy, an HV could be cost-intensive. You should consider the price of gas in your area, how much time you will be driving and how long it will take you to recoup your expenses in gas savings.

An EV is also the same as the price of a new ICE vehicle. In Canada, it is advisable to go for a used EV as they are cheaper than buying brand new ones. You can also enjoy tax credit in some provinces if you buy an EV. Some of them include:

• Nova Scotia: $2,000 rebate on used EVs;
• Ontario: $1,000 toward the purchase of a used EV and $1,000 toward the purchase of a used EV if you scrap your old ICE vehicle;
• Prince Edward Island: $5,000 rebate for a used EV;
• New Brunswick: $1,000 rebate (PHEV); $2,500 rebate (EV).

Future Trends

The EV and HV market in Canada continues to grow impressively. The world is gradually shifting to green energy and Canada is not far behind. The HV and EV market had total revenues of $1.1bn in 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7% between 2016 and 2020. The market consumption volume increased with a CAGR of 14.9% between 2016 and 2020, to reach a total of 40,206.0 units in 2020. Even though the EV and HV market declined in 2020 due to the pandemic, with a decline of about 33.8%. There are strong indications that things are getting back to normal, and the market will continue to grow.

To find out more on Incentives for Purchasing Zero-Emission Vehicles, CLICK HERE for information from Transport Canada.

Housing prices have been climbing quickly. This is especially true in major urban centers where most Canadians live. The rate of increase for the average sale price appears to be climbing faster than people are able to save.

Some Canadians see the dream of homeownership vanishing, others wonder if the choice to own is appropriate for them. No matter the situation, objective analysis should accompany the emotional aspects of buying a home.

What You Need to Know

Regardless of the ultimate choice, affordability is an important decision criterium. No one has ever enjoyed being “house poor”, where little money is left after making your rental or mortgage payment. Based on household income and available down payment a maximum purchase price can be determined.

Every Canadian financial institution has an online calculator to determine mortgage payments. Mortgage providers employ additional analysis tools to predict whether a borrower will repay the lender based on their income, total expenses and financial history. If lenders are reluctant or refusing to provide a mortgage, perhaps the timing is not appropriate, yet.

Mortgage rates have been at the extreme low end of their range for several years as central banks around the world have attempted to revive economies through inexpensive borrowing. When interest rates are low more people and businesses can afford to borrow more. When something is on-sale people buy more, but for borrowing you cannot decide to delay a purchase when prices rise. Payments must still be made.

At some point rates will rise and some homeowners may not be able to afford their new, higher payments. Before buying their first home, borrowers should ask themselves, “if mortgage rates rose by 2%, would I be still able to afford my payments?”. For example, a $400,000 loan with an additional 2% interest adds $8,000 interest charges per year, or $667 more each month.

That increase would sit atop the existing mortgage payment. The same $400,000 mortgage with a 25-year amortization and 2.25% 5-year fixed rate requires a monthly payment of $1,750. Each additional $100,000 adds another $450 per month to the payment.

Lenders typically limit housing costs to 35% of gross income, acquiring a mortgage will ultimately decide if you purchase and the price. If you earn $100,000 then your maximum housing costs are $35,000 per year. Subtracting property taxes, condo fees and utilities will determine the amount available for mortgage payments. If these costs totaled $14,000, then a maximum of $21,000 would remain for mortgage payments. $21,000 divided by 12 equals $1,750 per month, yielding your maximum mortgage of $400,000.

A down payment is also required; the more the better. At least 10%, but 20% is preferred to keep payments lower. In the examples above with a $400,000 mortgage a first-time home buyer should plan on a down payment of at least $50,000 netting a purchase price of $450,000.

An experiment to determine if home ownership is appropriate is to act as a homeowner while renting. That is, make housing costs equal 35% of gross income. Set aside exactly 35% each month, pay your rent and utilities and the rest goes directly into a savings account, an RRSP or TFSA. Set up the deposit like a monthly bill that is paid automatically.  If you are able to practice this disciplined spending/saving approach you are able to live at 35%, if not habits may need to be changed or a more modest home purchase should be contemplated.

Continuing the example of $100,000 income, then $35,000 per year or $2,920 should go toward rent, utilities and savings. If rent is $1,800 and utilities are $150 set up an auto-deposit for $970 each month. At the end of one year you will have nearly $12,000 more set aside. At the very least this test should increase the amount of your down payment.

While you are accumulating your down payment the type of investments you purchase and sheltering it from taxes is also important. First time homebuyers can withdraw funds from their RRSPs, for example. Certain conditions apply, of course.

The Bottom Line

A dangerous emotion during a period of rapid rises in house prices is desperation. “If we don’t buy now, we’ll never be able to afford a home” has led many to overextend themselves financially. After that has occurred owning again can be almost impossible.

Couple the dreams of home ownership with objective analysis to determine the best course of action. Prudently investing your down payment in a tax advantaged way is another important aspect of the home buying and ownership experience. I am happy to help with calculations, scenarios, timing, negotiation advice with lenders and investment recommendations.

Talk to us today! Book an appointment HERE!

In our everyday life, we spend so much on bills and other financial expenses we feel like a superhero when we wonder how we have managed to keep things together. One of the ways you can stay afloat and not drown in expenses is by having a credit card account. A credit account is a type of account that allows you to borrow money from your account to cover your monthly expenses.

You are however required to pay back money borrowed with interests and other additional charges. The line of credit you can borrow depends on the level of your debt. You have the option of paying your debt monthly or after each statement cycle. The nature of a credit card account makes it easy to accumulate debt which could be difficult to get out of. It offers a continued balance of debt option which makes it easy to accumulate debt. To avoid this kind of debt situation with a credit card account, here are some tips on the mistakes you should never make with a credit card. 

Mistakes You Should Never Make with A Credit Card

1. Maxing Out Your Credit Card – When you max out your credit limit, apart from the huge debt profile, you also have other issues to be worried about. You may find it difficult to obtain another credit card account because of your credit score. You will also attract an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) which will be charged on every late payment. It is advisable to set a limit to your account to caution you and prevent you from maxing out your account.
2. Paying Late – When you make late repayments on your credit card account, it damages your credit score and may put you in the bad books of your credit card issuer. A month’s late payment could reduce your credit card score by as much as 100 points. Imagine you are late for 3 months or more. You also stand the risk of accumulating APR on your late payments which increases your debt profile. The remedy to this is to ensure that you pay your credit card debt as and when due.
3. Minimum Payment Habits – There are minimum debt payments you are required to meet every month on your credit card account. however, it is not advisable to only pay the minimum payment every month. You are still susceptible to APR charges which will increase your debt profile. To avoid this, try as much as possible to pay more than your required minimum payment.
4. Not Reviewing Your Account Statement – One common and avoidable mistake you can make on your credit card account is to overlook checking your account statement on a regular basis. Reviewing your credit card account regularly allows you to know the status of your account and prevent reporting or charging errors and potential frauds from taking advantage of your account. if you cannot keep up with a weekly review, you should at least do a monthly account review to keep up with your bills and know the status of your account.
5. Having Too Many Credit Card Accounts – In the short term, this might be a good idea because it gives you enough options to source for lines of credit to cover your expenses. However, in the long term, what this means is that you will not be able to keep up with the accumulated debt on different credit card accounts. These accounts will also charge APR which means more debts. Also, when you apply for a new credit card, the card issuer makes an inquiry on your credit card and too many inquiries may spook your existing lenders. You can take advantage of Pre-qualification forms which give you the opportunity to check if you qualify for a new credit card without damaging your credit score.

The Covid-19 pandemic has upset the habits and routines of many people. Staying safe and healthy has become a constant concern. The effects of the pandemic are taking a toll on people’s health, both mental and physical.  It is more important than ever to eat right, stay active, and do things that make you happy. When it comes to creating a healthier lifestyle for yourself, getting started is the hardest part. Here are a few tips to help you navigate all the information available on diet, hobbies, and fitness!

Diets-You Are What You Eat!

Health starts with what you are eating, and it is important to follow evidence-based nutritional sources. Fad diets are running rampant on the internet and it can be easy to get lost in the promises some of these diets make. Paleo diet, Keto diet, Atkins diet, Raw diet, South Beach diet, to name a few, all make promises of results that may be unrealistic. People are always looking for a quick fix so it can be easy to be swooned by the hype of the diet of the moment. Do not fall into fad diet traps that promise immediate weight loss with minimal effort. As a rule, you should avoid any of the following:

•  Diets that promise rapid results
• Diets that claim you can eat whatever you want
• Diets that cut out specific food groups entirely
• Diets that require you to skip meals or replace meals with a product

Eating a healthy diet does not need to be complicated or regimented. Making small and sustainable changes to your eating habits will ensure that you stay on track and meet your goals. Canada’s Food Guide recommends that you simply choose to eat mostly fresh foods that include plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein.

The internet is overwhelmed with nutritional information. Make sure that whatever claims a source is making are backed up by science and that the publication is showing the sources they used to compile the information.

Here are a few evidence-based nutrition sources to check out: Canada Food Guide, Health Canada, Dieticians of Canada, and Nutritional Link Service.

Hobbies

Spending a lot of time at home can be hard on the head if you do not have a hobby or two to occupy your mind.  Covid-19 restrictions have most of us stuck at home and people have gotten creative about keeping themselves busy. People have taken to things such as breadmaking, sewing, gardening, learning an instrument, virtual book clubs, and other do-it-from-home activities.

The internet is rich with tutorials and forums that allow you to become a part of vast communities of likeminded people. Looking for something more local? Most municipalities have a recreation department that are busy keeping people entertained at home; you just must know where to look.  Check out town websites, library websites, and community centers to see what they are offering. In some regions, there may even be opportunities to gather with others to talk about, work on, or develop new hobbies.

Exercise

Starting a fitness routine may be one of the best things you can do for your health. Physical activity, even in small amounts, can reduce your risk of disease, help you lose weight, have profound effects on your mental health, and even improve your quality of sleep! So how do you get started?

Much like dieting, the internet is teeming with fitness pages, accounts, and how-to’s. It can be hard to know where to begin and it is easy to feel overwhelmed.  The first step is identifying what you think you would enjoy. Below are some of the most popular ways people are working on their fitness:

• Cross-fit: Cross-fit is a type of High Intensity Interval Training that focuses on performing functional movements at high intensity level.  That may sound intimidating but many of the workouts are group workouts that include people of all abilities. This may a be a great start for many people as it provides an encouraging group of people that will help you stay on track and stay committed.
• Yoga: Yoga has been popular for a very long time and is a great low impact activity. Yoga focuses on body and mind, with lots of emphasis on breathing and stretching. Yoga is something that you can do at home easily as there is very little, if any, equipment needed!
• Spin: Spin classes are huge right now and do not seem to be going anywhere any time soon.  Usually, spin is taught at a facility in a group setting with an instructor to encourage and lead the class.   If you are unable to attend a spin class due to Covid-19 restrictions, there are stationary bikes on the market now that have spin classes built right into them.
• Running: Running communities are present almost everywhere.  This makes a great starter activity. It is easy to find running groups near you that offer learn-to-run programs to help get you started. Running can be a very social sport which is great for both your physical and mental health.

Bottom Line

Sometimes organized sport and fitness can be a little intense and that is okay, because there are so many ways to get active without having to commit to one thing. Walking, hiking, skating, intermural sports, pickup leagues, tennis… these are all fantastic ways to start moving in a way that is fun and less intimidating. Regardless of what you choose to do, always remember to work within your limits and listen to your body. If you have health concerns, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor before engaging in a new fitness regime.