We all know the saying: nothing in life is certain except death and taxes. But there’s another truth we tend to forget—life is full of surprises, and not all of them are good ones. A sudden job loss. A medical emergency. A serious accident. Even the loss of a loved
When it comes to life insurance, the name is a little misleading—it’s not really for your benefit. It’s there to protect the people you care about most if something happens to you. In a way, it’s more of a “loved ones’ lifestyle protection plan.” One of the first things to
Here’s a question that most people don’t think about: What’s your most valuable asset? Your house? Your investments? Maybe your car? Actually, it’s none of those. Your most valuable asset is your ability to earn an income. It’s the engine that keeps everything else in your financial life running—your mortgage,
Nobody wants to think about it, but what if you get seriously ill? We all like to believe it won’t happen to us – cancer, a heart attack, or a stroke – are things that happen to other people. And we might assume that if something does happen, the healthcare
Starting a small business often begins with a great idea and a desire to build something meaningful. For many owners, their business isn’t just a source of income—it’s how they provide for their families. But here’s the thing: most small businesses rely heavily on the health, skills, and vision of
Most people have a false sense of security by believing that they will not be victims of a critical illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke; and if they are, that the healthcare system will look after them. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is, according to
Insurance surrounds each of us every day: When you get in your car, when you come home to your residence, and while you work. Insurance is always in the background discreetly doing its job. Most of us, however, do not think about it much or realize the very important function
Insurance is, and has always been, a tool to manage risk. If you cannot afford to ‘lose’ something, it is best to insure it. As with many other financial situations there are various solutions design to protect against financial losses. The five types of insurance everyone should have are: Life
If you are planning a holiday, it is wise to be aware of the six most common travel scams you might encounter on your journey. Travel scams vary from country to country, but a few scams are commonly found almost everywhere. We have put together a list to help
Ross and Janis lived a typical Canadian life. They were married, had two children, Melissa and Kyle, and both worked outside the home. An avid golfer, Ross also went on fishing trips with friends and helped coach his son’s hockey team. Janis played the piano, enjoyed bike rides with
It’s all part of the process when you are arranging a mortgage for your new home. The bank employee inevitably asks if you would like to purchase mortgage insurance. No one likes to think about their own mortality; however, we all know deep down that stuff happens. People contract terminal
When Sarah graduated from university and got her first job as a regional sales rep, her parents bought her a car to ensure she’d have a reliable vehicle for the travelling her new position would require. Sadly, only weeks after receiving this generous gift, Sarah hit black ice while driving
Alicia was about to sign the papers on her new vehicle when she noticed an additional charge of a little over $3,400 for insurance on the Bill of Sale. When she asked the finance manager what it was for, he said, ‘Well, that’s for the life and disability insurance for
Many falsely believe they will not be victims of a critical illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke. They also believe that if they do experience a serious illness, the healthcare system will look after them. Nothing could be further from the truth. It took Darren almost 3 years
Graham*, like millions of other Canadians, has and uses credit cards. He often carries a balance from month to month and is concerned about making the monthly payments if he becomes disabled or gets seriously ill. Graham doesn’t want to stick his family with the balance if he dies before
For many small business owners, what began as a bright idea or an innate desire to exercise their entrepreneurial spirit turned into a new enterprise with the promise to provide for them and their families. Even the most successful small businesses are significantly reliant upon the continued health, vision and
Besides ‘death’ and ‘taxes’, the other certainty in life is that life is full of unexpected events. So why aren’t we more prepared for financial stresses when they occur? With the odds of an unexpected event such as a job loss, a medical emergency, a debilitating accident, or a
We’ve all read or heard about the unlucky family that is wiped out by a house fire and didn’t have any fire insurance. All too often, people mistakenly believe that it won’t happen to them. The reality is that bad things CAN happen and there is nothing that guarantees they
Marc and Lorna just bought a house and, like most home buyers, they needed a mortgage. During the financing process, they were offered mortgage insurance by the lender. They wanted to know more before taking the coverage. Do we control the policy? Because the coverage is usually a group
Sally has been working for the same company for over twenty years. About a year ago, she was given a new group benefits booklet because her employer had switched insurance companies. Like most people, she put it aside and intended to read it when she “had the time.” Sally was
Many believe that if they need long term care, either in their home or in a facility, that the cost will be covered by provincial health care or other government agencies. While there are certain programs available, a significant portion of these costs are the responsibility of the patient.
Ron and Susan are arranging a mortgage and the banker asks if they’d like to include life insurance to pay it off on death. Sounds like a good idea, so they decide to take it. After filling out and signing a few more forms, they have it. Or would
As they take the big step of moving out of their parents’ home and into their first apartment or other living quarters, the last thing on a young person’s mind is insurance. Yet, this is an area of great importance as they also begin their journey on the road to
Ted and Martha had about $600,000 in their RRIFs generating the minimum monthly income of almost $4,000 before taxes. Then disaster struck. Ted developed a cognitive impairment. Martha was able to look after him at home for a little over a year, but eventually had to place him in
Life insurance is initially purchased for any of a number of reasons. As time goes by, many people question why they are still carrying their policies as the original purpose no longer applies. Here are the three uses of life insurance: Estate Creation – When Ralph and Alice
Graham, like millions of other Canadians, has and uses credit cards. He often carries a balance from month to month and is concerned about making the monthly payments if he becomes disabled or gets seriously ill. Graham doesn’t want to stick his family with the balance if he dies before
Ray had thought of his life insurance purely as a protection plan. The anti-avoidance rules and general restriction of tax benefits applicable to most shelters prompted him to take a new look at his life insurance for tax deferral as well. A type of policy, called Universal Life, separates
Insurance surrounds each of us every day: When you get in your car, when you come home to your residence, and while you work. Insurance is always in the background discreetly doing its job. Most of us, however, do not think about it much or realize the very important function
Don, 65, and Marie, 63, are about to retire. They have accumulated about $500,000 in their RRSPs and own their home, free and clear. They want to leave as much as possible to their two children. Don and Marie realize that the value of their home should pass tax-free to
We all know the saying: nothing in life is certain except death and taxes. But there’s another truth we tend to forget—life is full of surprises, and not all of them are good ones. A sudden job loss. A medical emergency. A serious accident. Even the loss of a loved
When it comes to life insurance, the name is a little misleading—it’s not really for your benefit. It’s there to protect the people you care about most if something happens to you. In a way, it’s more of a “loved ones’ lifestyle protection plan.” One of the first things to
Here’s a question that most people don’t think about: What’s your most valuable asset? Your house? Your investments? Maybe your car? Actually, it’s none of those. Your most valuable asset is your ability to earn an income. It’s the engine that keeps everything else in your financial life running—your mortgage,
Nobody wants to think about it, but what if you get seriously ill? We all like to believe it won’t happen to us – cancer, a heart attack, or a stroke – are things that happen to other people. And we might assume that if something does happen, the healthcare
Starting a small business often begins with a great idea and a desire to build something meaningful. For many owners, their business isn’t just a source of income—it’s how they provide for their families. But here’s the thing: most small businesses rely heavily on the health, skills, and vision of
Most people have a false sense of security by believing that they will not be victims of a critical illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke; and if they are, that the healthcare system will look after them. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is, according to
Insurance surrounds each of us every day: When you get in your car, when you come home to your residence, and while you work. Insurance is always in the background discreetly doing its job. Most of us, however, do not think about it much or realize the very important function
Insurance is, and has always been, a tool to manage risk. If you cannot afford to ‘lose’ something, it is best to insure it. As with many other financial situations there are various solutions design to protect against financial losses. The five types of insurance everyone should have are: Life
If you are planning a holiday, it is wise to be aware of the six most common travel scams you might encounter on your journey. Travel scams vary from country to country, but a few scams are commonly found almost everywhere. We have put together a list to help
Ross and Janis lived a typical Canadian life. They were married, had two children, Melissa and Kyle, and both worked outside the home. An avid golfer, Ross also went on fishing trips with friends and helped coach his son’s hockey team. Janis played the piano, enjoyed bike rides with
It’s all part of the process when you are arranging a mortgage for your new home. The bank employee inevitably asks if you would like to purchase mortgage insurance. No one likes to think about their own mortality; however, we all know deep down that stuff happens. People contract terminal
When Sarah graduated from university and got her first job as a regional sales rep, her parents bought her a car to ensure she’d have a reliable vehicle for the travelling her new position would require. Sadly, only weeks after receiving this generous gift, Sarah hit black ice while driving
Alicia was about to sign the papers on her new vehicle when she noticed an additional charge of a little over $3,400 for insurance on the Bill of Sale. When she asked the finance manager what it was for, he said, ‘Well, that’s for the life and disability insurance for
Many falsely believe they will not be victims of a critical illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke. They also believe that if they do experience a serious illness, the healthcare system will look after them. Nothing could be further from the truth. It took Darren almost 3 years
Graham*, like millions of other Canadians, has and uses credit cards. He often carries a balance from month to month and is concerned about making the monthly payments if he becomes disabled or gets seriously ill. Graham doesn’t want to stick his family with the balance if he dies before
For many small business owners, what began as a bright idea or an innate desire to exercise their entrepreneurial spirit turned into a new enterprise with the promise to provide for them and their families. Even the most successful small businesses are significantly reliant upon the continued health, vision and
Besides ‘death’ and ‘taxes’, the other certainty in life is that life is full of unexpected events. So why aren’t we more prepared for financial stresses when they occur? With the odds of an unexpected event such as a job loss, a medical emergency, a debilitating accident, or a
We’ve all read or heard about the unlucky family that is wiped out by a house fire and didn’t have any fire insurance. All too often, people mistakenly believe that it won’t happen to them. The reality is that bad things CAN happen and there is nothing that guarantees they
Marc and Lorna just bought a house and, like most home buyers, they needed a mortgage. During the financing process, they were offered mortgage insurance by the lender. They wanted to know more before taking the coverage. Do we control the policy? Because the coverage is usually a group
Sally has been working for the same company for over twenty years. About a year ago, she was given a new group benefits booklet because her employer had switched insurance companies. Like most people, she put it aside and intended to read it when she “had the time.” Sally was
Many believe that if they need long term care, either in their home or in a facility, that the cost will be covered by provincial health care or other government agencies. While there are certain programs available, a significant portion of these costs are the responsibility of the patient.
Ron and Susan are arranging a mortgage and the banker asks if they’d like to include life insurance to pay it off on death. Sounds like a good idea, so they decide to take it. After filling out and signing a few more forms, they have it. Or would
As they take the big step of moving out of their parents’ home and into their first apartment or other living quarters, the last thing on a young person’s mind is insurance. Yet, this is an area of great importance as they also begin their journey on the road to
Ted and Martha had about $600,000 in their RRIFs generating the minimum monthly income of almost $4,000 before taxes. Then disaster struck. Ted developed a cognitive impairment. Martha was able to look after him at home for a little over a year, but eventually had to place him in
Life insurance is initially purchased for any of a number of reasons. As time goes by, many people question why they are still carrying their policies as the original purpose no longer applies. Here are the three uses of life insurance: Estate Creation – When Ralph and Alice
Graham, like millions of other Canadians, has and uses credit cards. He often carries a balance from month to month and is concerned about making the monthly payments if he becomes disabled or gets seriously ill. Graham doesn’t want to stick his family with the balance if he dies before
Ray had thought of his life insurance purely as a protection plan. The anti-avoidance rules and general restriction of tax benefits applicable to most shelters prompted him to take a new look at his life insurance for tax deferral as well. A type of policy, called Universal Life, separates
Insurance surrounds each of us every day: When you get in your car, when you come home to your residence, and while you work. Insurance is always in the background discreetly doing its job. Most of us, however, do not think about it much or realize the very important function
Don, 65, and Marie, 63, are about to retire. They have accumulated about $500,000 in their RRSPs and own their home, free and clear. They want to leave as much as possible to their two children. Don and Marie realize that the value of their home should pass tax-free to