Canada Tax Changes for 2017: What Individuals and Businesses Should Know As the calendar turns, Canadians will see a number of federal and provincial tax changes taking effect that will influence household budgets, business transactions and investment strategies. Below is a concise, practical summary of the most important federal and provincial measures for 2017 and … Read more

Rampant inflation is the top concern for many investors. A common defence is index-linked government bonds—known in the UK as linkers—which adjust their coupons and principal in line with RPI inflation. Index-linked gilt tracker funds are the easiest way to gain exposure to linkers. But UK linker funds can present a mismatch between what investors … Read more

Just over a year ago we witnessed one of the most dramatic, synchronized global market meltdowns in recent memory. The shock waves are still being felt. For many people it was like standing on train tracks as a locomotive barreled toward them — you could see disaster coming, but felt helpless to stop it. Savings … Read more

The job of a restaurant or café server is demanding: carrying food and drinks, managing orders, and delivering a welcoming experience. Tipping is how many customers say thank you—but how much is appropriate? We surveyed 1,500 Canadians about tipping habits and asked four front-line servers across the country for their perspectives on what constitutes fair … Read more

What caught my eye this week. I really hoped I wouldn’t be writing again about the UK’s fiscal and political turmoil so soon. But the story refuses to go away, and it continues to have immediate consequences for markets, households and public finances. This week felt like a moment of truth and forced compromise: the … Read more

(Illustration by Amedeo De Palma) Phil and Candace Ranjan are well-educated, hardworking young chiropractors living in London, Ont. Between them they hold four university degrees and earn a combined annual income of $110,000. Still, despite their promising careers, the couple faces heavy debt: $47,000 in student loans, $94,000 on a line of credit and a … Read more

Edward and Penelope Arneson of Cochrane, Alta. (Photo by CHRIS BOLIN) THE PROBLEM Edward (60) and Penelope (58) Arneson of Cochrane, Alberta, retired five years ago. They are grateful for Edward’s defined benefit pension, which delivers reliable, inflation-indexed income, but they are increasingly dissatisfied with their long-time adviser and their investment results. Their portfolio currently … Read more

What caught my eye this week. With Bitcoin trading above $120,000 and US regulators moving in a noticeably crypto-friendly direction, digital assets now feel poised to enter the mainstream institutional arena. That shift brings both opportunity and risk — and I say that as someone who remains broadly sceptical. My view over the past decade … Read more

Couples can open and contribute to individual registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs), a spousal RRSP, or both. A spousal RRSP is often the most effective option when partners have significantly different incomes. If one spouse earns little or no income and therefore receives little tax benefit from contributing to their own RRSP, the higher-earning partner … Read more

Heresy! Prepare the torches, because I’m about to do something that will make many passive investing purists bristle: I’m placing part of the Slow & Steady portfolio into an active fund. Before the pitchforks appear, let me explain why this is not a betrayal of passive principles but a pragmatic decision to manage a specific … Read more