Whether your child eventually heads to university, enrolls in college or pursues another form of post-secondary training, the reality is the same: higher education is expensive. In Canada, the average undergraduate tuition for the 2024/2025 school year was $7,360, and fees can be significantly higher depending on the program. Planning ahead can make a big … Read more

New graduates and young adults often juggle multiple financial priorities. After entering the workforce, it’s tempting to move past the student lifestyle and enjoy more freedom. Eventually, however, you’ll face a choice for any extra cash flow: should you invest or prioritize paying off student loans? As with many personal finance decisions, the right answer … Read more

Q. I have a registered education savings plan (RESP) for my three children. The youngest is starting university this fall. We’ve already made some withdrawals for the older two, but the plan still holds substantial funds. Our middle child has chosen a co-op university program that will largely fund itself. When we made contributions to … Read more

My nine-year-old daughter, Matilda, has a piggy bank overflowing with coins and no clear idea what to do with them. That’s not surprising—physical cash is almost invisible in our household. Like many families today, I rarely carry bills or coins; most purchases happen by card, online, or with my phone. While Matilda notices how I … Read more

My toxic trait is thinking I need to buy a coffee every time I leave the house. That meme fits me perfectly, and apparently the double-latte habit is contagious: my 10-year-old daughter, Matilda, has picked up a similar impulse to spend on drinks. Her weekly five-dollar allowance vanishes fast when her friends — who are … Read more

Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) remain one of the most effective ways to save for a child’s post-secondary education in Canada. Contributions are eligible for government grants, investments grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals can help cover costs for trade schools, colleges or universities both in Canada and abroad. According to Statistics Canada, the national average undergraduate … Read more

This is the time when young adults begin taking real steps toward independence. Many will move on to college or university to continue their studies, while others may take a gap year to travel or explore career options. As a parent or guardian, your role is to support their passions and help them prepare—financially and … Read more

These changes happen quickly and can be easy to miss. In the teenage years, kids should shift from thinking about money in weekly increments to managing larger sums over longer periods. “Offer them larger allowances on a monthly schedule and ask them to take responsibility for certain spending categories,” says Certified Financial Planner Trevor Van … Read more

Between the ages of 7 and 12, children begin to ask more questions about money—and those questions often become more complex. At this stage, parents can intentionally teach practical money skills, much like cooking or healthy eating. Take trips to stores without buying anything to practice “browsing without buying” and explain the difference between looking … Read more

Money is one of the most powerful teaching tools a parent can use. Mix kids and cash together and you get immediate, practical lessons that stick. I remember my preschoolers, Luca and Laura, learning quickly that money buys things. The jingle of the ice-cream truck would send them running from the sandbox into the house, … Read more