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Financial Library

An Ideal Opportunity to Improve Your Cash Flow

With so many doom & gloom news headlines, it is refreshing to know Canadians can still get very low fixed rate mortgages. A recent Financial Post article (March 9, 2012) explains that with big banks competing strongly for new mortgage business, now is a great time for Canadians to refinance their mortgages to improve personal cash flow.

These Financial Mistakes Can Cost You

Some financial decisions get made without enough thought given to the long term consequences. Here are some financial mistakes you can avoid:

Mortgage amortized too long:

With lenders offering 30 year amortization periods, it may look attractive to go with a smaller monthly payment to get into a larger house, but the extra interest charges only benefit the lender.

Government Benefits Can Boost Retirement Income

In a 2010 report to the Minister of Finance, it was found that approximately 160,000 Canadian seniors were not aware of the full range of benefits they were entitled to in their retirement years. In fact, nearly $1 billion in retirement benefits from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) have not been paid out to eligible recipients.

According to the Service Canada website, seniors may qualify for a number of income supplement programs that would help them make ends meet, including:

TFSAs: Flexible Wealth Building Strategy

The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) was introduced in the February 2008 Federal Budget and became available January 1, 2009. It is touted by the Government of Canada as 'the single most important personal savings vehicle since the introduction of the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).'

RDSP offers a bonus

Starting in 2011, the registered disabled savings plan (RDSP), which is open to Canadians who qualify for the disability tax credit, offers a tremendous bonus to those who are eligible.

The RDSP is a savings plan that you contribute to after-tax, with earnings and growth accumulating tax-deferred. The maximum amount that you can invest is up to $200,000. Contributions can be taken out tax-free, with the growth and other funds when withdrawn being reckoned as part of your income for tax purposes.

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Pros and Cons of Annuities

With the turbulent times we have been experiencing in the markets, more people are considering annuities to ensure a certain income in their retirement years. It might not suit everybody to put their funds into annuities, and

there is always the question of what percentage do you want to invest in them, and how much will you leave in the markets? There is no clear-cut answer, and you'll need to weigh your personal circumstances to see how annuities can fit into your retirement plans.

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