Deanne Gage

Client satisfaction is just the beginning

Discussions about philanthropy often start with questions about what drives clients to give back

The Finance Department’s consultation on qualified investments for registered accounts ended last month

More people are creating information packages to help surviving family members make sense of how things work in their household

Interprovincial moves, double dipping and not understanding eligible expenses have caused issues for taxpayers

Some Canadians who filed on time were assessed $100 penalties

With the CRA’s last-minute change, tax returns had already been filed in many cases

Many are still confused about what’s classified as a trust under new tax rules

From renovation credits to HST rebates, here’s what to claim

One income means the taxpayer’s money must work that much harder

Canadians should prepare an emergency family file, which details all the required documents that need to be gathered and notes for the executor on where to find everything

More stringent conditions will be required to prove that the business transfer between family members is a genuine transaction as of Jan. 1, 2024

Symptoms of ADHD include impulsivity and procrastination, the latter of which often translate into poor financial behaviours such as excessive spending, and late or missed bill payments

Older Canadians are stymied by the process of buying and selling property, moving, land transfer fees, and downsizing furniture and other household items

The money in an alter ego trust goes directly to beneficiaries and no probate is required

Sole proprietors and gig workers need to get in the habit of setting money aside for taxes, experts say

A lot of times people don’t realize many assets aren’t going to be directed by their will but by joint tenancy and beneficiary appointments

If spouses are not careful, every day could turn into a work day and they may find themselves talking about business while on vacation and during other family time

In this case of outright excluding someone from a will, the client should provide evidence and reasons for their decision via a letter of wishes, says an expert

Having a dedicated amount of cash holdings in a RRIF portfolio can prevent clients from having to collapse investments, advisors say