Estate Freeze

No business owner likes to think about handing over their business they've built from the ground up. But the fact of the matter is, you will have to do it eventually. Even more concerning, what if you were to become ill or incapacitated? Making a decision of this magnitude during trying times would not be ideal. For the business owner, an estate freeze can be an integral part of your estate planning strategy. The purpose of an estate freeze is to lock-in (freeze) the value of the business, freeing the successor from the tax liability that may arise should the business' value increase.

What Are The Benefits Of Opening A TFSA?

Have you been considering opening a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) to strengthen your retirement plan? Perhaps you are considering opening a TFSA but are not quite sure how it could be used to complement your existing RRSP. Every individual has a different wealth management strategy and retirement goals, so you should speak to a financial advisor to determine if a TFSA is right for you. Below is a helpful guide to determine if a TFSA would make sense for your wealth management strategy.

Succession Planning for Business Owners

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Business owners deal with a unique set of challenges. One of these challenges includes succession planning. A succession plan is the process of the transfer of ownership, management and interest of a business. When should a business owner have a succession plan? A succession plan is required through the survival, growth and maturity stage of a business. All business owners, partners and shareholders should have a plan in place during these business stages.

Is Critical Illness Right for You?

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It is probably the most disturbing news an individual can receive during a routine checkup: you have a critical illness and you must receive treatment for it. Thankfully, Canadians have access to healthcare and can receive treatment without spending an arm and a leg out of pocket. But what if the doctor’s orders also require taking a significant leave from work, leading to income loss? Or what if the rare but recommended treatment requires expensive travel to a clinic across the continent or even out of the country?

Life Insurance after 60- is it necessary?

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You may have had life insurance for as long as you can remember. You knew it was important to make sure that your family would be taken care of and be able to pay their bills if anything happened to you. But now that you’re over 60, your children are grown, and your mortgage is paid off, you may feel you don’t need life insurance anymore. However, there are some circumstances under which it may still make sense for you to have life insurance: • You still have substantial debt. • You have dependent children or grandchildren. • You want to be able to leave a financial legacy.

Have You Overlooked Assets in Your Estate Planning?

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Digital assets are essentially anything that has inherent worth that is also in digital form. What establishes their status as an asset is the fact that they come with a “right to use” (e.g. a password). Without a right to use, they are just considered data. Digital assets could include family photos, air miles, hotel rewards, grocery store points, and especially cryptocurrency.

Financial Planning for Business Owners

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Financial planning for business owners is often two-sided: personal financial planning and planning for the business. Business owners have access to a lot of financial tools that employees don't have access to; this is a great advantage, however it can be overwhelming too. A financial plan can relieve this. A financial plan looks at where you are today and where you want to go. It determines your short, medium and long term financial goals and how you can reach them. For you, personally and for your business.

Don’t Qualify For Traditional Life Insurance? Consider These Options

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It’s no secret that traditional life insurance, critical illness insurance and disability insurance offer amazing benefits to those who qualify for the policies. Through these plans, people can protect their families, their businesses, and their livelihoods against the unexpected occurring and disrupting their lives. Unfortunately, however, these policies often don’t extend to people who are facing serious health problems and who may need life insurance the most. Several years ago, two alternative insurance products were offered to help cover people who may have fallen through the cracks when it comes to life insurance. These two new products fall into one of two insurance product categories: guaranteed issue and simplified issue.

Insurance Planning for Young Families

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For young families, making sure your family is financially protected can be overwhelming, especially since there’s so much information floating online. This infographic addresses the importance of insurance- personal insurance.

All in the Family: Estate Planning for Farmers

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Many farmers find it difficult to get any interest from their children in continuing to run the farm business – which can cause some complications when developing the best estate plan for farmers looking to retire. In general, farmers are in an interesting position: they are asset rich due to the increased value of their land but struggle with the increasing costs related to their farming activities. However, if the farm holds significant value but the children are not interested in working the land, what is a farmer to do?