On Tuesday March 28, 2023, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland presented the 2023 federal budget, which contains several measures of interest to IG Wealth Management and its clients.
Tax preparation season is a good time to take a look at your unincorporated business and consider whether you should consider changing its status. If you don’t need all of your business’s income for your personal needs, it could make sense to incorporate it. In this article, we examine the different kinds of business ownership, the types of tax advantages and savings that can come with incorporation, and whether it might be a valid option for your business.
Looking ahead to 2023, we’re feeling more optimistic towards both the equity and fixed income markets (we’re confident they’ll soon come out of their troughs). At the same time however, the probability of an economic recession in Canada and the United States is more likely. We also expect to see peaks in inflation, interest rates and economic activity.
A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a great tool to build wealth for most Canadians while paying less tax. Although there are many benefits to investing in a TFSA, there can also be costly mistakes. This article outlines the eight most common pitfalls people encounter and how to avoid them.
A year ago, many countries were managing through their second wave of COVID-19 infections. Many equity markets nevertheless had staged a full and complete recovery to their pre-COVID highs. Despite the equity recovery, investors were still nervous. A year ago, we had just started to hear news of pending approvals of COVID vaccines.
Many Canadians designate a direct beneficiary on their RRSP, RRIF, TFSA or insurance policies without giving it a second thought (although in Quebec, beneficiary designations are only effective on insurance policies). However, designating a direct beneficiary is not recommended for many plan/policy owners, where they have non-traditional or unique family situations, as it can lead to unfavourable tax implications for beneficiaries.
Did you know that many Canadians are not adequately prepared to pass on or inherit family wealth? This is often due to a lack of communication and planning. The good news is that it’s never too early or too late to start. Planning helps you identify tax saving opportunities, mitigate potential financial gaps and maximize your current lifestyle.
The lifetime capital gains exemption (LCGE) is one of the key tax planning advantages available to small business owners, farmers, and fishers. In 2021, it can exempt from tax up to $892,218 of capital gains realized on the sale of shares of a qualified small business corporation and up to $1 million of capital gains realized on the sale of shares of a family farm or fishing corporation.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers have embraced an environment where employees work from home. With the opportunity to work from home, some Canadians are taking the opportunity to work from anywhere. For some that means working from the cottage or working from a foreign location. Before you switch from working from home to a location of your choice, there are a few things that you should consider.
One of the most important documents you should have as part of your estate plan is an up to date power of attorney, otherwise known as a protection mandate in Quebec. This is a document that gives someone else the power to make financial decisions on your behalf if you are unable to. Needless to say, you need to give special consideration to whom you appoint as attorney or mandatary.
On Monday, April 19, 2021, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland presented the 2021 Federal Budget which contains several measures of interest to IG Wealth Management and its clients. This summary contains highlights of these proposals, which are not yet law.
A core component of your retirement plan is the CPP retirement benefit (or Québec Pension Plan for Québec residents, which mirrors many aspects of the CPP). CPP offers flexibility as to when payments can begin, which affects how much you could receive. Familiarizing yourself with CPP provisions can help you decide when to start payments and optimize the benefit throughout your retirement.