Canadian Capitalist

A Canadian Personal Finance Weblog

Entries from March 2007

This and That

March 29th, 2007 · 3 Comments

The Star’s Ellen Roseman reviews the Canadian edition of Dan Solin’s book The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read.
I enjoy money manager Tom Bradley’s blog and wondered why he doesn’t post anymore. Turns out that the feed for the blog has changed. You can subscribe to his blog here.
The Wealthy Boomer is finally becoming a [...]

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Tags: Miscellaneous

Ask the Readers: Will Kits

March 29th, 2007 · 24 Comments

Jamey from Guelph writes that he doesn’t have a will yet and wonders if the widely-available Canadian Will Kit is a good solution. We have already talked to a lawyer and are not taking the will kit route because I don’t want to take any chances with such an important document. What do you think? [...]

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Tags: Canadian Interest

A Reader asks: What do I do Next?

March 27th, 2007 · 13 Comments

Reader Mike has the following question:
In my various reading adventures over the last year, the overwhelming message is to move to ETF/index funds/passive portfolio management using a self-directed account. The counsel seems to end there. What does one do with the newfound purchase freedom? My prime motive in moving is to lower the [...]

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Tags: Mailbag

Comment on Flow-Through Funds

March 26th, 2007 · 4 Comments

Million Dollar Journey recently posted a primer on using flow-through funds for saving on income taxes (You may also want to check out this excellent report from BMO Nesbitt Burns on Flow-Through Limited Partnerships). Some years back, I researched these investments in depth because I received a hefty severance package and was looking for ways [...]

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Tags: Investing

Is a Group RESP Plan Right for You?

March 26th, 2007 · 79 Comments

First off, I would like to thank frequent commenter Mike for suggesting this topic. Though I have set up a self-directed RESP for my boys, I had not researched scholarship plans in detail. The little I did read about them suggested that I should stay away. Nothing that I learned while researching this post made [...]

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Tags: RESP

This and That

March 22nd, 2007 · 13 Comments

The Toronto Star’s Ellen Roseman grades the tax breaks in Budget 2007.
Many thanks to the reader Mark for sharing the link to an article, which recommends that you should keep a list of basic financial information (like bank account numbers) and tell your spouse where it is.
This column in The Star surveys some of the [...]

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Tags: Miscellaneous

Lump Sum RESP Contributions

March 22nd, 2007 · 1 Comment

Rob Carrick discussed the implications of the removal of RESP contribution limits in a recent column in The Globe and Mail. Does it make sense to make a big contribution to the RESP even if you don’t get the 20% matching grant? While this is not an issue that most people will face, it poses [...]

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Tags: RESP

What Others are Saying About the Budget?

March 20th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Here’s what personal finance columnists in the mainstream media and other bloggers are saying about the budget:
Mainstream Media

Derek DeCloet writes in The Globe and Mail that you can get a capital gains benefit from the budget by buying a fishing boat. Or a tractor.
Rob Carrick, also of The Globe and Mail, rates the budget a [...]

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Tags: Canadian Interest

Reader Question about RRSP

March 20th, 2007 · 10 Comments

Michael from Gatineau asked the following question about RRSPs:
Is there any benefit to them [RRSPs], if you are not going to wait until your retirement (or until you are in a lower tax bracket) to use them?
Say, if I’m putting money in some index funds for 5 years, and in 5 years I’ll probably be [...]

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Tags: Mailbag

Federal Budget: Who Wins?

March 19th, 2007 · 17 Comments

Despite the spin you are likely to hear from the Tories as well the opposition (assuming the budget is passed in Parliament), there are only three significant tax benefits for most Canadians in the budget:

For each child under 18 in your household, you will get a tax break of $310 (15.5% of $2,000 child tax [...]

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Tags: Canadian Interest