Author: Andrew Gordon, CFP® – Certified Financial Planner® “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” If you’re a fan of Charles Dickens, this line might ring a bell. It was taken from “A Tale of Two Cities” which was published in 1859. Although it doesn’t compare to the current marketplace; it does […]

The majority of people we talk to do not understand how Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA) work or how to best utilize them. This is partly due to how TFSA’s have been marketed by the banks. Here are some key things to know about these valuable tax shelters the government implemented in 2009.

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Are RRSPs overrated?

For many years RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans) were viewed as the best option available for retirement savings. However, the truth is that there are several variables to consider for your best investment options.

Here is a short list of questions to ask yourself:

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Would you be surprised to learn that the stock market has out performed real estate in Vancouver over the last decade? According to the MLS Home Price Index , which began collecting data 11 years ago, real estate prices throughout the greater Vancouver area have grown on average from 100bps in January 2005 to 187.75bps in January 2016. This growth represents a 5.89% annualized rate of return and a total return of 87.75%.

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In life and finances, the government is our biggest business partner, usually in the form of taxes.

If you are a business owner:
1.  You are a tax collector (payroll taxes, GST, PST).
2.  The government is your business partner (corporate taxes).

As a family, taxes are often your largest expense:
1.  Income tax (as high as 45.7% of every dollar you earn).
2.  Sales taxes (GST, PST).
3.  Property taxes, and so on.

Fortunately, the government has provided different vehicles to help us plan when we pay our taxes (RRSP, TFSA, pensions, IPPs). These can all be great vehicles to help us defer, smooth out and/or lower our tax bills.

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