The wait is over At the beginning of the year, my son, Ben, wrote about the new First Home Savings Account (FHSA) that was announced by the Canadian government. At the time, financial firms had not put the required infrastructures in place to offer them, even though this brand-new account type had been introduced by the government and approved as a new tax-free savings … [Read more...] about First Home Savings Accounts
Arnold Machel, CFP®
Arnold Machel lives, works and worships in the White Rock/South Surrey area and has been writing articles for the Light Magazine for over 10 years. He is a Certified Financial Planner® with IPC Investment Corporation and Visionvest Financial Planning & Services.
Care… but not that much
The little-known secret to getting ahead financially Over the many years that I’ve helped people get ahead financially, I’ve noticed that certain principles keep coming back. One of those principles is to care... but not that much. Those that earn the most, care about their money, but not that much. At least that’s the case when it comes to the day-to-day … [Read more...] about Care… but not that much
Unintended consequences: The hidden costs of a higher minimum wage
Sometimes I wish Aesop was still around today, he wrote, “Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true.” All too often we get what we wish for but often at the cost of unintended consequences. Actions with the absolute best of intentions sometimes lead to extremely poor unintended results. For example, the hidden costs of a higher minimum wage. I once had a … [Read more...] about Unintended consequences: The hidden costs of a higher minimum wage
What are your plans for your tax return?
In Canada, filing an income tax return is not required if you don’t owe tax unless you are specifically asked to file by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). However, many means-tested programs are based on data from the return, so it is often advantageous to file whether you need to or not. Have you filed your tax return yet? I hope so. The deadline for most people to … [Read more...] about What are your plans for your tax return?
Living in difficult times part 2: Practical tips
We are living in difficult times. At its most basic, managing finances is creating a balance between expenses and income. However, when money going out starts to exceed the funds coming in, that’s when we have to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate what we can actually afford. Last month I shared four lessons that I learned early on in life that helped me get … [Read more...] about Living in difficult times part 2: Practical tips