Non deductible fines and penalties
Fees paid to a power of attorney
Managing inherent risk is a personal choice
Summer accidents highlight need for estate plans
The total net value of your estate represents what you will leave to your family when you die. After paying off any liabilities, taxes arising at death, last expenses etc., what is left over is what your family will use to maintain the lifestyle that you created for them.
As a business owner, you may be aware that when you dispose of shares in your business you could receive an exemption on all or a portion of the capital gains that ordinarily would be taxable. This is due to the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption which says that, for 2019, up to $866,9121 of capital gains is exempt from taxation.
Life insurance is used for two general purposes in a private corporation – managing risk and creating opportunities. The risk management function is satisfied as life insurance provides the corporation with a tax-free payment in the event of the death of an owner or someone vital to the success of the business. As life insurance also allows for the tax-sheltered build up of cash value additional planning opportunities are additionally created.
Writing an estate plan is important if you own personal assets but is all the more crucial if you also own your own business. This is due to the additional business complexities that need to be addressed, including tax issues, business succession and how to handle bigger and more complex estates. Seeking professional help from an accountant, lawyer or financial advisor is an effective way of dealing with such complexities.
Don and Kate were nervously anticipating Don’s upcoming life saving surgery. Don was also concerned that, should he not survive, Kate might not know everything that needed to be done upon his death. The night before his surgery he made this list for Kate of the things she should do if he didn’t make it through the operation
According to the Canadian government website, Old Age Security is the largest pension program in Canada. OAS pays a monthly income to seniors who are age 65 and over. The amount of the payment is not based on past income but rather how long you resided in Canada after the age of 18. If you have turned 65 you are eligible for the maximum OAS income if you have resided in Canada for at least 40 years after turning 18 AND have resided in Canada for at least 10 years prior to receiving approval for your OAS pension. There are some exceptions for those who don’t fully qualify based on temporary absences during that requisite 10-year period.
Without a doubt, life insurance is valuable protection provided by your employee benefit plan, but should it be the only life insurance coverage you have? Probably not, if you want to ensure you have sufficient long term protection to cover all your family’s financial needs should you die unexpectedly.
Individuals who have incorporated their business such as consultants, contractors and professionals often find that providing affordable health and dental care coverage for themselves and their families can be an expensive proposition.
New Rules governing the Canada Pension Plan took full effect in 2016. Under these rules, the earliest you can take your CPP Pension is age 60, the latest is 70. The standard question regarding CPP remains the same – should I take it early or wait?