Financial Planning
Avoiding a Fall Financial Hangover
October 10, 2024Living in Montreal, there are two times a year when it becomes very difficult to control your spending. During the depths of winter, Montreal can be harsh and unforgiving, and I am not just talking about...
Learn MoreWhat happens to your debt when you die?
October 10, 2024The age old saying “you can’t take it with you” is interpreted to mean that your money and possessions cannot transcend beyond the grave, and therefore you should enjoy yourself while you are alive....
Learn MoreBack to School Season
September 13, 2024It's that time of year again and retailers are busy trying to encourage you to spend money with them!
As exciting as it may be, this can be a stressful time for parents trying to budget for all the necessary...
Learn MoreAvoiding a Fall Financial Hangover
June 25, 2024Living in Montreal, there are two times a year when it becomes very difficult to control your spending. During the depths of winter, Montreal can be harsh and unforgiving, and I am not just talking about...
Learn MoreIt’s OK not to be a homeowner
May 30, 2024The great Canadian Dream is to own a house. Many Canadians grow up with the expectation that at some point they will own their own home. We are constantly seeing news about government officials, economists,...
Learn MoreWays to save up to buy your first home
May 14, 2024Buying a new home can be a very exciting (and stressful) time. In order to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible and to minimize the risk of getting in over your head, it’s important that...
Learn MoreSpring Cleaning Ideas for Your Small Business
April 18, 2024As the snow melts away and flowers begin to bloom, it's not just our homes that could use a bit of spring cleaning—our small businesses could benefit from a refresh too. As a Canadian Licensed Insolvency...
Learn MoreHow to Make This Year a Financial Success
January 25, 2024A guide to improving your financial health and well-being.
Many people start the new year with the goal of improving their financial situation, but often struggle to stick to their plans or achieve their...
Learn MoreStress-Free Holiday Spending Tips
December 8, 2023The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration and often, overspending. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holidays and end up with a hefty credit card bill come January. However, with...
Learn MoreModeling Financial Behavior
September 27, 2023September is always a season of change. As young children take their first steps into learning, older children begin to consider their options for work life or post-secondary education.
As parents, guardians...
Learn MorePlanning for Retirement: Age-appropriate Advice
September 20, 2023When it comes to planning for retirement, there are two very different groups of people. The first group consists of those who start planning early and the second group consists of those who had a late...
Learn MoreIs there such a thing as "Debt-Free"?
August 16, 2023In theory, it is possible to be debt-free. Being debt-free means that you do not owe any money to lenders or creditors, so you have no monthly payments or interest charges to pay off. This situation can...
Learn MoreWhat to keep in mind when refinancing your home
May 24, 2023According to the Canadian Bankers Association, in December 2020 Canadian homeowners had an average home equity of 73% of the home’s value. I suspect this statistic is largely attributed to mature homeowners...
Learn MoreHow to build a solid family financial plan
March 2, 2023I grew up in a generation where, when a conversation about money was happening, I was asked to go to the other room. It was a taboo subject that was talked about in private rather than an open family conversation....
Learn MoreInheritance: Using Family Day to Start a Conversation with Your Heirs
February 14, 2023RBC Wealth Management reported that Baby Boomers in Canada are set to transfer a whopping $150 billion to their heirs by 2026. In the US, that number is closer to $68 trillion. It will be the largest...
Learn MoreTop 5 Financial Pitfalls for Seniors and Advice on How to Avoid Them
November 21, 2022Increasingly seniors make up a greater percentage of debtors who find themselves in financial straights and in need of assistance from a Licensed Insolvency Trustee. These are the Top 5 financial pitfalls...
Learn MoreTips for Navigating Back-to-School Financial Stress
September 21, 2022All across the country, students are starting a new school year this month. Smiling, eager teachers are greeting them at the doors. There’s no doubt, September is a time of exciting transitions for many—and...
Learn MoreMortgage 101
June 16, 2022At the time of writing, the sale price of the average home in Canada is over $800,000 and well over $1 million in major urban centres like Toronto and Vancouver. Let’s face it, if you have made the decision...
Learn MoreSpring Cleaning your Finances
April 25, 2022As the weather improves, so does our motivation to spring clean our homes and gardens. But what about your finances? Here are five ways to spring clean your finances:
Take Inventory
* Pull your...
Learn MoreFinancial Resolutions for the New Year
January 31, 2022With the start of a new year many of us will take the time to reflect on resolutions for the coming year. Some of the more popular resolutions tend to be health related or about relationships, work, and...
Learn MoreBudgeting: The Key to Financial Success
November 11, 2021The thought of budgeting may feel difficult and add additional stress but if you break it down into sections it is not as daunting as one may think. No matter what your financial situation is, budgeting...
Learn MoreThe Importance of Financial Literacy
September 29, 2021What is financial literacy anyway? It is an understanding of concepts including saving, investing and debt that leads to an overall sense of financial well-being. With knowledge you set yourself up to...
Learn MoreMoney Management: Financial Literacy Lessons for Kids at Every Age
March 26, 2021Teaching children about money can seem like a daunting task, especially if it’s not a skillset you have necessarily perfected yourself! But breaking down the core concepts of money and finances into
Learn MoreTake Care of Yourself, Take Care of Your Money
March 24, 2021Financial wellness can be part of an overall health wellness program. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada stated that “mental, physical and financial wellness are three pillars of good health”
Learn MoreRate your Impulse Spending Habits; 10 Tips to Stop Impulse Spending
December 17, 2020On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “always”, how often do you impulse spend? This is one of the questions I use when doing the mandatory counselling sessions under the BIA.
Learn MoreThe Seven Enemies of Financial Success
November 30, 2020Most blog posts and advice columns talk a lot about what it takes to be successful financially and share tips on improving your finances, such as setting up and following a budget, spending wisely and saving strategically.
Learn MoreThe importance of considering all costs when budgeting for a vehicle
November 19, 2020As a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT), one of they many duties we are charged with is reviewing an individual’s budget.
Learn MoreBudgeting Apps: Which ones should I use?
March 6, 2020With a multitude of apps available it can be difficult to choose which is right for you. As a follow-up to last month’s How to be more financially secure in 2020 blog, I took a look at popular budgeting...
Learn MoreHow to be more financially secure in 2020
January 14, 20202019 has been an eye-opening year for everyone, especially when it comes to finances. If you haven’t heard the news yet, consumer insolvencies are rising in Canada and will continue to do so. If you...
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