*Bill 43 received Royal Assent (Approval) when the Legislature reconvened in October 2020. If you have a CSSB pension, there could be significant changes coming that will affect how the commuted value of your pension is calculated. As I’ve mentioned in the past (Pension or Lump Sum, How to Decide), you will have a…
I’ve had the pleasure of working with several clients who work or have retired from Manitoba Hydro. While each person’s financial situation is different, some commonalities exist amongst those sharing and employer. This guide identifies those shared characteristics and provides advice regarding their financial planning implications. What makes your financial situation unique? As an employee…
As I write this on April 29th, 2020, US markets have bounced back 31.38% over five weeks from their March 23rd lows. For those of you who invested when markets were down 30%, well done. You have made a rapid 30%. If you hesitated or you still have some cash sitting on the sidelines, I…
What once seemed so far away is now within reach. You’ve been working most of your adult life, and you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Retirement! The question now becomes, are you ready? Here’s a list of 5 things you need to look at as you approach retirement 1. …
My wife always makes sure to remind me to wear sunscreen whenever I go out golfing. I have to tell her not to worry because I spend most of my round in the shade as I tend to hit a lot of trees. This past summer, I found myself deep in the bush searching for…
In this new era of “fake news” it’s becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between what is true and what is false. Politicians use this to their advantage and often repeat false statements so often that we begin to believe they are true. You may have noticed this particular strategy used by a certain…
Are you tired of turning on the nightly news and worrying about how the day’s events are affecting your retirement portfolio? Are you worried about the day-to-day fluctuations of the stock market? This week we take a look at how to properly manage your retirement portfolio with the Bucketing Strategy so that you can…
Companies will often offer employees early retirement packages to encourage them to retire. This is usually done when the company is looking to cut costs and reduce staff. Before making a decision, there are many questions to be addressed. All of which are specific to individual preferences and circumstances. Here are eight such considerations to…
Rate of return vs timing of return Many people believe that the rate of return they earn in their investment portfolio is the number one factor in determining the success of their retirement plan. Although essential, today I want to review why it’s even more important not to lose money, especially as you are entering…
Over the last couple of months, we’ve taken a look at some of the reasons you should withdraw the commuted value from your defined benefit pension plan. (See: Five reasons you should take your pension as a lump sum payout and What happens when you withdraw your pension?) The best strategy always depends on personal circumstances,…