Additional Services


Learn to Invest Your Own Money

We can teach you to manage your own investments. Over 25 years, we have seen what works and what doesn’t. Becoming a successful investor is not difficult or time consuming. There is a bit of a learning curve, but less than one would think. With the help of some excellent websites, we can guide you.

 

Pensions

Do you understand yours?
Which survivor benefit option will you choose for your spouse? What does each option mean?

Should you:
… transfer your pension's commuted value to an investment account to be managed by you or your chosen asset manager? 
This is a challenging decision, but we can objectively walk you through the pros and cons of each option.

… commence your pension at age 65?  earlier?

What are the pros and cons of taking it early or late?
Do you already receive a widow’s benefit? When should you switch to CPP?
Should you take OAS at 65 or defer as late as 70?  What are the implications?

Will your OAS be clawed back and is there anything you can do about it?
We can help.


Insurance

We don’t sell insurance, but we understand it and can help you make decisions with respect to it.


Retirement Planning

Do you have enough to retire?  What will retirement look like from an income perspective?  What about taxes?  What is the most you can spend without running out of money before you run out of time?


Estate Planning

Is your estate thoroughly planned for?  Are you concerned about your beneficiaries frittering the money away, loss through divorce or is there a black sheep in your family which you feel should not gain an equal share?  Have the income tax issues been addressed?  Has the use of trusts been discussed?  Contact us for estate planning services.


Same Sex Couples

Over the years, we have done a considerable amount of financial planning for same-sex couples.  There are specific rules that deal with taxes, benefits and retirement planning and we are fully capable of guiding you through successfully.

 



Non-Residents

We do extensive work with non-resident Canadians, mostly in the capacity of informing them as to:
  • how and when they should move back to Canada
  • where to invest while non-resident, and once repatriated
  • what the tax climate will be like upon repatriation
  • how to handle existing Canadian assets
  • how much money they will require to achieve a certain lifestyle
  • what should be done prior to repatriation
  • benefits they may receive from the Government of Canada



Tax Planning

Smarter Financial Planning Ltd. understands the necessity of professional tax planning. If you have questions with regard to income taxes, we have answers