Before a skyscraper can reach for the clouds, it needs a very strong foundation. Once the building is complete, the foundation is virtually unseen. The same goes for our financial strategies. Following are the basics of a strong financial foundation:

Budget – Governments and businesses use budgets to properly allocate resources. It’s known as good business. A budget can help you figure out where your hard-earned income is going and to identify ways to cut spending or increase savings.

Rainy day and opportunity fund – Unforeseen emergencies and opportunities catch far too many of us by surprise. Such things as job loss, major repairs or investment opportunities are much easier to deal with if we have the funds available at the time. Debt is not a good way to handle these events. A minimum of three months’ income...

Recently, a client wanted to leave all of their money to two charities through their Will. They wanted to leave a legacy to a couple of charities that were close to them and they didn’t have any close family members.

Here is her situation: Age 80, $550,000 in savings (75% non-registered and TFSA), with income of $70,000 annually from pensions and RRIFs while living in an upscale retirement residence. She was also spending an additional $20,000 a year from savings to support her lifestyle.

While using a Will to donate money to charity is a common tactic, there are other options to consider that could grow the amount donated by this individual by over $100,000.

Here are 3 problems with leaving money to...