A Hot June Without Enough Water

I won't have to tell anyone who lives in Calgary that we had to curb our water usage quite dramatically this June. A massive feeder pipe needed to be repaired which left Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere and Strathmore in a real predicament. As I write this, we are almost back to normal and hopefully, we are all the way back by the time you read it!

Natalie and I decided to leave for Saskatoon for the last week of June. We had planned to get there in July but with the water issues in the Calgary area, we decided we'd head East earlier...

Financial Strategies & Divorce

History tells us about half of marriages in Canada end in divorce. Andrew and Sara are about to end theirs and are concerned about the changes that will have to be made to their financial and estate plans. Some financial and estate issues they need to consider are:

Life Insurance – The first thing that needs to be done is a review of the beneficiary designations. If there are children, they may be the new beneficiaries and trustees will be needed if they are minors. This will affect both personal plans and group benefits. When one parent is responsible for child support payments, new life insurance may be needed to cover this obligation.

After the sale of their house, Andrew and...

Estimating Retirement Expenses

By far one of the most crucial financial strategy steps is accurately estimating retirement expenses. Correctly accounting for retirement living expenses is critical to ensuring that retirees do not outlive their money. For those already retired, there are usually few good options for creating new income sources later in life.

Getting retirement spending projections correct is both an art and a science. To deal effectively in planning for future retirement needs, a financial professional can help determine the best course of action.

Early into her teaching career, Sheila started working with a financial advisor who helped her plan ahead for a comfortable retirement. She learned...