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Resources Categories: Tax Planning

Why You Don’t Want a Tax Refund

A stack of dollar bills wrapped in metal chains secured with a padlock, symbolizing the importance of tax planning, set against a solid green background.

Canadians often see a tax refund (the balance owed or owing after the process of submitting your tax return) as a small victory at the end of the year—a “bonus” cheque from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that feels like a reward for another successful filing of taxable income. In reality, a large refund is […]

A Guide to Charitable Giving in Canada

Two open hands are held up against a plain blue background, symbolizing charitable giving and generosity in Canada.

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” – Anne Frank Canada’s charitable landscape is shifting. Fewer philanthropic Canadians claim charitable donations on their tax returns each year, yet total giving and the average donation have reached record highs—signalling a quiet concentration of generosity among a smaller group of committed households. For families with the […]

Understand What You’ll Need to Retire Comfortably

A book titled How Far Can $500,000 Last in Retirement? by Christopher Lerville features an older couple smiling on a sailboat and explores key retirement planning tips to help you retire comfortably.

How Far Will $500,000 Last in Retirement? A step-by-step guide to create your retirement plan was created by Family Wealth Advisor Christopher Jardine, CFP®, to help pre-retirees in Canada answer the age-old question, “How much will I need for retirement?” At first glance, $500,000 seems like a reasonable nest egg—half a million dollars is a […]

Third Chapter: An Update on Settling My Mom’s Estate

Row of traditional brick terraced houses with chimneys along a residential street, hedges in front, and clear blue sky above—an inviting setting often pictured during an estate settlement or an estate update.

Today’s article is a guest submission from Janine Guenther CFA, CMT, a Portfolio Manager and Senior Wealth Family Advisor with over 30 years of industry experience. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Bellwether Investment Management.

Estate Bond Strategy: Tax-Efficient Wealth Transfer in Canada

A black and white tree model, symbolizing tax-efficient wealth transfer, is enclosed in a glass dome, set against a solid bright green background.

Originally posted on June 18, 2025. Updated on March 5, 2026. There’s a common misconception that estate planning is purely a future-focused exercise. In practice, the right approach can improve tax-efficiency today. The estate bond strategy can do exactly that—surplus capital moves into an exempt permanent life insurance policy, where it grows with less tax […]

10 Things to Know About Dividend Tax Efficiency

A young plant sprouting from soil against a plain blue background, with roots and seed visible below the surface—symbolizing the growth potential of tax-efficient investing from the ground up.

“A stock dividend is something tangible—it’s not an earnings projection; it’s something solid, in hand. A stock dividend is a true return on the investment. Everything else is hope and speculation.” —Richard Russell — Richard Russell