Why You Don’t Want a Tax Refund

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

“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

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 […]
Gifting in Life: Inter Vivos Gifts in Canada
Understanding Income Splitting in Canada: Tax Saving Strategies
The Estate Bond: Tax-efficient Wealth Transfer
Absolute Return vs. Relative Return: Key Differences

“The wise man is he who knows the relative value of things.“ – William J. Bernstein
Investor Guide: What is tax-efficient investing?

“This is a question too difficult for a mathematician. It takes a philosopher.” – Albert A. Einstein
Third Chapter: An Update on Settling My Mom’s Estate

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.
10 Things to Know About Dividend Tax Efficiency

“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
Employee Ownership Trusts: Tax Benefits, Owners, & Succession Planning

“You don’t build a business. You bild people, and people build the business.” – Zig Ziglar
Canadian Tax Filing Checklist

Few of us test our powers of deduction, except when filling out an income tax form.
What are the Tax Implications of Charitable Giving?

According to Statistics Canada, Canadians contribute billions of dollars to charity every year, more recently $10.3 billion in 2019. Most people don’t seem to be motivated by tax incentives to donate to a good cause. There is, however, no disadvantage to claiming charity tax credits when filing your income tax return: it is simple and […]