Self-Employed Taxes in Canada: Key Dates, Deductions & Tips for 2026
If you’re self-employed or running a small business in Canada, your tax obligations differ from those of a salaried employee in several important ways. Your filing deadline is later, your CPP contributions are higher, and the deductions available to you can meaningfully reduce what you owe—if you know how to use them. Here’s what every […]
Estate Bond Strategy: Tax-Efficient Wealth Transfer in Canada
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 […]
Divorce Financial Planning
If you’re going through a divorce or separation, our financial planners help you organize your finances during divorce, understand your options, and build a plan that supports the life you want next.
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
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 […]