Entries by Alto, Chang and Associates Financial Management

Permanent versus Term Life Insurance – What are the Differences?

You know you need life insurance – but you’re not sure which kind is best for you. There are two main kinds of life insurance:
• Permanent, which lasts for your entire life. Premiums can be more expensive, but you can also use the policy to build up cash value.
• Term, which is only good for a set amount of time. Premiums are less expensive, and you cannot build up cash value – but coverage is easy to get and understand.
We can help you determine which type of insurance is best for you and how much it will cost you.

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Blended families – where two people get married but have children from previous relationships – are becoming more common. On top of the day-to-day challenges of blending a family, new spouses also have to figure out how to plan their estates, so everyone is properly taken care of.

We cover all of the following a blended family must consider while estate planning:
• Sharing the Family Home
• Make the Most of a Registered Retirement Savings Plan
• How to Share Non-Registered Investments and Other Assets
• Why It’s Important to Select a Good Trustee
• The Advantages of Life Insurance for Blended Family Planning

2022 British Columbia Budget Highlights

On February 22, 2022, the B.C. Minister of Finance announced the 2022 budget. We have highlighted the most important financial measures you need to know, with an emphasis on:
• Supporting sustainable economic development
• Offering stronger healthcare
• Expanding child care options and lowering fees
• Supporting capital infrastructure
• Providing funding for affordable housing
• Promoting clean transportation
Budget 2022 includes no changes to personal or corporate tax rates.

2022 Financial Calendar

Looking for an “at a glance” document covering all the important dates you need to know to stay on track with your financial planning in 2022?

Our 2022 financial calendar (which you can easily bookmark or print out) makes sure you’re always in the loop! It lists important dates, including:

• Payments dates for the Canada Child Benefit, CPP, OAS, and the GST/HST credit.
• When TFSA contribution room starts again.
• Tax filing deadlines.
• Charitable contribution deadlines and the last day to contribute to registered investment accounts.
• When the Bank of Canada interest rate announcements are.

2021 Personal Year-End Tax Tips

The end of 2021 is quickly approaching – which means it’s time to get everything in order, so you’re ready when it comes time to file your taxes.

We’ve broken this article into the following sections to make it easy to find the tax tips you’re looking for:

• Individuals, including details on COVID-19 benefits and important tax credits.
• Investment considerations, including how to best contribute to TFSAs, RRSPs, and RDSPs.
• Families, including how to claim childcare expenses and make the most of RESPs.
• Retirees, including essential details about applying for CPP and OAS.

2021 Year-End Tax Tips for Business Owners

We’re approaching the end of the year, so it’s time to review your business finances. We’ve put together an article highlighting the most critical tax-planning tips you need to know as a business owner.

We’ve focused on:
• How to determine the right salary and dividend mix.
• The best ways to handle compensation.
• How to make sure you can take advantage of the small business deduction.
• What you need to know about depreciable assets and charitable donations.
• How to make the most of Covid-19 relief programs.

The Five Steps to Investment Planning

An investment advisor can help you figure out what the right investment choices are for you.
The five steps to investment planning are:
• Meeting your investment advisor
• Determining your goals and expectations
• Developing your investment plan
• Implementing your investment plan
• Monitoring the plan
The sooner you start planning for retirement, the sooner you can get there! An investment advisor can help you get there quicker.

When should I buy life insurance?

Life insurance is something you can use at any age. Whether you’re in your 20s or approaching retirement, you can benefit from having life insurance. Our article, “When should I buy life insurance”? can help you understand:
• What the two main types of life insurance are – term and permanent
• When term insurance is better for you and when permanent insurance is
• How life insurance can benefit you at different ages
• What costs life insurance can help your loved ones’ cover

“Final Pivot” – COVID-19 Emergency Benefits expire October 23rd, replaced by targeted supports

On Thursday, October 22nd, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the “final pivot in delivering the support needed to deliver a robust recovery.” This “Final Pivot” means several existing pandemic support programs for individuals and businesses will expire on October 23rd, 2021:

–  Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) 
–  Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) 
–  Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)