Many Canadians don’t even consider retirement planning until later in life for a variety of reasons. They’re dealing with too many debt commitments, are juggling other priorities, have too little time, or maybe they’re just not thinking about it until they realize that their 60s are just a little too close for comfort. The good news? You can still put the pieces in place for retirement—with the help of an expert like a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional. If you think you’re a bit late to the party when it comes to planning your retirement, you’re not alone. Most of the people who contact him about retirement planning are in in fact in their 40s and 50s. Some of these clients are succe

The over-40 plus crowd are increasingly using debt to fund exotic vacations, bigger homes and weddings for the kids, but that doesn’t bode well for their retirement future. Unfortunately debt accumulation doesn’t show any signs of slowing as age creeps higher. According to research by HomEquity Bank and Equifax Canada, the average mortgage balance for Canadians aged 55+ grew by 11 percent over the past two years from $158,000 to $176,000. The same report shows total debt levels among those aged 70+ has increased 12 percent during the same period. What’s troubling is that many people end up getting in over their heads and are unable to service the debt. The result is a retirement that’s a far

Besides your own financial needs, are you also responsible for the care and support of dependent children and elderly family members? If so, you are part of the “Sandwich Generation”. Balancing your retirement needs with rising education and health care costs for your family can be difficult. Here are some tips to help you provide a more secure financial future for your children, yourself and your parents. ALL ABOUT YOU As you near retirement, you may feel pressured to make hasty investment decisions in an attempt to make up for an insufficient nest egg. You may end up taking on more risk than you’re comfortable with. Before you invest, take some time to understand the investment and the ris

What a difference three months make After a near bear market in the final three months of 2018, we have experienced a sharp reversal in global equities during the first quarter of 2019. The stage seems to be set for this year’s rally, with hints to a resolution in the U.S. and Chinese trade dispute, early signs of Chinese stimulus taking hold, and an optimistic shift by the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks. We often cite that equity markets move up or down for many reasons and that market valuations tend to return to fundamentals over the long term. This quarter was no exception. While long-term investors held fast, those who were influenced by the fluctuations and sold late last

We see global growth slowing as the expansion enters its final stage. The slowdown comes as the U.S. economy becomes a drag rather than a driver. It is driven by elevated uncertainty around policy plans, the tech rivalry between the U.S. and China and tighter financial conditions. Trade activity, business sentiment and investment plans have softened. The fading U.S. fiscal boost should be offset by heftier stimulus in China and Europe. Slower growth and modest inflation allow central banks to pause policy normalisation, in our view. The risk of a U.S. recession remains limited but climbs over time. We believe financial markets are being overly pessimistic, having already priced in most of th