Real State Finance
September 02, 2026
113 views 9 mins 0

The ripple effect of RRIF withdrawals

My first RRIF withdrawal pushed up my taxes more than I expected and I’ve now been hit with quarterly instalment payments from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). I’m still working past age 71, like a lot of people these days, either by choice or necessity, on top of the mandatory withdrawal. I am not sure […]

Real State Finance
August 21, 2026
202 views 19 mins 0

The Wealthy Barber retires 

At the end of this year, The Wealthy Barber himself, David Chilton, is planning to retire. Ironically, he will do so at the traditional retirement age of 65, which he’ll reach late in October. He revealed this on his popular The Wealthy Barber podcast on June 10, 2026, which you can find here. Later that month, Globe Advisor reporter Deanne Gage […]

Real State Finance
July 18, 2026
360 views 11 mins 0

AI for conservative investors

In the minds of investors young and old, artificial intelligence (AI) is an investing theme or trend that seems to be right up there with the birth of the internet and the dot-com craze, or indeed the long-ago Industrial Revolution. But over the last 12 months, according to a recent webinar on the topic, market reaction […]

Real State Finance
July 04, 2026
376 views 13 mins 0

Online “finfluencers” grow up

If you’re someone near or at retirement, has a column like the one you’re now reading ever “finfluenced” any of your financial decisions? Increasingly, many Canadian investors are turning to a new generation of voices online, a trend that regulators are starting to watch more closely.  A finfluencer is simply a financial influencer, a contraction […]

Real State Finance
July 03, 2026
361 views 9 mins 0

Should you incorporate to avoid CPP contributions?

An unincorporated sole proprietor must contribute to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) when they file their personal tax return. These contributions can be up to $9,292.90 for 2026.  Some taxpayers may not even notice this, but line 42100 on a T1 tax return is CPP Contributions Payable on Self-Employment Income and Other Earnings. Contributions are […]

Real State Finance
June 13, 2026
369 views 12 mins 0

Best online brokers in Canada for 2026

Not sure if you’re with the right online broker? Or perhaps you’re taking your first steps into self-directed investing and trying to make sense of an increasingly crowded marketplace? With more firms competing for your attention, more commission-free trading options and more marketing promises than ever before, finding the right brokerage can be challenging. That’s […]

Real State Finance
June 02, 2026
424 views 10 mins 0

Segregated funds are no tax panacea

Ask a Planner I attended a financial planning seminar and the presenter said you’re taxed so high on RRSPs when you die that your kids are only going to get half of it, which I already kind of knew. So, if you put it into these segregated funds, then you don’t pay tax. Should I be […]

Real State Finance
May 22, 2026
468 views 18 mins 0

How are FIRE adherents making out?

In the increasingly specialized world of financial blogging, there’s a subgenre of so-called “FIRE” experts, who expound on the acronym FIRE. FIRE stands for Financial Independence Retire Early. Some proponents are in their 40s or 50s and practising what they preach, having either reached financial independence or are almost there. We describe some of them […]